Mealtime

From baby spoons and silicone suction plates to toddler cutlery, sippy cups, bibs, and lunchboxes, the Beaba mealtime range has everything your baby needs at every stage from the very first spoonful at around six months right through to independent school-day lunches

Starting Solids — Which Approach Is Right for Your Family?

Every Australian family approaches the introduction of solid food a little differently and the Beaba mealtime range is designed to support whichever path you choose

Traditional spoon feeding — starting with smooth purees prepared in the Beaba Babycook, introduced by a parent or caregiver using a soft baby spoon. This approach gives you precise control over texture, volume, and nutritional content, and is particularly popular for the earliest weeks of weaning from around six months

Baby-led weaning (BLW) — offering soft finger foods from the very start of weaning, allowing your baby to self-feed independently from day one. BLW focuses on babies exploring food at their own pace, developing fine motor skills, and building a positive, confident relationship with food

Combination feeding — many Australian families use both approaches simultaneously offering purees via spoon alongside soft finger foods finding that the combination gives babies the nutritional security of spoon feeding with the developmental benefits of self-feeding

The Beaba mealtime range supports all three approaches with purpose-designed products for every feeding style

Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) — What You Need to Know

Baby-led weaning is an approach to introducing solid food that skips purees entirely or introduces them alongside finger foods and allows babies to self-feed from the very beginning of the weaning journey. Rather than being spoon-fed by a caregiver, babies are offered appropriately sized and prepared soft foods to pick up and explore independently

The benefits of baby-led weaning:

Develops fine motor skills: picking up and manipulating food pieces from the very start of weaning gives babies consistent fine motor practice, supporting the pincer grip and hand-eye coordination that underpin so many developmental milestones

Builds a positive relationship with food: babies who are in control of what they pick up, put in their mouth, and how much they eat develop autonomy and confidence around food that research suggests contributes to healthier eating patterns in later childhood

Supports family mealtime participation: BLW babies eat versions of what the rest of the family is eating from the beginning, making mealtimes more inclusive and significantly less time-consuming than preparing separate purees

Natural self-regulation: babies who self-feed learn to respond to their own hunger and fullness cues an important foundation for healthy eating habits throughout life

What is the difference between gagging and choking in BLW?
Gagging is a normal, protective reflex that all babies have and is actually more common in BLW babies in the early weeks as they learn to manage food in their mouths. Gagging is noisy, active and self-resolving. Choking is silent, involves blocked airway and requires immediate intervention. Understanding this difference is important for parents starting BLW and the Beaba mealtime range is designed with safe, manageable food portions and shapes in mind

Beaba Mealtime Products for Baby-Led Weaning

Divided suction plates — a divided plate with a strong suction base is one of the most practical BLW products you can own. Separate compartments keep different finger foods organised and distinct and strong suction keeps the plate firmly on the highchair tray while your baby explores each food independently. The Beaba Stainless Steel Divided Plate is particularly popular for BLW families - the world's first microwave-safe stainless steel divided plate, with high rounded edges that make it easier for little hands to push food towards a spoon or fork

Silicone suction bowls — a silicone suction bowl with a secure base is ideal for soft foods, sauces, dips, and yoghurt in the BLW approach staying in place while your baby dips, scoops, and explores with their hands and early utensils

Baby spoons for self-feeding — while BLW is finger-food focused, introducing baby spoons early alongside finger foods helps babies begin experimenting with utensils at their own pace. Beaba's soft silicone baby spoons are shallow, flexible, and sized for tiny mouths safe for self-feeding exploration from around six months

Toddler cutlery for progression — as your BLW baby develops into a toddler and refines their utensil skills, Beaba's toddler cutlery sets offer ergonomic, easy-grip handles designed specifically for little hands progressing from self-feeding with fingers to confident fork and spoon use

Bibs built for BLW mess — BLW is wonderfully, spectacularly messy. A quality bib that catches as much as possible is non-negotiable. beaba silicone pocket bibs are particularly well suited to BLW — easy to wipe clean or rinse between courses, with a generous catch pocket for everything that misses the mouth

The Beaba highchair for BLW — a stable, well-designed highchair is the foundation of safe BLW. The Beaba Up & Down Highchair adjusts to six heights - keeping your baby at the right height relative to the table and in a safe, supported upright position for self-feeding. Shop the beaba Up & Down Highchair

The Full Beaba Mealtime Range

Baby spoons & first stage feeding — soft, food-grade silicone baby spoons perfectly sized for tiny mouths from four months onwards, with shallow bowls that make first bites gentle and comfortable for both spoon feeding and early self-feeding exploration

Plates, bowls & meal sets — including the world's first microwave-safe stainless steel divided plate, silicone suction plates and bowls that stay put through BLW and self-feeding, and complete baby meal sets that give you everything you need for a coordinated mealtime setup

Toddler cutlery — ergonomic, easy-grip toddler cutlery sets designed for little hands learning to eat independently, with soft, manageable handles and safe, toddler-appropriate fork and spoon shapes that build confidence and coordination

Sippy cups & learning cups — including the Beaba Click & Drink 360 Stainless Steel Learning Cup, which allows toddlers to drink from any angle — a natural, mess-free transition from bottle to cup. Particularly popular for BLW families who want to introduce independent drinking alongside independent eating from an early stage

Bibs — soft, practical bibs designed for the realities of feeding a baby or toddler, from silicone pocket bibs perfectly suited to BLW to soft fabric bibs for supported spoon feeding

Lunchboxes & food storage — stylish, insulated lunchboxes and stainless steel meal boxes designed to keep food fresh from home to nursery, daycare, and beyond supporting the BLW approach of offering real, whole foods beyond the home environment

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I start baby-led weaning?
Most Australian paediatric health guidelines recommend introducing solid food including BLW at around six months, when your baby shows signs of readiness: sitting upright with minimal support, showing interest in food, and having lost the tongue-thrust reflex. Always discuss the introduction of solids with your GP or maternal child health nurse

Do I need special products for baby-led weaning?
You don't need a dedicated BLW product range but certain products make the approach significantly easier. A divided suction plate, a silicone suction bowl, soft baby spoons for utensil introduction, a generous bib, and a stable highchair are the core BLW mealtime essentials. The beaba mealtime range covers all of these

Is baby-led weaning safe?
Yes when introduced appropriately at around six months with correctly prepared foods, BLW is considered a safe and effective approach to introducing solids. Understanding the difference between gagging (normal) and choking (an emergency), preparing foods to the correct softness, and always supervising closely are the fundamental safety principles. Speak with your GP, paediatrician, or maternal child health nurse if you have specific concerns

Can I combine baby-led weaning with purees?
Absolutely — combination feeding is widely practised by Australian families and supported by paediatric nutrition guidelines. Many families offer purees via spoon alongside soft finger foods, finding that the combination gives babies the nutritional confidence of spoon feeding with the developmental benefits of self-feeding

What is the best highchair for baby-led weaning?
A stable, adjustable highchair that positions your baby safely upright and at an appropriate height relative to the table is the most important piece of BLW equipment you'll own. The Beaba Up & Down Highchair — with six height adjustments is one of the most recommended highchairs for BLW families in Australia

Pair your mealtime products with the Beaba Babycook — the world's best-selling baby food maker — for a complete feeding system that takes you from homemade purees at six months to family meals at the toddler stage. Shop the beaba Babycook range.

Free delivery on orders over $150 at beaba.com.au — the official beaba Australia store