Black Friday is a great time to take advantage of sales and deals and grab all of the cooking essentials that will support you in the kitchen! A question I frequently get asked is “What blender/food processor should I buy for my baby?”, or “What slow cooker would you recommend?”.
I am a huge fan of both appliances and seeing as there will always be deals on Black Friday, I wrote a detailed blog on the topic called Batch Cooking Essentials.
There are of course lots of other baby and toddler essentials that might come in handy as your child grows and develops. Here’s my guide on what you should be looking for in this year’s Black Friday Sales:
High Chair
Your baby’s highchair should last you for two years and be adaptable for a toddler. There are cheaper versions like the IKEA highchair that won’t adapt, but they’re great if you don’t want to spend a fortune on it.
Here are the most important points to remember when purchasing a highchair:
- A footrest is important because it makes your baby stable while seated. When a baby or child is sat in a highchair with no foot support, they tend to end up wriggling around and show little interest in the food that has been put in front of them. The reason for this is because their lower body is lacking support, so they turn to fidgeting as a way to find a comfortable seated position. Sitting in a chair without support can also be very tiring for your little one, which can result in them having less energy to spend on eating or in them looking to get out of the highchair altogether.
- Is the highchair easily cleaned? While plastic isn’t always the best option, it sometimes is when it comes to cleaning!
- Is the tray nice and wide to catch any items like bowls, spoons and food, that might be thrown off?
Baby Cook Machine
A baby cook machine is a nice handy option to have in the kitchen. However, if you are too far along in the weaning process with your baby, you may not get as much use out of this gadget.
Here is what you should look for when purchasing a baby cook machine:
- Make sure it steams, blends, defrosts and reheats food. This will save you loads of washing up time and you can take it on holidays with you.
- Consider if you prefer glass or plastic. Remember one that has a plastic jug is much more transportable.
- Capacity - you want it to last for the first year, so quantities of food will increase. A capacity of more than 1250ml is a good size.
Baby Seat
This is a great way to have your baby up closer to you as you feed from the start. I used the baby seat from Bumbo for my two girls and it was really useful while I prepared dinner and was able to keep a close eye on them.
When looking at this option check for:
- Adjustable height for children at different stages
- Includes tray
- Includes a three-point harness
Optional but a nice benefit: Retractable chair straps, designed to hold the seat securely in place while feeding your child.
Other Useful Cooking Gadgets
Potato Ricer
I have had one for years and it's a great way of getting your mashed potato just right. It's also handy for making your baby’s food by mincing the sweet potato or root vegetable.
Microplane Grater
This is the best grater for Parmesana and zesting things like lemons. I use it daily and try to take it everywhere with me when I know I’ll be cooking!
Food Chopper
Our very own food chopper is super handy at restaurants and will chop your baby’s food to the right consistency.
Don’t forget to sign up to our FREE Mummy Cooks Club to receive early access to our Black Friday Deals!