Best Booster Seats For Eating [2023]

If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best booster seat for eating is, I’d recommend the Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat.

Booster seats are a great way to bridge your child from a high chair to sitting in a grown-up seat. There’s quite a wide range of choices, all depending on what you need. You can get booster seats that offer more options, are more flexible for travel, or work for a wider age range. To help you find the best booster seat for eating to match your needs, we’ve looked at a wide range of different options, so there’s sure to be something here that’s right for you.

Here are the booster seats for eating I will be reviewing:

• Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat
• OXO Tot Nest Booster Seat
• Hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat
• Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat
• Skip Hop Portable Toddler Booster Seat
• Sumnacon Chair Increasing Cushion
• Munchkin Brica GoBoost Travel Booster Seat
• Infantino Music & Light Discovery Seat and Booster
• Safety 1st Sit, Snack, and Go Convertible Booster Seat
• Unilove Feed Me 3-in-1 Travel Booster Seat
  

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Booster Seat

When it comes to choosing the best booster seat for your needs, it helps to know what options there are. There are a lot of factors that you might not even have realized you could want. Here’s a quick rundown of the top factors you might want to consider when making your decision. 

How Portable It Is

A significant factor in choosing which booster seat is right for you is where you plan to use it. If the idea is to just use it at home to replace a high chair, then it doesn’t matter if it’s very portable. In fact, you might prefer something a little more substantial so that you can just leave it in place. This can help your child feel like they have their own special chair still. 

However, if you plan to take your booster seat out and about, you may want to look for more lightweight and foldable options. There are plenty of choices that come with easy-carry straps and even space to store extra items. 

Age Range

When choosing a booster seat, you need to have some idea of the age and size your child will be when you plan to use it. There are some booster seats that can actually be used from as young as 6 months. These could replace a high chair altogether. If you are looking for a booster seat that’s suitable for younger children, then it might be useful to also look for one that will last. There are plenty of options that can be modified so that they grow with your child.

Of course, if you already have a perfectly good high chair, then you’ll not want to spend more for features you’re not going to use. In that case, you may be more interested in the more straightforward options. For older toddlers or preschoolers, you may only really need a way to raise their sitting positions. You might not need to strap them in at all. 

Ease Of Use

As with most kiddy contraptions, they all come with varying levels of complexity. If you use them every day, you’ll quickly learn all the tricks and won’t have to think about it. However, if you’re looking for a booster seat for occasional use or one that grandparents might use, you may want to look for a simpler option. There is nothing worse than fighting with a booster seat you can’t remember how to use while your child is hungry and getting crankier by the moment. 

Included Table

Some of the options that are designed to replace a high chair also come with included tray tables. This can be a good option for times when you might need the extra space when you have guests or if you just want to be able to feed your child anywhere. Most of these booster seats can be placed on the floor, so you literally have a table and chair for your child wherever you are. 

The downsides to an included table are that it’s bulkier to carry around. It feels more like a high chair and less like a grown-up seat. For most of them, you do have the option of removing the table, so it’s not a huge problem when your child outgrows the need for the table. 

Safety Features

When you’re looking at booster seats, you need to look at both how your child is strapped in, and how the booster seat attaches to the chair. You know your child the best, so the more fidgety they are, the more secure you’ll want the attachment to be. The most stable booster seats have two straps—one that goes around the backrest of the chair and one that goes under the seat as well. 

How Easy It Is To Keep Clean

For me, when it comes to any item I buy for the kids, this is one of the most significant considerations. There is no doubt that any booster seat you buy is going to get liberally smeared with food at some point. If you can’t easily wipe it down or throw it in a washing machine, then it becomes a hassle. When you have kids, the last thing you want to invite into your life is more hassle!

My Booster Seats For Eating Reviews

Our favorite booster seats for eating are reviewed below.

Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat

This is a great booster seat if you’re looking for something that is versatile and will last through a lot of different stages with your child. You’ll be able to use this seat as soon as your child can sit independently, so between 6-9 months. It should then last you until they are big enough to sit on a grown-up chair.

With all the pieces attached, this is a good-sized booster seat with armrests, back support, and an attachable table. As your child grows, you can remove the table and the back support. You can also reduce the height of the seat. This makes it a very versatile booster seat.

The table comes with a snap-on tray. This tray has a cup holder and is suitable for putting food directly onto it if you wish. It also comes with a lid so you can contain any mess while you’re traveling. 

The seat is plastic with fabric straps. The plastic is well designed with no nooks and crannies for food to get trapped in, so cleaning it is a breeze. The fabric straps can be removed for washing.

The only downside to the fact that you can remove the straps is that some kids who squirm a lot may tug them out while they are seated. If you are concerned about it, it might be an idea to just tie a cord or a zip tie through the straps under the base of the seat, this will stop them from being pulled through.

This booster seat does fold down and comes with a shoulder strap for carrying. However, even when folded, it is a little on the bulky side.

OXO Tot Nest Booster Seat

This booster seat from OXO is one of the more expensive options on the list. As a result, it does offer high-quality performance and a comfortable seating experience for kids. However, it’s suitable for a narrower age range than some of the other options on this list.

You can use this booster seat once your child is sitting on their own, and you can trust them not to be throwing themselves around too much. This means you’re probably looking at around the 1-year mark for most kids. It then has a max weight capacity of 50 pounds.

The big appeal of this seat is the easily removable seat cushion. The foam cushion can be easily popped out. This lets you wipe it down and then shake out any bits of food that have snuck their way under the seat. 

Some people do find that it’s a bit of a hassle to keep taking the seat apart to clean it. The position where the cushion joins the seat means that it can be in line for catching crumbs.

This seat is a winner because it’s easy to attach to pretty much any chair. There’s a handle built into the back of the seat, which makes it easy to travel with. You can also store the straps in the base, so you don’t have to worry about them getting lost or dangling around if you take it with you to a restaurant. 

If you care about the look of the booster seat you choose, then this is a good option. It comes in four different color options, so you can pick the best one for your home.

Hiccapop Omniboost Travel Booster Seat

If you’re looking for a booster seat for traveling, then this is probably going to be your best option. It folds up small to fit inside a carry bag. The bag has a good sized shoulder strap so carrying this booster seat is a breeze.

Despite being foldable and small enough to travel with, this booster seat comes with a generously sized table. You can detach the table or just pivot it from the side. This makes it a very versatile booster seat with a lot of applications beyond just using it at a table. 

Another feature that adds to the versatility is the handy mesh pocket on the back of the chair. It’s ideal for keeping a small pack of baby wipes or the hat and sunglasses your child keeps taking off.

The table is detachable, but the release mechanism can be a little stiff. Some parents have found that you have to apply quite a bit of force to get the table to release, but once you know how to do it, and that you won’t break it, there’s no problem. 

This booster seat is suitable for a wide age range of kids. Because it’s a deep seat with back support, it should be suitable for your child as soon as the

y are ready to be eating. The weight limit on it is 250lbs, so the only limit is the size of your child. Since, once they outgrow this seat, they should be able to sit on a regular chair, that makes it a single solution option. 

When it comes to cleaning, this booster seat is a real winner. The removable tray can go into the dishwasher, and the seat cover comes off easily and is machine washable. 

The only thing to be aware of is that this booster seat has rounded feet on the legs. This means that it doesn’t tip over, but it can also leave indentations in softer dining chair cushions.

Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat

If you have older children who just need a small boost to sit on a full-size chair, then this may be the best travel option. This is a compact booster seat that is really easy to fit to a chair. It doesn’t come with a carry case or a carry strap, but it’s small enough that this isn’t a big loss.

This is a great booster seat for travel because it is a little on the shorter side. Of course, the downside to that is that it means this booster seat is also only going to be suitable for older children. On the other hand, this might be ideal if you have a lower table. You can be sure you’ll be able to slide the chair under the table even with the booster seat on. 

The design of this booster seat makes it really easy to wipe clean. There aren’t any nooks for food to get stuck in. It’s also made from really durable material so it should last as long as you need it with no problem.

It does come with a three-point harness. It’s really easy to use, and most kids can probably clip themselves in without help. As this is most likely to be more suitable for older children, it’s good to know that it works perfectly well even without the safety straps. 

The padded section for this seat is a really comfy hung seat. So it’s a great option for longer meals and should remain comfortable for your child. 

This seat is rated for kids of up to 60lbs. This means it should work for most kids up to the age of 5.

Skip Hop Portable Toddler Booster Seat

If you have a child who isn’t keen on the idea of using a booster seat, then this is a great option. The bright and fun designs mean that it’s really appealing for kids and makes them want to use it. You can choose from a butterfly or a bumblebee design.

This is a really good option for slightly older children as it can be used with or without the harness. 

The base on the seat is quite small, so it will fit practically any chair or bar stool you try it on.So if you’ve struggled to find a booster seat small enough for your chairs this is an option to look at more closely.

The seat has a foam cushion, which makes it really comfortable for your child. The cushion is held in place with velcro, so you don’t have to worry about any slips. The only downside to this is that the velcro, which secures the cushion, is a bit of a pain to clean. If you accidentally wipe any crumbs into the velcro, you’ll have a hard time getting them out.

Because of the annoyance of the velcro, in terms of keeping this booster seat clean, it is probably best suited to slightly older children who don’t make too much of a mess while eating. 

Like the Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat, this one is not suitable for young children under the age of 1 year. They are very similar style booster seats, but the biggest difference is the design and the cushion. The Prince Lionheart is probably the more practical option, but the Skip Hip booster seat is the more fun kid-friendly booster seat.

Sumnacon Chair Increasing Cushion

If you have a really independently-minded child who’s ready to be a grown-up then this is a great option. This is a really basic booster seat option. It looks just like a cushion on the seat but is firm enough to give a good boost to let your child reach the table.

The look of this booster seat is probably one of its biggest appeal factors. For kids, it makes them feel like they’re more grown-up. For parents, there is a wide selection of colors and designs so you can find something that fits into your decor. 

The booster seat cushion has two straps, so stay securely fixed to the chair. Some people have found that the bottom strap is a little on the short side, so it may not be ideal if you have especially wide chairs.

The fabric of the cushion is made from vinyl. It wipes clean really easily, and a wet cloth will be all you need in most cases. If things do get really bad, you can zip the cover off to give it a thorough wash. However, it is hand wash only. 

This booster seat will only be a good option for older children. There are no safety straps to buckle them into the seat. It’s probably best for kids no younger than 2 years old. If your child is especially fidgety, though, you might want to look at other options. But, if you’re looking for something simple that you can just leave on your child’s chair all the time, this is a great option.

Munchkin Brica GoBoost Travel Booster Seat

This is the booster seat that I have used with both of my kids. As a travel seat, it’s worked really well for us, so I can offer my personal recommendation. I can also tell you first hand some of its imperfections!

As a travel booster seat, this is a really good option. There is space inside the booster seat that you can use to carry a few essentials. It’s not huge, so don’t think it’s going to replace your diaper bag. You can, however, fit a pack of wet wipes, utensils, and a cup. In other words, the things you often need when you’re feeding your child. 

The whole booster seat is designed to look and feel like a shoulder bag when it’s folded down, so it is very lightweight and easy to carry. The downside to this design is that it needs a third strap to set it up. There are the standard two that hold in place, but then there is a third on that holds the back of the seat up. This means it can be a little challenging to fit it to seats that don’t have a higher back.

Because the back is foldable, it doesn’t offer a great deal of support, so this seat is only really handy once your kid can be trusted to sit in their seat. We started using it once the boys were a year old, and it has worked well. 

If your kid is a super messy eater who gets food everywhere, you may want to give this one a miss. You can wipe it down with a wet wipe pretty easily. But, it is made from fabric, so it will stain.

This booster seat has worked really well for us. We’ve used it while we’ve been out and about in restaurants and even on park benches. It’s not going to be a great every day, at home option, but for traveling around, it works well.

Infantino Music & Light Discovery Seat and Booster

If your child is young enough to still benefit from an activity center, this can be a good option. This booster seat comes with a removable activity center with a mix of toys attached in easy reaching distance. For young kids aged 6 months and up, it can be an excellent way to encourage them to practice sitting up on their own.

The activity center can be slid apart to reveal a snack table with a drink holder. However, I don’t think many parents would recommend using the table while the activity center pieces are still attached. It would be a recipe for a very difficult to clean mess. However, you can just slide off the activity center without too much difficulty. 

This is a good option for growing with your child. It will likely start as more of a floor seat, or perhaps a way to keep your child entertained at the table while you’re eating. You will probably remove the activity pieces to start using the table, and then remove the table to just use it as a booster seat. 

The seat is well sized and will work for larger children. So it’s a nice feature that the padded cushion is textured. This will stop smaller children from sliding down while in the seat.

If you’re short on space and don’t yet have an activity center, this is a good way to double up on items and save some space. It’s probably not the right option for everyone, but it is good at what it does.

Safety 1st Sit, Snack, and Go Convertible Booster Seat

If you are looking for a budget booster seat that can still grow with your child, this is one of the best options. For the price, you get a surprisingly flexible booster seat.

This booster seat has the feel of a lego set. The pieces are brightly colored, and they stack together to create the different seat options. The pieces include removable back and armrests, a removable tray, and an extra height booster. These options mean this seat should work through a wide age range.

The design is bold and bright. You’ll most likely either love it or hate it.

The tray that comes with the seat is a bit of a mixed bag. The drink holder is nice and deep, so it works well for keeping your child’s drink safe. However, the main part of the tray is a little oddly shaped. It can be hard to find bowls and plates that fit on it well. It’s certainly not a huge problem, just something to be aware of.

The whole seat comes to pieces quite easily. This is handy for cleaning it. There are some large spaces around the seat, so you will probably need to take it apart whenever you do try to clean it. 

When you go for a budget option, there is often something that is missing as a result. For this booster seat, what’s missing is non-slip rubber feet on the base pieces. As a result, this seat can slip a little on wooden chairs. You can solve the problem by getting some non-slip shelf lining material. That will keep it secure and protect your chair at the same time.

Unilove Feed Me 3-in-1 Travel Booster Seat

This booster seat is billed as a three in one seat. That means you can use it as a floor seat to feed your child, attached to a chair as a booster seat, or simply as a freestanding seat for kids. It’s a pretty standard range of uses for a flexible booster seat. What does make this seat stand out is that there are four different height settings.

The height can be adjusted by turning a dial on the side of the seat. Turning the dial changes the distance between the base and the bottom of the child’s seat. 

The other interesting feature of this seat is that it has a backrest at all of its height settings. This makes it a good option if you want a ‘proper’ chair for your child to sit in. It also looks quite stylish too.

There is a removable tray that pivots at one corner and comes with a snap on lid. This can be quite handy when you’re traveling as you can just put a lid over any mess and deal with it when you get home. 

The seat cover is relatively easy to remove and can be machine washed. The only part that can be hard to clean is the straps. They’re white and do stain quite easily. You can wipe them down fairly easily, but they are unlikely to stay white for long. 

Some parents have found that this seat is a little on the small side. As a result, their children have grown too big for it quite quickly. The size also means that it might not be a good match for more active kids who may be able to tip it over or wiggle out.

The Round-Up

My top recommendation is the Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster Seat. It’s a good, versatile option that should work for most people. It has options for every stage you’ll need. However, if you have an older child and just need a smaller booster seat, I’d recommend the Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat.