To Have & to Hold: 10 Fab Ways to Store or Serve Baby & Toddler Food

Perfect for freezing a gargantuan batch of homemade apricot-chicken purée and stashing toddler snacks in the diaper bag to fuel an endless errand day, there’s a veritable buffet of food storage and serving devices* out there made for the modern parent. Need help culling the kiddo culinary gadget herd? We’ve got 10 hot leads for the safe, practical, and durable receptacle of your feeding dreams.

For Storing in the Fridge or Freezer

• Ideal for freezing large batches of homemade purées in single-serving portions, OXO Tot Baby Blocks storage containers are leak-proof (great for on the go!) and both microwave- and dishwasher-safe. Note: Baby food will expand as it freezes, so only fill containers 2/3 full.
• With 10 (1.5 ounce) single-serving sections, WeeSprout’s silicone freezer tray is the modern ice cube tray—it comes with a snap-on lid for easy stacking, it’s dishwasher-safe, and you can use it in the microwave or oven (use it for baking as your kiddo gets older!).
• Great for busy, working parents, Mumi & Bubi’s freezer trays allow you to make a whopping 21 easy-to-remove, 1-ounce single servings at once. Each starter kit comes with two trays (and lids!), plus a recipe book with 27 step-by-step fresh ideas.
• Wean Green’s tempered glass Wean Cubes can hold up to 4 ounces of food, making them great for freezing baby food, but also for toting around toddler snacks. You can even let your older child hold the container while he eats: The leak-proof lids come with tabs that small hands can easily open and the glass is 4–5 times stronger than that of a drinking glass.

For Snacks on the Go

• For portable purées, you can’t beat the convenience, affordability, and eco-friendliness of reusable food pouches. Simply fill with food, squeeze to serve, rinse, and then wash in the top rack of the dishwasher—and repeat. We like WeeSprout’s double-zipper pouches, backed by a one-year guarantee, and the Squooshi versions that look like totes adorbs critters. Both come with clear portions so you know what food is inside.
• In the finger-foods stage? Stay sane with Skip Hop’s Baby Zoo snack cup collection. Each cute, critter-bedecked cup comes with two lids—a flexible inner one that prevents spills but allows for easy grabbing, and a hard outer one that snaps shut to keep snacks fresh.
• Transport a variety of snacks and your own lunch in Innobaby’s stylish Keepin’ Smart™ stainless steel divided bento boxes. They are double insulated to keep food warm or cool, and come with an airtight but easy-to-open (even for toddlers!) snap-on lid. 

For Dishing Up

• Got a little one who loves to drop her dishes on the floor (or throw them at the wall…)? These silicone placemats from Babies’ Tribe have suction cling on the bottom so that they stick to most surfaces, and come with the rhino-shaped dishware built right in. It’s even safe in the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer, too!
• BabieB’s cheerful trio of durable, multi-size bowls come with suction-cup bottoms (which get rave reviews) and lids so that you can easily take breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks to go.
• Designed with an angled edge to support your toddler as he learns to feed himself with a spoon, Kiddiebites’ silicone divided plates are virtually indestructible and yet won’t damage your floor (or make a ruckus) if thrown. You can warm food on them in the microwave and clean them in the dishwasher, and they’re great for toting along to restaurants.

* Always choose products that are non-toxic: Free of BPA, BPS, PVCs, phthalates, and lead.