High Chair vs. Booster Seat

Everyone knows that baby gear is generally not the most beautiful thing in the world.  Of course there are exceptions but the standard stuff is really pretty hideous.  I love my kids, but their stuff is just not pretty.  Fortunately, my kids are past the baby swing, bouncer, baby gym stage but we're definitely still in the big ugly toy stage with Alex.  (I'll post at some other point about our toy storage issues.)  So, of course, we try to hide as much stuff as possible, but some things are unavoidable.

I have a thing against high chairs.  I just don't like them.  My apologies to all of the high chair lovers out there.  I have to admit though, that I have been fascinated by the Stokke Trip Trapp but I feel it's something we should have invested in with my daughter when she was young, instead of now when Alex is 15 months already.  It is so cool and versatile though. 

But, I digress.

Instead of a high chair, we chose to go the booster seat route.  We have had the Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat since Elizabeth was born.  This was a good route for us because our dining room was pretty small before the renovation and that was our only eating space.  Now, we have a relatively small eating space in our kitchen and family room so space is still at a premium.  Here is one of our seats in the eating area now. 

Here's Alex enjoying some watermelon in his seat.

We actually have one on the screen porch too (pasta night).  What a face!

I love that the chair is easy to clean - the white top tray is dishwasher safe.  The rest of the chair can be scrubbed completely.  I have been known to take it out to the driveway and hose it down after a particularly messy sauce night (such as in the above picture)!  There is no padding to crack or get crummy.  After 4 years of use, it looks as good as new.

It's also easy to travel with.  We can fit into the car seat travel bag along with Alex's car seat.


To protect the chair it sits on, I use a piece of an old shower curtain.  You can buy chair protectors but I really think that's unnecessary when you can get a shower curtain at the dollar store.

At the counter, we have a Phil & Ted's Me Too Chair which we love.  Alex loves to be right in the middle of the action when I'm cooking or Elizabeth is eating lunch there. 

I would love to hear about your own short cuts with kid gear!