Best Reusable Pouches for Babies and Toddlers

Having a reusable pouch on hand for your baby or toddler is a great way to expand the list of foods they’re able to easily feed themselves. I sorted through the top baby food pouches on the market so you don’t have to—and found the ones that are much less messy for kids to use!

Reusable Pouch

A reusable pouch is a pliable container used to hold baby food or other soft foods such as liquids or applesauce. They are an easy way to make homemade baby food pouches you can buy at the store, which can save money and give you total freedom over the foods you put inside them.

They’re typically made from silicone or BPA-free plastic. And they make it easier for little kids to drink smoothies and to eat foods that are otherwise tricky to self-feed with a spoon from a young age.

These reusable pouches work well with any puree, applesauce or yogurt type of texture. Or try my Homemade Baby Foods, Homemade Baby Food Pouches, Yogurt Pouches, and Applesauce Pouches.

Reusable Baby Food Pouch

The beauty of these reusable food pouches is that you can control what goes in them to offer foods that are lower in additives such as sugar and salt. And you can save money since homemade foods put into a reusable pouch will be less expensive over time than buying all pre-made pouches.

That’s not to say that pre-made pouches are bad, but just to explain why some of us love them so much. Many are dishwasher-safe too on the top rack.

Reusable Pouches for Baby

These pouches are great for babies as it allows them to feed themselves a wider range of foods that they could eat with a spoon efficiently. Instead of needing the coordination needed to eat yogurt from a spoon that they are holding, they can simply hold the pouch and suck it out.

Of course, babies need to be given the opportunity to learn to use utensils, and to move other textures around in their mouths, so view these as a tool in your arsenal—not the only way to feed your baby. I love to combine purees, pouches, and baby led weaning style foods when feeding kids.

We started using these reusable pouches around 7 months with our own baby food and smooth foods as an option to have in the mix at mealtimes.

TIP: Try my top Baby Food Combinations in your pouch.

Reusable Pouches for Toddlers

These pouches are an awesome tool for feeding toddlers since they hand the feeding over to the child and let them be in control of what goes into their mouth—which they love! They’re very easy for little hands to hold and control.

I’ve used these reusable pouches with my kids and find them to be one of our most beloved items of feeding gear. We use them at home and to pack smoothies, applesauce, and yogurt for daycare and school.

They are also much less prone to making messes than some other straw cups since the good ones make it virtually impossible for the child to deliberately squeeze the food out. (But it’s easy to suck out.) And are freezer-safe, so you can meal prep some options to have on hand.

Best Silicone Pouch: Squeasy Snacker

We’re super fans of the Squeasy Snacker pouch from Squeasy Gear. It’s easy to clean, super durable, and comes in two sizes–3.5 ounces and 6 ounces so you can choose the one that’s best for the age of your child.

We’ve steadily used our three for the past 5 years and have seen no signs of wear or tear. These are my top pick since the kids can’t deliberately (or accidentally) squeeze out the food. Which makes it so much less messy than other options and less prone to leaks. It’s by far the most leak-proof one we’ve tried.

Do be sure to put the red insert in the cap since without it, the food inside will go everywhere. And if your kid plays with the lid instead of drinking, simply remove it when you hand them the pouch. Store upright in the fridge. (It stands easily when full or partially full.)

To wash this reusable pouch, simply rinse thoroughly with warm water and use a small cleaning brush as needed.

Best Plastic Pouch: WeeSprout Double Zipper Reusable Pouch

These Weesprout reusable plastic pouches are made from high quality, thick food-safe and BPA-free plastic and are easy to fill—the bottom of the pouch has a zipper opening that unzips for easy filling. The one downside to these is that a child can purposefully (or by accident!) squeeze out the contents, so keep that in mind.

It can help to hold the pouch with your baby as they learn to suck the food out. A set of these is a great option for sending food to daycare or preschool since you can make a batch of food in bulk and freeze them for future use.

TIP: Be sure to choose the size of reusable pouch that you want when ordering these as they come in a few options and some of the sizes may be too large for babies and toddlers. I prefer to start with the smaller 3.4 ounce size and full just to the fill line to ensure the bottom zipper can close easily.

Best Foods for Reusable Pouches

Here’s a look at some of the foods we like to serve in a reusable pouch for babies and toddlers.

Best Apple Puree (with Flavor Combinations + Storage Tips))

There’s no one right serving size for every child, so start with a smaller amount and offer more as indicated by baby. When they turn their head or close their mouth, end the meal—it’s usually pretty obvious when they want to be done!

Best Apple Puree (with Flavor Combinations + Storage Tips))

Easy Crockpot Applesauce

With just a few basic ingredients and fresh apples, your crock pot can do the rest of the work of making applesauce!

Easy Crockpot Applesauce

Favorite Applesauce Pouches

Learn the easiest way to make a batch of Applesauce Pouches, with six flavor options, in less than 30 minutes. This is easy, delicious, and versatile—and a perfect way to batch-prep a snack or meal component.

Favorite Applesauce Pouches

Easy Apple Yogurt (2-Ingredients!)

Made with a base of just two ingredients, this Apple Yogurt takes just seconds to make—and is a delicious breakfast or snack option.

Easy Apple Yogurt (2-Ingredients!)

Best Banana Yogurt

This recipe make enough for 2-4 servings of yogurt, depending on the appetite of your child. See the Notes at the bottom for storage tips if you have leftovers. You can also cut the recipe in half to make a smaller amount.

Best Banana Yogurt

Favorite Strawberry Yogurt

This is an easy and delicious way to make flavored yogurt at home for breakfast or snack. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries, freeze-dried strawberries, or strawberry puree. So yummy!

Favorite Strawberry Yogurt

Favorite Healthy Toddler Smoothie (with Veggies!)

Learn to customize yummy smoothies for your toddler by starting with one simple recipe, then adjusting based on which fruit and veggies you'd like to use.

Favorite Healthy Toddler Smoothie (with Veggies!)

Easy Overnight Oats with Applesauce

You can easily double (or triple!) the recipe to make more servings. It uses a 1 to 1 ratio of yogurt to applesauce so you can easily scale it up. Mix these up the night before you plan to serve them.

Easy Overnight Oats with Applesauce

Favorite Coconut Chia Pudding

I like to use canned full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and creamy texture, though you can use “light” coconut milk if that’s what you can find at your store.

Favorite Coconut Chia Pudding

Best Baby Food Pouches (Easy and Homemade)

This easy baby food pouch is an easy staple to serve as a baby meal or snack and contains fruit, protein, calcium, fiber, and healthy fats. Find more flavor ideas in the Notes at the end of the recipe.

Best Baby Food Pouches (Easy and Homemade)

Baby Food Combinations (50 Easy Stage 2 Recipes)

For a 6 month old baby, 1-2 tablespoons baby food may be plenty for a single serving. For a 9 month old baby, they might want ¼ cup or more. Adjust the servings based on your child’s hunger, using a roughly one to one ratio of the purees in each combination. Nutrition will vary according to the combinations you use.

Baby Food Combinations (50 Easy Stage 2 Recipes)

10 No-Cook Homemade Baby Food Recipes

You'll choose ONE ingredient to blend up—a fruit, a veggie, or beans. See the list below. You can make enough for a few days or make a double batch to freeze more baby food for future weeks. The nutrition information will vary based on which ingredients you use.

10 No-Cook Homemade Baby Food Recipes

Best Recipes for Homemade Pouches

Making homemade baby food pouches can be no muss, no fuss, and super yummy with these 15 easy recipe ideas. These are a great way to save money, share lots of flavors with babies and toddlers, and have convenient foods ready to go!

TIP: Find my 15 best homemade pouch recipes here.

How to Clean a Reusable Pouch

Take the pouch completely apart and use hot soapy water and a bottle brush and/or a straw brush to make sure you get into all of the areas where food may linger. Let dry on the bottle rack.

Best Tips for Success

• Make sure that the food you put into the reusable pouch is totally smooth so a chunk doesn’t get stuck in the spout.
• Let your child have the time to practice using the pouch—it will be a new skill that they need to develop, so don’t get frustrated if they don’t take to it right away.
• Take all of the pieces apart before you start to clean it.
• If using the kind of pouch that seals on the bottom, triple check that it’s totally secure before you hand it over.
• You may also like Favorite Kids Plates, Best Utensils for Kids, Favorite Suction Bowl, Best Sippy Cups, and Ultimate Guide to Baby Led Weaning. 

Related Recipes

Dinner

Easy Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Breakfast

Easy Blueberry Yogurt

Dinner

Vegan Tomato Soup

Snacks

Favorite Strawberry Yogurt

I’d love to hear your thoughts on using reusable pouches and do let me know if I missed your favorite!

This post was first published May 2019.