This is the first of two high chair articles I’ll be doing this week. In the next, I’ll be comparing top-selling high chairs.
Do you really need a high chair? Nope. What you do need is a safe and sanitary place for your baby to eat. My son had his first bite of mashed banana while in a Fisher Price Hop n Pop. Other babies take their first bites in a Bumbo. My friends skipped the chair in favor of a booster with a tray.
As with so many other “must-have” baby products, it’s surprising how short-lived a high chair is in the household. Before you know it, your toddler will insist on eating at the table with the family. If you’re like me, you’ll be glad when that day comes so that you can get rid of the giant lump of plastic that’s been taking up way too much room in your kitchen or dining room. We eventually did buy a chair, but I think we had it less than a year. Skipping one altogether is definitely worth a thought.
There a few practical alternatives to a traditional high chair. One of them is the hugely-popular, highly-rated Space Saver chair by Fisher Price (left). Expect it to run about $50. The Space Saver High Chair
Or how about going straight to a booster seat with a tray? The FP Healthy Care Booster Seat is a well-loved model. The Rainforest Healthy Care Booster Seat
For slightly older kids, you might also consider one of those high chairs restaurants use. The great thing about Lipper High Chairs
Hook-on chairs hook directly to your dining table. You may have seen folks using them at restaurants. The Graco Travel Lite Table Chair
Shopping Tip: Look for used models at consignment stores, consignment sales, garage sales, Freepeats.org, Freecycle and Craigslist. Just make sure all the safety straps are there.
We bought a high chair because I thought that was one of the must have items. Then it was recalled. We had purchased a booster seat to take to our families houses, so we used that while we waited for the replacement parts to come in. We have the replacement parts and still have not gone back to using the high chair. I love the booster seat and wish we had never bought a high chair at all.