How to Pick a High Chair (Plus Our 3 Favorites)

Written by: Jessica Diamond, MPH, RDN

Many of us register for a high chair before we have our baby or before we’ve learned about the best set-up for feeding our baby real foods. And because this is, hands-down, the most important (and one of the most expensive!) purchases you will make, you want to make sure you make an informed choice. 

You’ve probably heard so many opinions and combed through so many Amazon reviews, and all that can get really overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! We’re here to make your high chair purchase simple and straightforward. Here’s what to look for in a high chair (with a few of our favorites), so that you’re all set for your baby’s transition to real foods!

1. Positioning: Positioning in a high chair really, really matters. Getting your little one into a comfortable position when eating is critical for success. The more comfortable they are, the more likely they are to stay seated and engaged in eating. If they feel uncomfortable and unstable, they won’t have the stamina to sit and learn how to eat real foods. 

2. Back Support: You’ll want a high chair with strong back support because you don’t want your baby sitting in a reclined position while they eat. This is uncomfortable and can increase the risk of choking. A high chair with the right amount of back support will have your child sitting at a 90 degree angle so they can comfortably lean forward to pick up food. 

3. Foot Rest: Have you ever gone to a restaurant with high bar stools and had nowhere to rest your feet? You probably spent a lot of time trying to get comfortable and felt pretty fidgety. That’s exactly what happens to our kids when they have a high chair without an adjustable footrest. Babies need a footrest so that they can stabilize themselves and stay upright when in the high chair. (If you already have a high chair without a foot rest, don’t worry, you can make your own footrest with a shoe box and some string or an exercise band).

Our Favorite High Chairs

While almost any high chair can be modified to provide better support, here are our 3 favorites.  They require no adjustment, are easy to clean, and have an adjustable foot rest and solid back support. They’re just fantastic!

1. The Stokke Tripp Trapp chair is our absolute favorite. Because it’s wood, it’s super easy to clean and provides support you can count on. And once your child outgrows their high chair, it will convert to a toddler-sized chair, and then child-sized chair that supports your child at every stage – how cool is that?!  
2. We love the Kekaroo high chair because it has many of the benefits of the Tripp Trapp chair at a lower price point. 
3. The Stokke Steps chair ranks high in our books because it’s modern-looking, easy to clean, and has a great adjustable foot rest.

Are you wondering if your baby is ready for real foods? Take our Feeding your Baby Solids Course. It covers ALL the topics, answers questions you didn’t even know you had, and it’s all broken down into short, easy to understand videos for you to watch on your own time and at your own pace, even while doing the dishes. And will help you THRIVE when feeding your little one! For babies 3+ months old. We cannot recommend it enough!

And check out our podcast episode, Feeding your baby solids: breaking down the myths & Breaking Down Baby Led Weaning for more insight into nutrition and best practices for raising a healthy, well-rounded eater from the start!