Hi everyone!
I’m beyond thrilled to kick off the first *real* issue of my newsletter with the subject: traveling with kids.
Let me begin by saying that traveling with kids is tough. Traveling with kids who are old enough to eat is tough. A simple method to calculate the amount of food kids consume in transit is as follows:
multiply their weight in pounds by five million
I joke, but it’s true! The amount of food they consume in transit is remarkable. I usually dedicate a carry-on bag to food. An extra large carry-on bag.
I have learned to welcome this increase in appetite and use it to my (and their) advantage.
In The Travel Edition I will share:
- My favorite foods to pack for toddlers
- My favorite travel foods for babies
- My food philosophy during travel and vacation
Toddler Food Favorites for Travel
For better or for worse, eating is also a source of entertainment on flights. I purchased ice cube trays (with covers) to house various snacks and the kids were obsessed to say the least. This also works with bento-style lunch boxes. The best foods for small compartments are dried or freeze-dried fruit, dry cereal, small pieces of granola bars, and nuts.
What I used:
- dried apricots
- dried cherries
- granola bars
- candy (shocked?!)
- freeze dried apples (these are super soft and great for younger babes)
- toasted sliced almonds
For air travel, I usually pack a ton of snacks and then one larger lunch item. For longer flights 5+ hours I'll pack two lunches. Also, I do not pack food items that are messy. No peanut butter and jelly, pizza, yogurt, applesauce. Pouches are a maybe, depending on child’s age.
Instead I pack:
- Dried mango
- Raisins
- Freeze dried apples
- Dried blueberries
- My favorite healthy bars (Yumi, Cerebelly, That's It, Skout, PB chocolate chip Lara bars)
- Dry cereal (my favorites are plain Cheerios (hello iron) and unsweetened Three Wishes (hello protein)
- Granola
- String cheese or cheddar cheese slices
- Fresh apple or pear slices
- Grapes, quartered
- Melon
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Pouches, if your child can handle pouches sans mess
- My favorite healthy crackers (Flackers, Brad's, Simple Mills)
- Pretzels (my favorite are the cauliflower or butternut squash ones from From the Ground Up)
Lunch Ideas:
- Bagel with thin layer of cream cheese (a thick layer of cream cheese will have you wiping up cheese for days)
- Cheese quesadilla (I use the almond flour tortillas from Whole Foods or Trader Joes)
- Green pancakes
- Green muffins
- French toast sticks (homemade)
Food Storage
As I mentioned, I dedicate one carry-on to strictly food - be it a backpack or travel bag. Anything that's shelf-stable goes into a ziplock or reusable silicone bag. Perishables are stored in Pack-It bags. I have both the lunch boxes and snack bags and food remains cool for hours and hours. Ice packs also work just fine.
Baby Travel
Traveling with new eaters can be stressful, especially for new parents. Starting solids is a big milestone. Here are some tips to make it a little easier and maybe a little less daunting -
For babies starting solids with purees, I recommend bringing along a few pouches for your flight. You can also purchase unsweetened applesauce cups or bring a ripe avocado or banana and mash it up en route. Think, easy and convenient.
If your baby is only eating one meal per day, consider offering solids before or after flights to make life a little simpler. Sometimes it’s just easier to ditch solid meals altogether on travel days and rely on milk feeds. Do what works best for you and baby because travel days are sometimes all about survival.
I like taking advantage of Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and other delivery services and have food sent to my destination. I focus on convenient foods like banana, avocado, unsweetened applesauce cups, precooked hard boiled eggs, plain Greek yogurt, pouches, fresh fruits and veggies, and oatmeal. If you’ll have a kitchen at your destination you can branch out and roast veggies and proteins such as sweet potato, cauliflower, broccoli, chicken, and salmon. Pasta, quesadillas, and pancakes are easy foods to make when traveling.
Always ask Airbnb hosts and hotel concierge if they have highchairs you can use in your room. You may also want to consider purchasing a travel highchair. The important thing here is that baby needs a safe and sturdy place to eat.
When dining out, you can ask your waiter for soft steamed veggies or avocado slices. Depending on the establishment, consider a menu item that is low in salt or salt-free.
Travel Food Philosophy
The following is my philosophy regarding food and travel with kids. This may or may not work for you. Do what works.
It’s just a few days - In the grand scheme of things, a few extra sweets are not going to derail your child’s diet. Aim to serve all food groups everyday, but not every meal. If you don’t meet that goal - it’s just a few days.
It’s more about the fun than the food - This applies to family vacations. Kids will look back and remember the fun times and won’t remember if you served the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday.
Let kids be kids - As a dietitian and mother this is the phrase I am constantly reminding myself. I want my kids to enjoy ice cream by the beach and popsicles in the sand. Even if it’s within the same day or hour. I am working on giving myself a vacation from my “controlling” traits while on vacation. Hard stuff.
Let grandparents be grandparents - To all my grandparent readers: what is it about being a grandparent and handing out candy that elicits so much joy? In the past I think I was a bit too restrictive when we visited grandparents. I told my parents and in-laws to avoid offering sweets. Who am I to take away that joy? Let grandparents be grandparents.
Keep in mind that when traveling, babies and toddlers are off-schedule and exhausted. Their rhythms are out of whack and as a result, there may be food battles and poor behavior at mealtimes. Instead of focusing on which menu option contains vegetables, focus on getting dinner in their bellies. Remember, survival mode.
Warmly,
Dahlia
Great ideas for traveling with little ones! I loved the idea of the ice cube trays - I think my husband would like that, too! LOL!
Another service you could check out is something called BabyQuip. I read about it on Tiny Beans. https://tinybeans.com/holiday-traveling-with-kids-babyquip/. They will bring high chairs, strollers, etc to your air b n b or hotel...so you don't have to schlep a lot of stuff.
This is so incredibly helpful! I have upcoming travels with a toddler and I’ve already been stressing about what snacks to pack.