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Children’s dishes are divided into hundreds of types: deep and flat plates with unusual patterns, non-spill cups or with a hologram effect, glasses, sets, spoons …. Head spinning with variety. How to choose the right children’s dishes for a restless and quiet baby — we will learn from this article.

How to choose dishes for children

You need to follow a simple rule: everything that does not beat and looks bright is good. Features of the choice are described below, read and remember.

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Types of children’s dishes and their purpose

“You won’t take a child with “adult” dishes, the caliber is not the same. It is heavy, bulky, beats. We should not forget that the baby is still poorly developed fine coordination. From careless putting a cup to your mouth, you can injure the gums, break the lip, chip off the tooth. Well, you understand: glass, porcelain, faience, stainless steel is clearly not for children. So we are getting ready to go to the store and stock up on the necessary utensils. No wonder it was invented!

Containers

It is not always possible to feed a child with freshly prepared food. Save the pre-prepared «brakes» in the container. Moreover, this item will be useful to a child at school age, later it will serve as a lunch box.

A good container has three quality indicators.

1. Heat resistance and the ability to keep the temperature Breast milk, mashed potatoes or boiled chicken taste better when warm. Therefore, dishes must keep food at the right temperature. For example, AVENT breast milk storage containers do a good job of this.
2. tightness Baby food is often in the form of liquid porridge or puree, the container must be well protected from spilling. Snap-on lids do this. For reliability, wrap the zudok with a cloth or bag.
3. With a bright print and your child’s favorite characters Then every meal will be a joy to the baby.

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spoons

The child perceives this cutlery as a toy. The kid will knock it on the surfaces, and inadvertently put it in his mouth, striving for independence, briskly examining objects. Therefore, it is better to use silicone (such as Nuvita Easy Eating). Silicone is hypoallergenic, will not damage the gums and mucous membranes.

When the child grows up, you can give him a metal spoon with an expanded plastic handle. This does not slip out of a child’s hand.

Sets

To «kill all the hares» it’s easier to buy a set of children’s dishes. It provides everything you need for feeding themed colors for boys and girls: plates for liquid food and side dishes, a cup, several spoons and forks. For very little ones — a few bottles and vessels.

Dishes in sets should be:

• comfortable and light, so that it can be confidently held by weak hands;
• keep food warm, but do not heat up itself;
• withstand exposure to temperature changes, do not shrink from hot soup or storage in the refrigerator;
• with an interesting design and favorite characters of the kid.

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glasses

This utensil is suitable for middle-aged and older children who confidently use personal items. This means that a vessel with compote will not be poured onto itself.

A good children’s glass should be made from unbreakable, hypoallergenic materials. Most often — from safe subspecies of plastic, like the Sigikid Forest Grizzly. It is too early to trust glass and faience, and metal has a high thermal conductivity, a child can get burned.

Also, the children’s glass should be bright (this makes you want to pick it up). But it is important to choose one so that the paint can withstand temperatures higher than the comfortable +37 ° C. Otherwise, particles of coloring substances fall into the water. Drinking this is dangerous to health. Even if cold drinks are poured into such a glass.

Plates

At first, a deep plate (like Sigikid Lolo Lombardo) will be enough for the baby. When you learn to eat solid food, you can buy a dish of medium depth. Ideally, it should be with several sections. So you can neatly arrange the food without mixing the ingredients.

It is worth taking dishes with a rubber bottom. The plate will stand confidently on the surface, and it will be easier for the baby to learn how to pick up a full spoon.

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Cups

A good cup is light and unbreakable. It should have thick handles that are comfortable to grip, or a shape that tapers towards the top. Then the child can grasp it more securely.

Quality criteria are reduced to three points.

• Safe material that keeps temperature.
• High quality paint that won’t peel off.
• Unbreakable material/coating.

Thermos

Children’s thermos differs in size. Instead of the usual capacity of one or two liters, a glass and a half is placed. This is convenient for two reasons:

• the volume is designed for one full meal,
• thermos is not heavy. A good example is Nuvita.

Children’s models are usually with a plastic or silicone coating. They do not slip in the hands, which reduces the chances of accidentally dropping the vessel.

Dryer

Where it is clean and dry, there are fewer germs. Therefore, children’s dishes must be thoroughly washed and dried so that life of different incarnations cannot “multiply” in it. Dryer help!

It is better to buy a bright and unusual model. The child will see that after washing his dishes are drying on an interesting little thing, and get used to the order: ate → washed → dried. The cup and plate are dry, which means clean.

It is better to look at plastic dryers with silicone coating: they are soft, the child will not get hurt. In addition, they do not oxidize when exposed to moisture.

Classic metal dryers are undesirable. They are made of thin aluminum, which is subject to deformation. If you dry the dishes on this, it is advisable to put it away from the ubiquitous baby. After all, caution never hurt anyone.

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Sterilizer

It will not replace a sink. But it perfectly disinfects clean utensils. The principle of operation is simple: the sterilizer douses things with hot steam for 5-7 minutes. During this time, up to 99.9% of microorganisms on the surface are destroyed.

Devices are divided into 2 options:

• electrical,
• microwave.

The differences between electric and microwave sterilizers are shown in the table:

No matter how good the sterilizer is, it still needs care. Regular washing of the device in warm water and prevention from scale with safe products (lemon, vinegar) have not been canceled. It is worth considering this if you decide on such a unit.

Heaters

An indispensable gadget for parents of babies. If the baby is breastfed, half the trouble. And for those who have to feed mixtures, the task becomes more complicated. Warm milk to body temperature before drinking. And it is important to adapt to do it quickly and not overheat.

Manufacturers of equipment took care of children on artificial feeding. The food warmer is suitable for heating food packages and bottles. The indicator signals readiness, you don’t have to watch the treasured minute. Furthermore! Many models are able to maintain the desired temperature of the mixture for several hours.

Breast pump

Using a breast pump is a real salvation for a nursing mother.

The device really helps out in three cases.

1. They are forced to leave the child in the care of relatives for several hours.
2. The baby has a great appetite and often asks for food.
3. The mother has several infants.

Breast pumps perfectly mimic the suction of newborns, encouraging a continuous flow of milk. Mom is less tired. The massage cup stimulates the channels for milk production. Pumping is quick and painless. The main thing is to get used to it and do it on time.

Devices are divided into 2 types:

• mechanical — everything is done by hand. You can fully control the frequency of pumping, speeding it up or slowing it down;
• electric ones have a specialized motor that starts the pump. She expresses milk under pressure.

According to the method of stimulation, the devices are distinguished as single- and two-phase.

• The 1st phase creates the prerequisites for rapid and shallow absorption-stimulation,
• Phase 2 mimics slow and deep suction to stimulate increased milk flow.

For women with cracked nipples, it is preferable to take the second option. It will reduce discomfort and can help the body prepare for the process. And if you hold the nozzle in the refrigerator, then the cooling effect will work as a light anesthetic.

Accessories

Everything that is not dishes, but refers to baby food — these are accessories. Namely:

1. Nozzles
2. Nipples.
3. Tubes.
4. Milk storage bags.
5. Carrying bags.
6. Tack toys.
7. Brushes for cleaning bottles and thermoses, etc.
8. Replaceable cups for breast pumps and more.

Properly selected accessories will greatly simplify the first months of parenthood. Having several spare nipples, you will not need to run to the sterilizer every time — it will be enough to give the child a clean one.

Carrying bags and potholders will allow you to give the child food at the right temperature and not burn yourself. And bottle cleaning brushes will keep dishes perfectly clean. Moreover, they can then be used to wash thermoses and coffee machines.

Double boiler

Steamed food is many times healthier and more nutritious than food cooked in the traditional way. It is like boiled, but it has a minimum of excess moisture. This is especially important when cooking broccoli or fish — the “steam” version is much tastier than the usual one.

Combine harvester

If you need to quickly prepare mashed potatoes or baby food, the food processor is indispensable. After all, it is important for a child to eat fresh. Such a device will facilitate and improve the daily work of parents. All that is required is to thoroughly wash the products and cut into large pieces.

You can steam meat, fish, fruits and vegetables with this appliance. 15 minutes and you’re done. Dishes retain vitamins, fragrant, tasty. They can be beaten into a gentle puree for crumbs. Or leave pieces of food — for the grown butuz. In a food processor, you can easily adjust the texture of the dish and precisely dose the ingredients. Fortunately, the bowl has a measuring scale.

When choosing a combine, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:

1. bowl volume

The more, the more powerful and overall the device.

2. Material cups

Often it is plastic, glass or metal.

• Plastic is budgetary, suitable for food processing, but scratches remain on it. Minor, however, microorganisms get into these lesions and multiply.
• Glass is more hygienic, but requires careful handling. It is worth hitting and a seemingly heavy plate can break.
• Metal is the most practical, but expensive material. And the color palette is not happy: only shades of gray.

steamer blender

Steaming, whipping — like a god. Steamers-blenders are suitable for those who want to create delicious natural foods and at the same time save space in the kitchen. Now you will not need to use several devices alternately, worrying about the quality of cooking. The only downside is the price. She bites a little, but still lower than for both gadgets separately.

One of the main advantages of such a device: you can control the entire cooking process. When buying baby food, parents are often not sure about the compliance with the sanitary standards of manufacturers. And so a young dad can fulfill the dream of a young mother and cook a healthy dinner for her and the baby.

When choosing such a device, you should pay attention to five features.

1. Material cups
Glass ones are safe for cooking any food, but they can break. Plastic ones do not break, but darken and scratch after several months of active use, giving rise to a breeding ground for microbes.

2. Sustainability
Rubberized feet or suction cups hold the device tenaciously on the surface.

3. Power
The more impressive, the faster the blender will grind the food.

4. Blade quality
They should be sharp, without nicks and damage.

5. Reliability of the online store
For an expensive device, dishonest sellers tend to give out a fake. It is better to bypass one-day shops, otherwise the miser will have to pay the difference twice.

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No-spill cup

The cup is closed with a lid with a narrow spout. The amount of water that comes out is enough to get drunk, but not enough to pour over or pour all the liquid on the floor.

5 parameters of a good mug.

1. The volume and shape is selected according to the age of the child. A non-spill bottle that fits a one-year-old may be too small for a kindergartener.
2. The non-spill cup should have strong handles or taper towards the middle.
3. The spout of the lid in the cup for the smallest should be soft — so as not to hit the gums and growing milk teeth. There should not be any tubes, the baby can swallow them.
4. For middle-aged and older children, non-spill bottles with a dense, hard spout are suitable.
5. Non-slip bottom — so the mug will remain in place, even if it is accidentally touched.

Interchangeable soft silicone noses

Quick consumable for drinking bowl. The child often bites them, damaging the tightness of the form. They fall to the floor, you have to wash them several dozen times a day. All this will quickly be reflected in soft silicone spouts.

The child is growing, so the nose, bought for a seven-month-old, is not suitable for 1.5 years. Just be ready for it.

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What to look for when choosing children’s tableware

The design must justify the purpose, the material must be durable and safe. Crockery should be easy to care for. Read more about the characteristics of high-quality cookware below.

Construction

The dishes must be strong: withstand throws, hits with stones, temperature changes and even compression. Children explore the world and will experiment with the suitability of utensils.

Utensils must be deep. It is recommended to choose dishes with marks — so you can load the right amount of food so that it does not fall out at lunch.

The cutlery should have slightly curved handles, like in this Nuvita cutlery set. So it will be easier for the child to learn how to use them. It is better to choose utensils with bright colored elements — this will further interest the child.

Material

Toddlers need to choose plastic dishes. She does not beat, does not break, even if she is thrown against the wall.

Children’s dishes are made of 2 types of plastic: hard and soft. Their key differences are summarized in the table below.

Heat-resistant plastic does not conduct heat, the baby is not burned. Do not use disposable PVC utensils. It is not intended for any food. Yes, even for adults.

Important: to find a dangerous plate, just look at the markings. If the number 3 in the triangle is visible there and PVC is written under them, we throw it away.

Plastic models are just as light, but the food in them cools down much faster. If you decide to take it, it is better to choose models with a double bottom. So the food will cool down a little slower.

A fairly safe polycarbonate is polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE). It is used for the production of plastic bottles: the one with which they drink soda. But it cannot be reused, as during operation it releases toxic substances that enter the water.

Porcelain, ceramics and earthenware are environmentally friendly and at the same time safe materials. They withstand any temperature, do not harm either the child or nature. If porcelain ware breaks, it will be difficult to get hurt. And that’s all, because the fragments are large without sharp edges. However, faience is quite heavy and it will be difficult to hold it in tiny hands. It is better to accustom a child to such dishes when he is at least 4-5 years old.

Glass is a fragile material. And it is better to accustom to such dishes closer to the middle school age. Glass breaks easily into small and sharp pieces, so you need to be VERY careful with it.

Wooden utensils need to be changed often, because over time food remains get into the pores. Microparticles from a wooden spoon cannot be washed with baby detergent. Such dishes can be handed over for processing: it will turn out paper, cardboard or chipboard furniture.

But it is better to forget about enameled products. They heat up quickly and can burn even an adult! In addition, even after the slightest damage to the enamel, it can no longer be used. Eating from such dishes can cause unpredictable consequences. In contact with food, damaged enamel can create highly toxic metal compounds. You can’t send it to be processed, as it will be very expensive.

Stainless steel is also not the best choice for children. Again, it warms up quickly and the baby can get burned. The only case when the purchase of such dishes is justified is a long trip. Then the resistance of stainless steel to corrosion and external influences will pay for itself. If it is impossible to refuse the material, use textile «cook’s gloves» or silicone nozzles. Their low thermal conductivity will allow you to hold the dishes in your hands without discomfort.

Throw away melamine dishes. This material is harmful to health. Outwardly, it looks like white porcelain, but in fact it is a special type of plastic. The danger of melamine tableware is that when it comes into contact with water, it releases toxic substances.

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Safety

Dishes are selected based on the age of the child. No need to take «for growth» — there will be a temptation to put more food than necessary.

Those who like to heat dishes in the microwave or wash in the dishwasher need to follow the presence of special markings. If it is not designed for strong thermal effects, it can become hazardous to health.
Be sure to check the durability of the pattern. If it scrapes off, throw such utensils away.

Do not use plastic plates for more than 3 years. Under the influence of high temperature, the polymers will begin to decompose. Scratches will appear on the dishes, in which germs will accumulate. That is why doctors advise regularly changing a variety of plastic utensils: from pancake shovels to cutting boards.

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Care

For children’s dishes, special care is needed: after all, babies have weaker immunity at times. Utensils need to be washed thoroughly, using detergents for children.

A good detergent for children’s dishes has the following parameters:

1. It should be harmless to the baby (look for the 0+ marking on the package).
2. It is advisable to look for products without fragrances or with minimal flavors. An irritating smell will attract fragrance lovers, but will repel the baby.
3. Look for a clear detergent or one that is dyed with natural dyes. Bright gamma should alert.
4. The pH should be close to neutral (that number is 7)

Overview of the top manufacturers of children’s tableware

5 best manufacturers of utensils for children.

AVENT

Buying Avent products, get premium quality at reasonable prices. These dishes are of such high quality and durability that they are often passed down from generation to generation. So, having bought AVENT once, you will no longer need to buy a similar one after many years.

BAYBY

Affordable yet high quality! The manufacturer BAYBY concentrates on the first tableware for the little ones. Therefore, in its assortment you can find sets of bottles, breast pumps, heaters and sterilizers. All of these devices make the first year of parenthood so much easier!

BURNING

What image appears in your head after the name of this company? Most associate the brand with home appliances. GORENJE maintains the same image in the production of baby sterilizers, baby food processors and warmers.

NUVITA

Renowned for quality and variety. NUVITA manufactures products from small to large: spoons, including those with a temperature indicator, plates, breast pumps, bottle warmers and much more.

SIGIKID

The company SIGIKID compares favorably with its competitors with bright, fabulous, original prints on the dishes. Cartoon characters «suck» the baby into their parallel universe, where he won’t even notice that he ate the whole lunch. On such dishes, every child will find his favorite: elephants, dogs, bunnies, marine life are just waiting for their owner!

Before you choose dishes for cooking baby food, you need to evaluate your financial capabilities. But it’s not worth saving. Because cheap utensils are often made of harmful materials, and neither you nor the child will benefit. Therefore, look for a middle ground: choose options from trusted manufacturers.