what are BA children's meals like?

[headfairy]

We're going to St Lucia next week, I've just ordered children's meals for DS and DD (4 and 2) but ds is such a fussy eater, I'm wondering whether to do a packed lunch for him too. Normally I don't advocate different meals for him, but enclosed on a plane for 8 hours is no place to start laying down the law on fussy eating :o

Not great, from memory. I'd at least bring some sandwiches.

I'd take food for them both. There's a strong chance the fussy one won't like what the airline provides, and timing is always off as well - airline meals arrive at funny times, and never when they are hungry. I've done lots of longhaul flights with two DCs (vegetarian, bit fussy) and always take lots of food for them.

oh that's interesting. I thought I'd be told off for being too precious :o Hmmm, ok, so that's changed what I was going to do. I was thinking along the lines of snacks but I might just make it a proper lunch (we take off at 8.20am so I may be able to persuade them to have some breakfast at the airport) and land at 1pm local I think, which is 4pm UK time so I was thinking of a late ish lunch on the plane (maybe just before landing) with a few snacks to hopefully stretch them to an early dinner at local time. Might also help with adjusting to the different time zone.

Sounds like a sensible plan. Just watch out for the liquids rule - yoghurts etc count as liquid. But sandwiches, fruit, cheese etc are OK.

Also even If you order they dont always have the meal (in fact never have they actually had a kids meal on BA despite ordering it and checking it was there when checked in)

yeah, I can't believe those bloody liquid restrictions are still in place, when they were first introduced we were told it was because they didn't have the required scanning machines to allow liquids through... that must have been 6 or 7 years ago now.

Anyway, I suppose a pot of cream cheese won't be allowed either will it? Or houmous? And I can't take any ice block thingys either (we've got an insulated cool bag thingy which has an ice pack that slides in to it)?

Good old sandwiches it'll have to be then :o

Really gigondas? That's crap, how on earth are they still the "world's favourite airline"? Years ago when I was a veggie I never used to get veggie meals and have often endured 12+ hour flights on just a bread roll and some rank pudding subsitute. Maybe I'll make extra sandwiches for all of us :o

If you're flying from a big airport you can probably buy cream cheese and houmous once you are through security for approximately the same cost as your original tickets

It was crap ESP as were off to hong kong (and Singapore). But if it's heathrow there is a pret and a boots so sandwich option . But stuffing dd full of breakfast at giraffe in t5 worked well. Then drinks /snacks and proper late Lunch when you get there a good plan of yours. I completely agree that flight not the time to enforce
Healthy eating regime.

Sympathy re veggie option as had that happen to me. Also makes no odds what class you fly or If you are in their frequent flyer club either...

lots of chocolate and crisps as I recall But they did once do fish fingers and chips, and the breakfast options tend to be cereal in my experience
But mine are funny about eating on planes anyway!

tmesis I'm far too tight fisted to pay the over inflated airport prices for sandwiches, they'll get plain old cheese and be happy with it :o

gigondas We're going from Gatwick so no Giraffe I think - I am an executive club member, years ago I even had a silver card, but I'm back to boring old blue now and I'm sure that means they'll slap my meal down on my tray with a grimmace the same as they do all the other "plebs" :o

I flew First once, all the way to Singapore. It was like a dream

Chocolate and crisps ds would eat ratherbeonthepiste, though I would fear for the sanity of other passengers if ds has too much sugar. He's rather boisterous :o

The problem is no choice, so fuss pot DD2 gets presented with fish fingers that she will not eat.
I've never bothered with sandwiches, dice pest species will only eat ham and airports are hot. She just has to put up with crisps and cereal bars off mum and bread rolls and yoghurt from the plane.

There is a similar place (chez Gerard?) that does scrambled eggs/pain au chocolat in gatwick and pretty sure you get boots/pret there.

I am not sure it makes much odds what class of card you are. There was a magic moment when we went to Singapore as they had triple (yes triple) booked our seats ... They went to upgrade dh (who
Has gold card due to work) and then had to upgrade me/dd too. To be fair they were apologies about lack of food for dd on that flight and steward did go hunting for extra bread rolls etc

If you are flying business/first then the regular (non-children's) meals are nicer, though, so more likely to persuade child to eat them. And you get access to lounge from which you can scavenge crisps/fruit/biscuits/bread rolls, which can be handy (although IIRC if you have a gold card you can use the lounge even if your ticket are in Economy)

Tmesis, sadly we're flying cattle, and only a boring old blue card so no access to lounge :( boo hoo. I could get my press pass out and stamp my feet but I fear they'd throw me out of the airport.

gigondas you jest surely? Admittedly I've only ever flown first without children, but the food was absolutely stunning. We were handed the menu (with our first glass of vintage Krug) and like plebs we thought the choice of ten or so items on there was just that, a choice. No, that was the whole meal. Ten courses, steaks cooked to order, a salad bar, beautiful seafood, lots of wine. OMG when they laid the seat down for the flat bed, I have never felt so full (or indeed so smug :o)

We were only upgraded to business (which is nice). But they had no kids meal for dd.
I do think snack route way to go.

Just got back from Florida on BA. Children had chicken nuggets, potato croquettes and baked beans on the way out with mouse pudding thing, roll and butter. elder one opted for adult meal and i think she got the better option. why not go for one adult and one childrens and mix and match it. also in the middle of the plane are boxes of lovely biscuits and crisps / snacks which helped.

oh thanks for that mummymeister that would actually be ds's favourite meal of all time :o Do they really have boxes of crisps/biscuits/snacks in the middle of the plane? In economy? Who are they for? surely they're not expecting hundreds of kids to descend on their flights at any given time or are they meant for all passengers?

gigondas I may well do that, dd will eat just about everything though if she sees her brother eating nuggets she'll want them too of course! Even if she's really enjoying whatever she's eating! To be honest, after the initial thrill of getting food served to them on a tray in little pots, I don't think either of them will eat much. Far too exciting!

They aren't up to much. Do not rely on the airline to fully provide re food for adults let alone children.

Would take enought of their own favourite foods for the flight.

Unfortunately Chez Gerard went bust so they are no more.

The snacks and items laid out in a small basket in the middle of the plane are only for Club World pax; its part of their CW kitchen.

If you look on BAs website as well you can get an idea of what films and entertainment will be broadcast on your flight.

Really Attilla Chez Gerard went bust? honestly, these days you blink and another place has gone down the pan. That was a shame because as high street chains go i thought there were ok. Obviously I was in a minority or they wouldn't have gone bust :o

right, so it's full three course meal for the kids, and buy a large bottle of brandy for dh and I in duty free :o

We always fly BA and have never not received a child's meal if requested. (Air New Zealand was another matter!!). The child's meals are adequate but my two don't like eating meals/food on planes. We either go to Giraffe for breakfast or dinner (depending on the flight times) and make sure we have all had a good meal. I tend to buy plain sandwiches from Boots airside along with crisps, chocolate etc. So it's there for emergencies. I also buy lots of water airside too.

Thanks LaLady I'm increasingly realising I'm going to have to make a picnic the night before to take on the plane as a back up. It cab go in ds's trunki :o