We’re old pals — and sustainable-food veterans — who had our first kids within a month of each other in 2022. Though we (tragically) don’t live in the same city, we’ve been in nearly constant text and phone contact for every step of the journey, troubleshooting breast pumps, fretting over mysterious rashes, and agonizing over the search for actually forgiving pants. (Needless to say, the number of shopping links for “essential” items that we have shared over the last year would unnerve even the most prolific consumer.)
We couldn’t wait to welcome our kids into the flavor-crazy world of solid food when they hit the 5- to 6-month mark, but when the time came, we were surprised — and disappointed — by how few of the best-practice recipes and off-the-shelf baby foods were actually tasty. We started to obsessively share everything we were doing to make easy, delicious fare for our kids — what worked, what didn’t, and what premade pouches of purée were great in a pinch. We decided to capture the journey in real time in our new Substack, The Green Spoon, a weekly dispatch about cooking simple and delicious food for kids and their exhausted parents. Naturally, we’re always on the hunt for all the accessories that make the eating possible: dinnerware that’s affordable, made with high-quality and safe materials, and won’t accidentally affect the taste of the food we’re serving. (It’s nice when it’s not an eyesore, too.)
The one big downside to silicone as a material for foodware is that it really starts to taste like soap as soon as it’s put through the dishwasher or soaked in the sink. (It also picks up the flavor of whatever has been repeatedly served on it.) Fanny discovered these plates that are made out of bamboo and have a nice suction cup on the bottom to keep them in place. They’re resistant to unwanted smells and tastes through extended use, and even though you can’t put them in the dishwasher, they only need a quick rinse to be ready for the next meal — so you really only need to buy one. Also, fun fact: Due to the natural antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities of bamboo, plates made from its wood are highly resistant to bacteria and germs!
Once your kid has stopped relentlessly throwing or hulking their plate off the table, we suggest graduating to these very charming, kid-size enamel plates. (Greta bought these to have on hand for some 4-year-old dinner guests.) They’re indestructible, dishwasher-safe, and coincidentally very similar to the style of vintage splatterware ceramics we fiendishly comb flea markets and Etsy in search of.
When we were traveling together this past summer and washing our babies’ bottles with whatever scented dish soap was around, we noticed that the plastic sippy cups tended to really absorb the chemical taste. After Fanny found these glass alternatives, we both made the switch. These have some handy silicone sleeves to make the bottle extra grippable and plastic handles to make self-drinking possible, but because the vessel itself is glass, it’s more ecofriendly and totally nontoxic, and it can safely go in the dishwasher.
For the post-sippy-cup set, these enamelware tumblers both are super cute and can take a real beating, which is good, because they absolutely will. Fanny’s daughter is just starting to experiment with an open cup at mealtimes, and even though 60 percent ends up in her bib (see below), at least the cup in question is extremely cute. (If you’re feeling splurgy and you want more enamelware in your life, U.K.-based Falcon makes a supersweet kids’ dining-party set.)
When you’re not eating out or off of silicone, it’s a great material! Case in point: this bib, which is lightweight and flexible, comes in lots of cute colors, and has a deep and generous trough that catches everything our kids’ mouths miss (which is a lot). We’ve noticed the patterns tend to rub off, though, so stick to solid colors. Is your babe a bit of a cyclone? Double up with this cute checkered Tiny Twinkle smock underneath the bib.
Once we realized that silicone is the Great Soap Flavor Spreader, Fanny scoured the internet for stainless-steel and wood alternatives. She found this Avanchy stainless-steel flatware set whose handles have a brightly colored, easy-to-hold silicone coating (plus, they’re dishwasher-safe). Her daughter also loves handling this sweet bamboo baby fork-and-spoon set from Eartheasy. For the tiniest new diners, these bamboo baby-feeding spoons are great — the handle is designed for parents, but the spoon is small enough for baby-size mouths.
Protect your table from your child’s food-caked hands and add some class and easy cleanup to an otherwise chaotic mealtime with an oilcloth tablecloth (the idea of tablecloths that you have to dry-clean … unimaginable). We love the chic pattern options for oilcloth by the meter from Etsy seller the Oil Cloth Company. A cheaper selection of patterns can be found at Wipe Easy Tablecloths — buy a couple of meters of this lovely mustard print for a DIY table cover, or have them add a sweet cotton binding to the hem in a contrasting color. Does the term “DIY” strike fear into your heart? This gingham number from Etsy seller Freckled Sage is a real cutie too and comes ready to party! Fanny also grabbed a pack of these tablecloth clips to make her tablescape extra-resistant to her curious toddler’s constant harassment.
[Editor’s note: Wipe Easy Tablecloths lists its prices in GBP. The price listed is an approximation.]
We would be nothing without this nonstick, nontoxic pan. Nothing! Before we had kids, it was cast iron 24/7. But have you ever tried to make an omelet in a cast-iron pan without it fusing to the surface, ne’er to be separated again?? Even a glistening, patinaed, thoroughly “seasoned” cast-iron pan? Not possible. Enter the ceramic-coated GreenPan, an affordable and hassle-free way to make the one-egg green omelets and squashy eggs (recipes on the Green Spoon) that are in constant rotation in our kitchens.
Greta got this little guy when her giant old Cuisinart broke and she couldn’t stomach the price tag of a new one, but it quickly became her favorite kitchen gadget. It’s easy to store, holds a charge for a surprisingly decent stretch, and, with just three parts, is a cinch to clean. She used it 500 times a day when she was puréeing everything, but even as her kid has graduated to more texture, she still reaches for it constantly to blitz greens into eggs, make pasta sauces out of assorted leftovers, and much, much more.
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