Having a baby is always going to be a tumultuous event. It’s often a moment in your life when you stop and reflect on the life you used to lead, and the future you want to create for your new child.
If you’ve wanted to do your bit to create a greener, healthier planet for your child, you probably have a few ambitions: breast feeding your baby, using recyclable nappies and handmaking all their early years meals. But in amongst sleepless nights, a baby that doesn’t feed well, endless nappy changes and hand blending a selection of endless vegetables, it’s not always easy to stick to those goals.
Please don’t despair. We believe that making significant changes is all about taking small steps. In this post we look at how you can make a small change to your choice of baby cutlery to help make impactful long-term changes.
Opting for more eco-friendly baby spoons
From highchairs to beakers, and everything else in between – babies seem to need a lot of stuff! As you choose items for your child, try to avoid the lure of brightly coloured plastics. Look for items that are:
- non-toxic
- plastic-free
- produced sustainably
- produced with zero waste
- BPA free
- reusable
- biodegradable
A greener planet, one bite at a time
As your baby moves on to solids, life gets more complicated – particularly if you’re out and about when feeding time comes along. You don’t necessarily want to carry your cutlery drawer, as well as chilled pots of food, in your bag. However, you do want to be able to feed your baby with a spoon that’s clean and reusable.
Plastic utensils, while useful, are not good for the environment. So what are the alternatives?
There are several options when it comes to baby spoons. These can be broadly divided according to material.
Traditional metal baby spoons
These are long lasting, but can be a pain to use on the go. Stainless steel is durable but damages the local environment due to the waste it generates at the end of its life cycle. A metal spoon also needs to be washed, which requires water, energy to heat the water, and chemicals – all of which are returned to the environment.
Bamboo-and-silicone hybrids
Made with a bamboo handle and a smooth silicone head, these spoons should be BPA-free, melamine-free, and lead-free. No biologically harmful chemicals are used during production.
Silicone products are generally better than plastic and can be recycled. However, silicone is not biodegradable. It also requires specialised recycling.
It’s really important to choose high-quality silicone products that are sustainable and safe. Always check the silicone is marked as ‘medical grade’ or ‘food grade’ – this indicates that they are high-quality items.
Plant-based baby spoons
Plant-based baby spoons are beginning to emerge on the market. However, they can be harder to find. These are made from substances such as Cereplast or Potato Starch Material (PSM). Be sure to distinguish the latter from Plasticised Starch Material (also referred to as PSM). This contains 20% petroleum-based resin and is not biodegradable.
Polylactic Acid (PLA) is another option. Originating from corn, it’s used to manufacture a type of plastic that is 100% biodegradable, and durable in the same way as regular plastic cutlery.
Plant starch is reusable and cheap. While not as hard wearing as bamboo or stainless steel, plant-based baby spoons can withstand lower temperatures. That said, the best thing about PLA spoons is that they take 60 to 90 days to decompose.
Wooden baby spoons
Baby spoons are now available in a variety of wood types. Wood is generally lightweight, sturdy, and produced using chemical-free processes. Most wooden spoons are made from hardwoods like maple, birch, and bamboo. Wooden cutlery is more eco-friendly than plastic, economically practical, and socially acceptable.
Bamboo spoons
Bamboo is a versatile material. It’s incredibly strong, water and stain resistant, naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and grown without the use of toxins, pesticides, or fertilisers. An entire bamboo forest can be regenerated in just three to five years.
Birch wood baby spoons
In our experience, birch wood fills the requirements when it comes to the best eco-friendly baby spoons. Birch is a fast-growing tree, and a renewable and sustainable source of wood.
The process of manufacturing wooden birch cutlery is simple and does not involve any chemicals or harmful substances. Birch is also biodegradable and compostable (products naturally decompose in 3 months) but can be reused if necessary.
Our birch spoons are 100% natural and organic. They are also strong and suitable for all food types. The satiny sheen given off by the material is beautiful, while the spoons themselves are smooth and kind to baby’s mouth. Our packaging is also free of plastic and can be recycled or composted.
Small changes, big results
We truly believe that sustainable change starts with little steps. Choosing sustainable and eco-friendly baby spoons is a great way to start for both you, your baby, and the planet.
Looking for ideas on how to make events, weddings, parties or just everyday living kinder on the environment? Head to our blog to see how our eco-friendly tableware ideas can make an impact.