Restaurant Favorites
Going to a restaurant with your baby or toddler can seem daunting! But, being prepared can make it SO much easier! These are all of my favorite things for helping your baby and toddler feel comfortable at the table, help them stay busy between courses, AND help you serve the restaurant meal in a way that is familiar to them. Check them out below!
This Silicone Busy Toy- it is SUCH a good combination of teether and toy! It has silicone strands for grabbing, pulling, and teething, pop-its for popping and some little balls for sliding. It’s great for fine motor skills, too! It grows with baby from 6 months and up.
The Roll Up Bib- this bib doubles as a place to put pieces of food for your older baby as the bucket is very wide and structured. Then, just roll it up when you’re all done eating and button it up! Makes it easy to travel with.
This Silicone Spoon and Fork Combination is my favorite for littles, especially under 1 year old. I like to pop these in a bag and take them with me on the go. If baby is having trouble self-feeding or you don’t want to make too much of a mess (I get it!!), you can use the fork to offer chewable pieces to baby. Preload the fork and let them hold it!
This Silicone Suction Bowl comes with a lid, making it so great for travel! And then use it at home, too. Simple and useful!
Teethers! This Octopus Teether is my favorite and so easy to secure on to the busy mat or hold! It has finger-like legs that are great for chomping. The Baby Banana Brush teether is also a great one to bring on the go because baby can hold on to the sides and it can also be secured.
The High Chair Cover (and shopping cart cover) is a MUST HAVE for both restaurants and the grocery store! I love how it provides some cushion for smaller babies, and it has a drink older and teether holder! Just pop in the washer when you’re done and it’s good to go.
The Busy Mat is a lifesaver. There is a larger version, but depending on how large your table is at the restaurant, it might be too big. So smaller can be safer! Suction it to the table, use the two inside sections as a place to put food, attach teethers or utensils to the strings and nothing will hit the floor. PRO TIP: If you’re having trouble getting the mat to stick on the table, put a few drops of water or coconut oil under them to help them stick.
Touch and feel books like this one are great for keeping those hands busy and baby engaged while waiting for food! Sound books are also great and not too loud for a public place!
This Masher is the best $7 you’ll spend, and it comes with a lid! When Paul was just starting solids, I would bring this with me to help mash down any foods we were eating at the restaurant (beans with guacamole, rice mixture, oatmeal with berries, etc.) Just a quick mash down and he could eat what we were eating too! You can use at home as well to quick mash a banana or other foods.
This is my favorite Stainless Steel Fork and Spoon combo. For your toddler who wants to self-feed his meal, using the restaurant fork may result in the loss of an eyeball for you or them, so bringing their own tableware can make the experience more familiar and easier.
One of the best Sticker Books on Amazon, and best priced too! We have the Animal Habitats and Around the Town books, and Paul loves creating a scene (sometimes at the restaurant- sometimes in the book hahaha). It keeps him occupied until the food comes and sometimes between courses, waiting for the check etc. Keeping one of these in the car when you have to go somewhere quiet (doctor’s office, waiting room, restaurant, etc) is a great idea.
This Busy Cube kept Paul entertained for a long while in the car when he was about 15 months old and he still uses today. It has many different sides that help with fine motor development, and can keep your little one entertained for a bit. Best for 18 months and up!
These are my favorite Water Bottles for on the go! I like to bring along a familiar drinking vessel to the restaurant to make sure they are drinking enough, as well. These are also easy for toddlers to open- push the button, drink, and close the lid.
These Silicone Section Plates come with lids, so they are perfect to use at home or on the go! I like bringing my own tableware for babies and toddlers so they don’t accidentally break a ceramic plate. And familiarity is key. No need to worry about a mess from the restaurant, you can just put the lid on and clean up at home.
BONUS: This isn’t needed but I feel like it makes my life easier! I like this Reusable Bag to host dirty utensils after eating at the restaurant. That way you don’t have to worry about dirty utensils in your bag or cleaning them there. You can just put them in and go. A plastic baggie also serves this purpose! I am just trying to eliminate single use items in my life and this bag is great quality.
Restaurant Tips:
Put all your restaurant faves in a bag in your car and leave it there! That way you won’t forget it when you’re about to leave AND if you make an impromptu restaurant decision, you are prepared.
Don’t put your baby in the high chair until food is about to come or you have a snack for them! Depending on how speedy the kitchen staff is, they might be sitting for 30 minutes or more and then won’t want to sit again when the food comes. Put baby on your lap and read and play with them, or take a little walk around the restaurant before the meal comes to get some energy out.
Keep expectations low. Baby may not want to eat as much as they normally would because the foods is new, the environment is new, they are distracted, or they just don’t want to eat! That’s ok! It’s just one meal and not the end of the world if they don’t consume much.
Ask for the check right when you know you aren’t getting any more food. This helps speed up the exit process. We like to ask for the check when the waitress or waiter comes to check on us after our meal is delivered. If we are getting dessert, we also order that right when the food comes to keep things moving! They should understand- dining with kids is HARD!
Make an early reservation. If your kids like to eat at 5 PM, make a 4:30 reservation because you aren’t actually eating food until about 20-30 minutes after you order it! I personally make a 4 PM reservation because it’s usually less overwhelming for the littles because there’s less people eating. Then you’re leaving right as things get busy and you can get home in time for a normal bedtime!
Laugh through it. The last time we went out, Penelope was shrieking with glee and Paul was imitating her….. which made her do it more and we were by far the loudest people in the restaurant and all I could do was laugh! If people are mad that you’re making a racket, then they should think twice about coming out in public. Kids are people, too.
