You can’t afford to fly anymore, so put down that airplane spoon and pick up some Construction Machine Cutlery. ($18.49) Boys love dumptrucks, bulldozers and front loaders anyway, so your odds of getting him to eat are greatly increased with this set. The cool thing is each utensil functions perfectly well as a toy. Did you ever think you’d encourage your kids to play with their food? With this set you have to!
BUY
Create a culinary masterpiece nightly with the Palette Plate from Skip Hop. ($28) This palette-style plate holds four drop-in bowls, perfect for a multi-course finger food dinner. Each bowl has a translucent cover for easy refrigerator storage, and the plate has a skid free cup holder (bonus!) and matching utensils. And of course it’s microwave safe. Happy little carrots…happy little carrots…
You probably have one for your food. Why not one for baby food? The Chow Baby Food Organizer from Skip Hop ($24) is the ultimate organization tool for your kid-friendly kitchen. The lazy-Susan design allows for easy access to all jars and labels, so you can easily pick between peas and carrots and applesauce. Sets up for two or three levels to fit any space, and comes in three colors. Dinner for three just got a lot easier.
How cool is this? The Monster Onesie with Detachable Top & Bib ($25) features…get this…detachable bibs. Wouldn’t you love to just wash a bib, rather than a full wardrobe? Slop up the mess, snap off the dirty bib, snap on a clean one, and you’re off. The cute monster motif is just an added bonus.
Baby Cubes ($9.99) are a godsend for mothers on the run. These 2 Oz. trays hold and freeze baby food, formula or breast milk for easy access down the road. You get eight non-toxic, dishwasher and microwave safe plastic trays, and a little extra time and piece of mind. Just don’t mix ‘em up with your whiskey or wine cube trays…
There is absolutely no drive-through garbage in this book, and we couldn’t be happier. The Organic Baby and Toddler Cookbook is the ultimate start to a lifetime of healthy food choices. It features tons of easy quick menu plans for every stage of development, all totally organic and eco-friendly. It’s a lifetime of happy meals, and we totally approve.
We’ve seen plenty of bottles in our day, so we know a little bit about what’s good. The Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Bottle ($12.99, $25 for two or $33 for three) fits that bill to a polycarbonate and bisphenol-A free T. In addition to being clean, they’re also ergonomic and designed for quick one-handed refill with the Twist, Fill and Feed system. And it’s got a nipple cover for leak-free transport. Nifty!
Dinner is served with the Playful Chef Kids Cooking Set. ($42.95) Dads, this set is better than what you had during your bachelor days. It’s loaded for bear! Actually it’s loaded for dinner. Comes with apron, measuring spoons and cups, tools like a spatula and whisk, baking pans, recipe cards and an overview on cooking technique. Put ‘em to work now, and they’ll discover the joys of cooking. And soon enough you’ll even eat better than your bachelor days.
It’s the perfect blend of John Wayne circa 1952, Eddie Van Halen circa 1982 and Bounty 2008. The Modern Kerchief Bib ($18) is super cute, retro and modern. More importantly for your cause, it’s utilitarian – the ultimate on-the-go napkin for your little gusher.
Excellent! Phil & Ted’s Me Too Chair ($49.95) just made the high chair obsolete. Just attach baby to the table! This chair is tough enough to take it. It’s tough-but-lightweight aluminum, with a three-point harness and washable aluminum seat. It hooks on to any table with a rubber padded C-clamp, and comes in black, navy or red. Dining just got a whole lot easier.

