Snacks for children on a long haul flight

[wrenster]

We are taking our 6 year old triplets on a long haul flight for the first time at Easter. They are quite fussy and I'm concerned that they aren't going to eat the inflight meal. So to avoid whining and any bad behaviour I am going to arm myself with lots of snacks, but want to avoid chocolate and sweets. I need some more ideas from you more seasoned travellers!

So far I have thought of:
Sandwiches
Mini cheddars
Bananas (too squashy?)
Grapes
Dried fruit
Nuts
Little packets of plain biscuits (which ones?) I don't normally buy this kind of thing
Cereal bars - ones with no chocolate

Any more suggestions so would be gratefully received. Thanks

[SconessMcFloness]

It's sounds like you are very stressed about this trip, what you have will be fine, as you have good inflight entertainment, you'll have little bother. My really enjoy the meals on the plane....all wrapped up in little parcels, they might not eat much but as long as they stay hydrated it doesn't really matter.

[4merlyknownasSHD]

Wrenster, it is certainly worth talking to the airline. Some of them do special child meals. Don't automatically assume that they will have accounted for the age of your kids. We flew to Oz when our youngest was 4 months old, and they brought jars of baby food for 6 months + (i.e. with chunks of chewable bits in). They may do Chicken Nuggets or burgers.

If you are flying with a European airline your kids may be OK with adult food, but if it is a Far Eastern Airline, the more unusual food (and smells) for them may be more difficult (wasabi, sea weed etc..). Our kids, who will eat anything now, in huge quantities (20yrs+ Rugby players) preferred to fly to Australia eating nothing as the smells coming from the kitchen with Malaysian/Singapore/Japanese airlines made them feel sick.

[ScaryMaryHinge]

I often fly long haul with my DD, now 7, and my experience of the children's meals hasn't been good, mostly very soggy chicken nuggets and mini packets of haribo, neither of which she'll eat. These days I get her an adult meal, there's normally a pasta choice or something like beef stew and veg and she much prefers that.

However just in case I take a paked lunch/snacks too. Typically it woukd be cucumber and marmite sandwiches (no meat as it might be sitting around for a while, and she's not too keen on cheese) mini chedders, yo yo bear fruit snacks, a little pot of chopped veg, some blueberries and a frube. I also take an empty water bottle and fill it up on the plane when the stewards bring a jug of water round.

Don't put nuts in, there might be someone with allergies on the plane, and as you say avoid chocolate and anything too sticky.

[Heels99]

Sounds fine. Emirates gave mine a kiddy snack box consisting of family pack of jelly beans per child, kit Kat, more chocolate, more sweets etc. !

We also eat before we board as plane food is dire.

[SavoyCabbage]

I take fruit, a packet of digestives and bread and butter. Nothing too sweet. I also take empty pop-top water bottles for their drinks.

One of my dc is anaphylactic so I have to take food and I usually get her a meal or a sandwich just before boarding.

They don't eat as much as they would on a normal day as they aren't moving around as much.

[Lindy2]

Just jumping on this thread. Does anyone know if you are allowed to pack snacks in your hand luggage or do you have to buy it all when you have got through to airside? I know you can't take drinks through anymore. It's been 7 years since I last flew so things have changed a lot. Thank you!

[SavoyCabbage]

You can take it in your hand luggage as a part of your allowance. You can't take anything liquid (or runny like yogurt or jam) over 100mls.

[4merlyknownasSHD]

Also make sure that you are certain where you have packed all your food. We forgot that we had a couple of apples at the bottom of our 6yr old DD back pack and were charged a $200 fine by the New Zealand quarantine authorities, despite me offering to eat them both, there and then pips, stalks and all! I think they were apples that had come from NZ in the first place!

[NorbertDentressangle]

Definitely avoid anything that has nuts in (muesli/cereal bars etc) as the last time we flew they announced just before take-off that passengers were being asked not to eat anything containing nuts due to a passenger with a nut allergy.

I know some flights are advertised as "nut free" right from the booking stage but this was last minute.

[wrenster]

Great tips, thanks very much. I will definitely see if the airline can give me any ideas of the food on the flight.

Will remember to eat the food too!!

[MrsFlannel]

I've also flown long haul with my children a lot and the staff are very accommodating. They always bring us extra fruit/bread rolls/cornflakes if we ask. We never bother taking anything because the DC are sitting down so much they don't get so hungry.

[NeedABumChange]

That sounds like loads already. It's only what 12hours max? Don't forget something to suck to stop little ears popping. I was always given weathers originals.

[OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat]

What about cheese portions like Babybells or just cheese cut in little plastic tubs? Will be fine for a few hours or more unless very hot for hours on end.

Cherry tomatoes?

Have a look on the airline website - the ones I use always give a menu/example so you know what sort of food they offer.

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

I fly long haul with my two very regularly and generally stick to cracker style snacks and apples, and those squeezy fruit and veg things

Air New Zealand does great kids meals FWIW

And I still manage to take liquids onboard, just taste then or put them in the special machine at security (youngest was 3 when we last flew)

And my hand luggage is rammed with snacks, not been a problem yet

[BabyGanoush]

Bananas too messy

I always took lots of crackers (cream crackers, wheat crackers and Tuc) and sandwiches.

Keep it simple.

Raisins fall everywhere.

[wrenster]

I hadn't thought about the nut allergy, good point.

Thanks for all of the suggestions - it's making me feel more confident!

[MoustacheofRonSwanson]

Good earth snacking chorizos don't need to be refrigerated if you want a protein option. Not too spicy either.

[MrsFlannel]

Chorizo is a terrible idea. It stinks! Also that sort of cured meat is just not good for anyone.

[Hoppinggreen]

Go and have a look in the baby food aisle. I know your Dc are a bit older but there are lots of individually packed snacks there. My Dc are 6 and 10 and I always grab some stuff from there when were are flying.

[PeterParkerSays]

I'd take things which are pre-sealed - bread sticks, individually wrapped brioche, carton drinks etc.

and I take my hat off to you with triplets as I'm only taking one 5-year old to Greece but am still worried what he'll eat on the plane

[addictedtosugar]

If the kids are really struggling, it is also worth asking what is left over from business class. We have got fruit from the posh end of the plane when DS1 refused breakfast, and was pretty verbal about it. We also wandered up to the gallery, and got drinks, crisps and chocolate. For the time involved, I don't mind if they eat junk.
How far are you going? There was a trend for icecream on flights for a while.

[BiddyPop]

Also, think about the airport you go through. It may be expensive, but may also get the DCs invested in actually eating stuff - if they get to choose a snack in the airport after security. And it may use up some boring waiting around time too.

In Dublin airport, for example, there is a very good place that does made up smoked salmon on brown bread, or prawn salad, fresh fruit salad, and also makes up sandwiches with whatever you want in them (lots of choices).

Most UK airports I've been through have something like a Starbucks or Pret, so it will be made up but there may be something the DCs would happily eat there (that you buy as takeout).

If you are going to the US (or indeed anywhere outside EU), check the customs rules. Some places don't allow fruit, others don't allow meat, others dairy etc. So I had to leave an apple in pre-customs clearance in Dublin for a US flt, but going to Canada through UK was able to bring fruit and cheese (to eat on board).

What sort of things do they like, and how can they be made transportable. Make sure you have drinks - plenty of plain water but also a treat (there will be drinks on board too) like a J2O or something fizzy (DD much prefers juice as they will have fizzy drinks to give from the trolley). We usually bring chopped up apples, box of raisins (the snack boxes or some leftover McDs kids meals ones), we get snack packs of cookies or oreos or (I might get some Lu biscuits in Brussels), M&S do mini pretzels and cheddars and snack-sized cheeses (and tiny hummus pots too - but they are garlicky!).

You could always have things in a hard plastic lunchbox so they will get less bashed. You could even do a full on picnic - sliced ham, their favourite cheese, cooked prawns, salad, cherry tomatoes, chunks of pepper, breadsticks, pasta/rice salad etc.

Airline food is not that bad though. We mostly do picnics now for shorter haul flights (where we have to buy food on board) and usually its a case of buy NICE food in the airport rather than same priced but less nice stuff in the air.

A tray of airline dinner on long haul is usually salad, bread roll and butter, main course, water/juice, tea/coffee, a drink from trolley, and a desert (brownie, chocolate mousse, cheesecake, and icecream are ones I remember in recent years). Often there is a piece of cheese and 2 crackers as well. If it is transatlantic, you will probably get a snack too before landing - slice of pizza is what US airlines (various not just "US Airlines") often give you, or a sambo from BA. Breakfast is often juice, muffin, yoghurt and a piece of fruit, tea/coffee. So there will be something edible in that lot - and you will find food at the airport on the far side if all offerings are refused.

[BiddyPop]

Most airports have some sort of water fountains as well after security - so you can bring through empty bottles and refill airside. And they all have plenty of bottled water to buy. I'd always have a bottle of water in my carryon before boarding, as sometimes there can be delays in getting going.

You can also buy other drinks after security, and there's no issue bringing cold drinks on board. But you are not allowed to bring hot drinks on - so finish the cups of coffee/hot choc before getting to the actual gate (fine for sitting around the gate waiting, but finish before handing in your passport and boarding card).

If your DCs haven't flown before, it can be useful to look at the autism section of airports like Manchester or Dublin - so they can see exactly what to expect, security procedures, different noises and lots of people moving,.....and knowing that they will be waiting around for a while at different stages too. I only looked at them after DD had a DX in the autistic spectrum, but the guides are incredibly useful for all DCs going to the airport for the first time - step by step on what to expect. And look at the airport maps of the airports you will go through - so you can see where things are in advance (and know if there's a kiddie play corner!!), and also the DCs might like to see beforehand.

And while tech is great, and the tech in seats is great on lots of planes, sometimes it doesn't exist or doesn't work (had both experiences!!), batteries can die if there are delays, or even just on long flights, and somedays DCs just don't WANT what they normally love. So a few colouring sheets and some pencils, a pack of cards and a travel game, as well as a book and a favourite teddy, can be well worth it in the carryon to distract and keep DCs happy. They'll probably want teddy/book for bedtimes anyway. I usually let DD buy a comic/magazine in the airport, (and I may have bought one ahead of time too). I often wrap up a couple of poundshop-type things (small, cheap, stocking-filler type stuff) that DD is allowed to open one no sooner than an hour after the last one.

I don't have a massively overloaded bag, but there is a bag dedicated to "on board" (for all of us, includes my book and mag, and DH's mag, and snacks for all 3 of us) in our luggage. And we've taken DD on plenty of longhaul since she was about 4 with no major problems.

[Dancingwitch]

Things like raisins etc are good as they take a bit longer to eat but it can cause upset if they are dropped as they go everywhere (although your children may be more rational about this than my toddler was!).
In terms of packing snacks, how are you planning on sitting? If it's going to be one adult + 2DC and another adult with 1DC, then I'd suggest each have adult has a bag of goodies as otherwise your constantly passing things to & fro which gets really annoying & that was with us being on consecutive rows.

[PinPon]

A tip which has worked well for us is to wrap up all the toys / snacks bought to distract the DCs on the plane. Voila - lots of little presents. Much more exciting