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?

You could be right about marketing depts exexpat, but makes sense that people are suggesting ellas pouches and benjoy pots because they are particularly handy for travelling. The last thing you need on a plane is food spilled all over the floor and seats (not enough room to swing a cat let alone bend down to pick up spilled food). I remember when my DC dropped her bag of rice cakes all over the plane floor and had a major hissy fit because seat belt sign was on and I couldn't get up to retrieve them for her.

Oh, I think my DCs would be equally capable of making a mess whatever the packaging - you only have to take the lid off one of those pouches and then sit on it or put your elbow on it and you have a lovely squirty mess all over the seat.

Certainly when it comes to dried fruit I don't see the point in paying for the special packaging. You can buy refillable non-spill snackpots, but I never bothered - small plastic pots from the pound shop or wherever do the job just as well.

But I am starting to wonder how much I'd get paid for promoting something on an internet forum...

Agree those reusable plastic pots are very handy. I do struggle to find interesting things to put in though. Is my DS the only one who doesn't like raisins!
Confess to resorting to mini cheddars (too much salt) and cheerios (too much salt and sugar).
Any ideas exexpat?

Breastfeedingbride have you tried figs and apricots? Exexpat I mentioned munchcup before because they are simply my DS fav and not because I work for Benjoy! Im certainly not getting paid!!!! [hwink] I find them perfect for when he goes to the childminder since she is out with them all the time. They are genuinely great in my opinion. I also use other brands at home AK, organix but munchpots are his fav!

Which airline and which airport?. Heathrow T5 for instance carries very little baby food; it certainly would need to be ordered in advance.

You are permitted to carry enough jars for the flight. They may make you taste some of it (but they don't always do this now).

Do not rely on the airline to fully provide re childrens meals (I've been on flights where they've run out). #

Your own airline meal will have a knife as part of the cutlery set; I would use that to cut the fruit with.

Do not bring any uneaten fruit into the US; leave any such items behind on the aircraft on arrival.

hi, my little one particularly enjoys the strawberry benjoys, and as said earlier no hidden nasties, just lovely tasty strawberries that have been freeze dried.
All the adults I know love these too, as it seems to intensify the flavour, planning on putting these on my next homemade cream sponge!

Is this a new cult or something? There seem to be about a dozen people on this thread who seem to have joined MN or emerged from years of hibernation purely to enthuse about Benjoy products. Forgive me for being somewhat suspicious.

Or are you all the same person with multiple name changes?

I have never heard of Benjoy products before now. Is this some kind of mn conspiracy!

This thread is beginning to sound like an infomercial.

Does anyone know if you can take fresh fruit on long haul flights to the states?

Yes, you can take fruit on the flight, you just can't take it into the country - leave it on the plane, or dump it in a quarantine bin on arrival. Same for Australia.

Apricots would be good by I struggle to find the untreated, natural ones that don't have sulphites etc. The bright orange ones are a no-no in my opinion. Not tried figs - good idea, thanks

Lol - the whole marketing dept at Benjoy is probably watching and wondering whether they can create a Delia Smith cranberry-stylee craze.

Julian Graves health food shops are great for untreated dried apricots, DS loves them. Pretty good value too i think.

Thanks MrsHeg. shame the julian graves near me has closed down. i'll check them out online and see if they deliver (or should I be cynical like some others here and suspect you work for julian graves!! LOL!)

CHOCOLATE BUTTONS

I've just checked out benjoy (hadn't heard of them before either) and this thread is now on their facebook page so I guess their fans are getting involved.

Personally, I don't mind if people recommend new things - it's a good way to learn about them, as long as it is good stuff.
I'd be cross if they were just doing it to get paid though (does this happen?)
Loads of the threads recommend certain products and brands and it's all useful.
We are not stupid and will do our own homework and make the best decisions for our kids, not just be influenced by marketing hype.
Let's not lose sight of the request for advice about the genuine problems of feeding kids on long flights. There's been a lot of good advice here and I'm pleased someone has told me about new products and the new anti spill pots they mention. I'm off to buy one to try (yes, the marketing department at benjoy will be pleased - ha ha)

breastfeedingbride I think i would be considerably healthier if i did!!

... and yet another new arrival on MN who can't wait to spread the word about her favourite brand...

Could you all stop it now, please? It's not very convincing.