4 of the best freezer portion trays for baby food 2024
WHAT IS A FREEZER PORTION TRAY?
A baby food freezer portion tray is a place to freeze individual portions of purée for babies being weaned.
Do I need a baby food freezer tray?
If you are making purée, it makes sense to make a batch and save some for later. So a freezer tray can be very useful. And the frozen cubes can be transferred into freezer bags so that the freezer tray can be used again.
Alternatively, some ordinary baby food storage pots can be put in the freezer, so you could just use those. Another option is to fill up a large standard ice cube tray.
If you do buy a baby food freezer tray, it could have a life beyond your baby as a large ice cube tray or a freezer tray for stock, herbs or leftover wine, for example.
What features should I look out for?
The type of freezer tray: There are two main types. The first is a tray with cubes to place the food and the second is individual pots that slot into a freezer tray. With the latter, you can wash the pots up as you go, rather than wait for all the purée to be used. It may also be easier to remove each portion from the pots rather than the trays.
Material: They are usually made of plastic or silicone. If you are using a tray with cubes, silicone is sometimes preferred as it’s more flexible and easier to release the food. Make sure it’s food-grade silicone and that any plastic is BPA-free.
Lid: The lid should fit securely and if you have individual pots it can be handy to have lids that are attached to the pot to save you from searching for any lost ones.
Labelling: It could be very useful to have a place for labelling the tray with the food type and date.
Capacity: Each cube or pot usually holds around 60 - 75ml, which is a good purée portion size for a baby.
Cleaning: If you have a dishwasher, check it is dishwasher safe.
Heating: You may want to heat the defrosted pot in the oven or microwave. If so, make sure it’s suitable for high heat.
How do you use them?
Just spoon freshly prepared and cooled purée into the clean pots or cubes and freeze. Don’t leave it out to cool for more than two hours at room temperature. To defrost, leave it in the fridge (in a covered bowl if you’ve popped it out of a tray). You could also stir it in a saucepan over a low heat.
Another way to defrost and warm the baby food is in the microwave but beware of hot spots forming that could burn a baby’s mouth.
Once defrosted, use the purée within 24 hours and when reheating, make sure it’s piping hot in order to kill off any bacteria.
WHICH ARE THE BEST FREEZER TRAYS FOR BABY FOOD?
This list has been narrowed down to the very best with thorough research and the following considered:
Consumer reviews
Best-seller lists
Recommendations from industry experts
Award-winning products
Personal experience and the products loved by other parents.
The list is updated annually. It was last updated on 2 February 2024.
If you buy through a link, we may earn a small affiliate commission. 5% of profits are donated to UK Baby Banks to help parents in need of essentials.
1. NUK FOOD CUBE TRAY WITH LID
Why buy this freezer tray?
It is made from flexible silicone so it’s easy to remove one portion at a time.
Key features
Nine x 60 ml cubes.
Comes with a clip-on lid.
Dishwasher safe.
What the reviews say
There are a few complaints about the lid staying but most praise how easy it is to use.
2. KIDDO FEEDO FREEZER TRAY
Why buy this freezer tray?
Each portion is 75ml but there are also 30ml and 60ml markings. Also included is a 47 e-book by a dietician and author featuring baby feeding information and purée recipes.
Key features
Made from non-stick, food-grade silicone for easy release of food.
Clip-on silicone lid which can be labelled with a ballpoint pen.
Comes in a variety of colours.
Oven, microwave and dishwasher safe.
What the reviews say
It’s good quality and easy to pop out the frozen food.
3. FIRST STEPS BABY FOOD FREEZER CUBES
Why buy this freezer tray?
The individual pots on the tray as transparent so it’s easy to see what’s inside.
Key features
Eight individual 70ml pots on a tray.
Each pot has a snap-on attached lid and is stackable if you choose not to use the tray.
Safe in the microwave and dishwasher as well as the freezer.
Made from BPA-free plastic.
What the reviews say
Good sized and easy to clean. Don’t fill them right to the top or the lid will pop open in the freezer.
4. Boots FREEZER snack pots with tray
Why buy this freezer tray?
There are six individual pots on a tray and it is a great value for money.
Key features
Each pot holds 1oz/30ml.
As well as the freezer they can go in the microwave, steriliser and dishwasher.
BPA-free.
They can also be used as snack pots.
What the reviews say:
They are a great size for weaning, have well-fitting lids and are a great price.