Feeding · Months 12 to 24
Toddler utensils: one set for the table, one in a case for the bag.
Somewhere in the second year your toddler takes the spoon and means it. They need one short, fat-handled fork and spoon. A case only matters if they eat away from home.
- 2 picks, 3 skips
- Recall-checked Oct 2026
- Includes the $0 option
Independent picks. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a commission; as an Amazon Associate, Betteroo earns from qualifying purchases. It never decides what makes the list. How we choose
The short answer
Most toddlers need one short, fat-handled fork and spoon, and that’s the whole decision. The OXO Tot Fork and Spoon Set is the one for the table. If meals happen at daycare or on the go, the OXO Tot On-the-Go set is the same idea in a travel case. Both are in our Budget band.
Fingers stay the main tool for a while, and that’s expected: the AAP says that at two years old a child should be able to use a spoon and feed themselves a wide variety of finger foods. On October 9, 2026 we checked both picks’ live US listings, price bands and the CPSC recall database.
At a glance
Two fork-and-spoon sets for a toddler
OXO Tot Fork and Spoon Set, Blossom
A short fork and a deep spoon with fat, weighted handles.
Price band: Budget Check price Why it made the list
OXO Tot On-the-Go Fork and Spoon Set, Opal
The same fork-and-spoon idea, packed in a travel case.
Price band: Budget Check price Why it made the listBefore you buy
What toddler cutlery has to do
A common mistake is shopping for the perfect spoon when the plate keeps sliding away. A toddler loads a spoon by pushing food against something, so a bowl or plate that stays put matters as much; our first-foods list covers that half.
We assess both picks on the same things: the maker’s age rating, what’s in the box, what it’s made of, whether it travels, and how it cleans.
Fits a small fist
Short, fat handles a toddler can hold.
Actually picks up food
Tines that spear and a spoon deep enough to scoop.
Cheap
Both are in our Budget band.
The picks
Why each one made the list
OXO Tot Fork and Spoon Set, Blossom
A short fork and a deep spoon with fat, weighted handles.
Stainless steel heads on curved, non-slip handles that OXO describes as weighted and easy for little ones to hold. The fork tines are rounded but can still spear food, the spoon is deep for scooping, and a flat spot on each handle keeps it from rolling off a table or high chair tray. OXO lists it as dishwasher safe (OXO). One fork and one spoon in the pack.
Why it’s worth it
- Weighted, non-slip handles
- Flat spot so it doesn’t roll off the tray
- Dishwasher safe (OXO)
Key specs
- Age range
- Not stated by OXO or on the listing
- In the box
- 1 fork, 1 spoon
- Material
- Stainless steel, silicone, plastic
- Case
- None
- Cleaning
- Dishwasher safe
From OXO’s product page, then the amazon.com listing (colour), checked October 9, 2026.
Safety check
- No recalls found in the CPSC recall database (searched by product name, Oct 9, 2026). OXO’s voluntary recall on its site covers the Tot Nest booster seat, not cutlery.
- The AAP says to have children sit down when they eat. A fork or spoon is for the table, not for walking around with.
OXO Tot On-the-Go Fork and Spoon Set, Opal
The same fork-and-spoon idea, packed in a travel case.
A fork and spoon with stainless steel heads and curved, non-slip handles with a flat spot so they don’t roll away, packed in a compact case that OXO says tucks into a lunchbox or diaper bag. The tines are made to pick up food without being too sharp, and the spoon is deep for scooping (OXO). The listing calls the handles weighted.
Why it’s worth it
- Travel case keeps them clean in the bag
- Same short, fat-handled shape as the table set
- The lowest price on this page on the day we checked
Key specs
- Age range
- Not stated by OXO or on the listing
- In the box
- 1 fork, 1 spoon, travel case
- Material
- Stainless steel, TPR, plastic
- Case
- Yes
- Cleaning
- Not stated by OXO
From OXO’s product page, then the amazon.com listing (colour, weighted handles), checked October 9, 2026.
Safety check
- No recalls found in the CPSC recall database (searched by product name, Oct 9, 2026). OXO’s voluntary recall on its site covers the Tot Nest booster seat, not cutlery.
- The AAP says to have children sit down when they eat. A fork or spoon is for the table, not for walking around with.
Side by side
Two picks side by side
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | For the table | In a case, for the bag |
| Price band | Price band: Budget | Price band: Budget |
| Age rating | Not stated | Not stated |
| In the box | 1 fork, 1 spoon | 1 fork, 1 spoon, case |
| Material | Stainless steel, silicone, plastic | Stainless steel, TPR, plastic |
| Cleaning | Dishwasher safe (OXO) | Not stated by OXO |
Which one is yours
Start with your situation
Still only grabbing at your spoonHand them a spoon of their own, and keep yours.
Eats at home, at the table or in the high chairThe OXO Tot Fork and Spoon Set.
Lunch at daycare, or meals on the goThe OXO Tot On-the-Go set, in its case.
Want to spend the leastThe On-the-Go set was the cheaper of the two on the day we checked.
Wants grown-up cutlery like yoursWait for a set rated for their age. See what we passed on.
The $0 version
A small dessert spoon or a short fork from your own drawer, with a bowl that stays put. Thick, sticky foods such as oatmeal or yogurt stay on a spoon better than anything runny, and you can load the spoon and hand it over.
A small spoon from your drawer and thick foods that stay on it.
What we would skip
Three things we’d leave on the shelf
They’re in every toddler feeding aisle. Here’s why we’d pass.
Cutlery sized for older kids
Thin-handled sets look like the real thing, but some are rated for later. OXO’s own Cutlery for Big Kids says on its listing that its handles are sized for ages 3 and up. We’d buy it when the age fits.
A six-piece set before you know what they'll use
One fork and one spoon is enough to start, and a toddler at this age still eats a lot with their fingers. The AAP suggests offering finger foods whenever possible, because toddlers like to feed themselves. We’d add a spare set once the first one is in daily use.
Walking around with a fork or spoon
The AAP says children should sit down when they eat and never run, walk, play or lie down with food in their mouths. Cutlery stays at the table.
What we passed on
- Munchkin Raise Toddler Fork and Spoon Set. The set our email recommends, and rated 12 months and up, but on October 9, 2026 the Blue listing’s title said 6 Pack while its bullets said 2 forks and 2 spoons, so we couldn’t say what arrives.
- Eascrozn Toddler Utensils, 6 Pack. The top seller in Amazon’s search for toddler fork and spoon sets, but sold by a third-party seller on October 9, 2026, and six pieces is more than we’d buy to start.
- OXO Tot Cutlery for Big Kids. The next step from the same maker, but its listing says the handles are sized for ages 3 and up, so it’s for later.
Questions parents ask
FAQ
When can a toddler use a fork and spoon?
Practice usually starts when they grab your spoon, and it’s messy for months. The AAP says that at two years old a child should be able to use a spoon. OXO doesn’t state an age for either set on this page.
Stainless steel or plastic for a toddler?
Both OXO sets have stainless steel heads, which OXO says are durable, on soft non-slip handles. The OXO Tot fork’s tines are made to spear food without being too sharp.
How many sets do we need?
One to start. If one is always in the dishwasher, a second set of the same kind saves a scramble. If your toddler eats at daycare, the On-the-Go set travels in its own case.
Should my toddler eat only with utensils now?
No. The AAP says toddlers like to feed themselves and suggests offering finger foods whenever possible. Utensils are practice alongside fingers, not a replacement.
Why trust Worth It
How we choose
We don’t run a product lab, and we won’t pretend we do. Worth It picks are researched from makers’ instructions, retailer listings and official safety guidance, not lab-tested. Each is chosen for a specific age and a specific job, the way a friend a couple of years ahead of you would choose: a few products, each with a reason, and an honest note on what could go wrong.
We check every listing on amazon.com for a live US offer and sort it into a price band: Budget (under $30), Mid-range ($30 to $100) or Premium (over $100). We don’t print exact prices because they change daily. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission. That pays for this, and it never decides what makes the list.
For safety, we search the CPSC recall database by product name, and we note the US safety standard the maker says a product meets. Where the maker doesn’t say, we tell you what the law requires for that kind of product. The JPMA’s certification list (now run by the Baby Safety Alliance) isn’t publicly searchable, so we only mention certification when the maker states it. Specs come from the maker first, and the Amazon listing second.
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