HELP: What can I feed my fussy kids on a flight to the States?

[ManzisMum]

Taking 15mth old DS & 3yo DD on long flight to the US (daytime). Need to take stuff to feed them on the plan, but worried about the "no liquids" policy meaning I can't take jars and pouches. They hate rice cakes and cereal bars but I don't want to stuff them with junk (and can't take a knife on board to cut apples and pears). Any ideas?

I have two vegetarian children who rarely touch anything the airline provides, and we regularly fly longhaul (12 hour flights). I take some or all of the following: sandwiches, plain bread rolls or olive or cheese bread, brioche rolls, breadsticks, crackers; lots of fruit - clementines, apples (little ones that don't need peeling or cutting up), tubs of grapes etc; sometimes carrot sticks; cheese sticks/string cheese; biscuits, chocolate etc - sometimes something easy to eat which will keep them going is just necessary. I also often take home-made rice balls/sushi but that's not everyone's kind of thing.

You can get away with small tubes of yoghurt or smoothy type things (you know the stick-type tubes of Frubes etc) if you put them in a plastic ziploc bag and put them separately through security like small bags of toiletries. If you have any mini ice-packs (small enough to pass the 'less than 100ml' rule) you can put them together in the bag to keep them cool.

You might also be able to pick up some other things once you are through security at the airport.

Joined to see if we could find some advice on pushchairs & backpacks on flights, but can help with this one. We always now travel with Benjoy snackpots, great variety of healthy snacks and even comes in anti spill pots.
Anyone know if they treat backpacks the same as puschairs on flights?

You can take babyfood on planes, but they often make you open it and taste it at security check, so make sure you take stuff you like!!

Don't take petit filous style yoghurts or pots of fruit puree as I have had both confiscated. Any liquids you'll be required to sip. Exexpats got everything on my list.

Scooter - do you mean backpacks as in back carriers for babies? I think you'd need to check direct with the airline about what dimensions they would allow and whether they would treat that as your one piece of inflight baggage, or if you'd be allowed it as an extra.

About yoghurt etc - I should probably have said that I've managed to get those on board with no problem, but you never know when you are going to get a jobsworth security person who decides that they are not allowed. So take more than you think you'll need and be prepared to get random stuff confiscated...

If you have a sympathetic flight crew, they may also be able to divert child-friendly bits and pieces from the business/first-class meals your way - we've had some rather nice fruit platters over the years.

Thanks for the help - never thought about brioche and my kids love it. I have not heard of Benjoy before. Where do you buy it and are they genuinely healthy? A friend of mine sent me some really tasty toddler snacks from the US but they were full of artificial ingredients.
Well done to all these mums who travel with their kiddies...I know how hard it can be, but it is even harder for me to leave them at home!

We recently took the Ellas fruit pouches on a flight as well as some froobs/smoothie tubes, which I froze at home and them took frozen in a clear bag which I put with my 100ml things. They randomly chose 2 pouches and 2 tubes for DH or I to taste at the airport.

Scooter - We have flown Virgin, Emirates and BA in the last 2 years with DDs at varying stages. All of them allowed us to take a backpack onto the plane and they were stored by the cabin crew in a big cupboard at the back of the plane. You will need to take you baby off for every x-ray machine and security check but it does make things much easier. Last time we flew we took DD1 (2.5) in a pushchair and DD2 (8mo) in the backpack ( with an additional soft carrier in the back) when we got to the other end, DD1 went into the back pack, DD2 went in the soft carrier and we had 2 hands free for hand luggage and didn't feel lost without the pushchair which could only be collected at the baggage carousel.

I take pre-cooked pasta in a tupperware for my extremely fussy DS who won't touch airline food. You can mix with whatever they will eat - bits of chopped veg, pesto sauce etc - for some reason kids seem happy eating cold pasta - I just call it pasta salad and bingo, he will eat it in large quantities. DD will eat same with chopped up ham, sweetcorn, grated carrot etc. We always buy a huge quantity of plain-ish sandwiches from Boots etc once we're through security - they will usually stay fresh for whole flight but you have to dump before you officially enter the US for hygiene rules. Also Boots sell lots of chopped fruit packs and they also usually sell houmous and carrot sticks at airports.

Also things like M and S deli snacks are good: falafel, vine leaves, mini spinach + feta pastries etc, or minis quiches - all seem pretty palatable cold. We have also bought an M and S spanish tortilla and that worked well as it takes good cold. Dare I say it things like mini sausages/sausage rolls and scotch eggs - also quorn do a good picnic range that are healthier.

If you are flying out of heathrow you can order stuff from boots via the heathrow airport website to collect after security Nike sure if they do it with baby food mine was with baby milk but it is worth a try but think that you have to do it about 2 weeks before departure!
Not sure if it is the same at other airports
Hth

Exexpat & yougreat... Thanks for the info, we have flown a lot with our other two kids, both girls, this is for our two year old son and is about controlling the little tike when needed.
Manzismum - Benjoy are the only truely healthy snacks we have found, nothing added, just freeze dried (I think) fruit and veg. Our kids eat the airline food but always need snacks, and these snackpots are great.

Had a nightmare trying to spoon feed my DS on a flight and made a huge mess with a pot of custard ending up all over the seats and floor!! Stick to dry stuff and snacks if you can.

We are big fans of benjoy in our house (we get from ocado) DD,s love the veggie crisps and always have some in car for jouneys to the in laws as the fact my OH is a tidy car freak means the no spill pots are a big plus for mess free (stress free) snacking! So would be great for planes as well!

We use Benjoy pots for travelling snacks too, not used on a flight but great for long car journeys! They are suprisingly heathly! The fruit ones are 100% frieze dried fruit and the veg crissps and multigrain snacks don't have any 'nasties.' We've bought from Morrisons and Ocado, but I think most supermarkets do them. They're pretty much the only prepackaged snack I let my little ones have! I actually like them too! Also I find breadsticks are great for travelling and supermarkets doo some ready cut little bags of apples and melons that I wouldn't usually buy but are great for travelling!

You're making me jealous. I'd die of pure joy if dd would eat the things you've listed. It sound to me like they'll be able to graze quite sufficiently on what they're given.

Sorry should have read the thread properly. It's exexpat I'm jealous of.

Really? I was wishing I had thirtysomething's mini-quiche and stuffed-vine-leaf eating DCs....

Yes, those little snackpots are fab for flights (and any journey with hungry, cranky kids). My DS adores the crunchy strawberry ones - only problem is he won't share his with me so I have to eat one myself (they are yummy for mummies too) :-)

Enjoyed the Benjoy pots very much

Yes we love the Benjoy pots too. They're great when you're out and about because you don't lose any of the food even when DD plays the 'drop for mummy to pick up game'! so I'm sure would be great for a plane journey. My two love the strawberries so yummy (yes I have stolen some;-)) and loads of vitamin C which is brilliant

Yes the enjoy range is excellent, I've only just discovered them and get them from ocado. I'm a bit OCD and they're about the only snack I can relax and let them get on with it without having to worry about the mess!

Sorry meant the benjoy range - damn those auto spell checks!