Feeding an 18 month old on a long haul flight

[mrsmortis]

Grrr - stupid airlines.

I have just discovered that airlines (or at least those flying to the US) will no longer allow you to book a child's meal for a lap child. This means that they are not going to provide food for my 18 month old when we fly 11 hours to California in August. I've even offered to pay extra to get her food but that isn't an option. (This is a change to when I last flew with my eldest as a lap child 3 years ago - they provided a meal for her then)

So what do I feed her? What can I get through security/can I buy airside? It mustn't need refrigeration as we are going to be in a hotel for the 3 nights before we fly so I won't even be able to pack an icepack... I'm going to need 2 full meals. (Which by the way will need to fit into our hand luggage allowance - as if I didn't need that for other things, like nappies)

Can I assume that they will be able to provide us milk on the flight? Or am I going to need to find some UHT milk cartons too?

Can you tell that I am not at all impressed with this change in policy?

Don't worry it's very doable.

In your hold luggage pack your dry snacks and ready made jars/ pouches. American security do not make you open these at all do you will be fine for the way back.

From home take usual dry snacks and fruit- this will all get through security. Take and cups bowls and spoons you need. Also remember to take the cup through empty and make sure it is out in a tray. We have been delayed by them having to search our bag as they don't know the cup is empty on the scanner.

Once you get through security at Heathrow go to boots and buy ready made food. They have Ella's pouches (which are a bit runny for an airplane) and nice boots own brand. We normally get the bean stew boots one. The also sell snacks if you need.

The trick is to be organised

Hth

Oh, forgot to mention. Toddler milk eg aptamil is available in boots airside. Airoplane milk is bloody awful and our dd rejects it.

Other option is to buy uht in uk supermarket although you will need to buy twice what you need as security make you taste 50% of cartons, so it goes off quicker or is difficult to carry.

Coming back you will be able to just take toddler milk through security. (Pack in suitcase on way out. )

She doesn't eat Jars/pouches - we're BLW. Which is why I wanted a childs meal for her. She'd quite happily eat whatever her sister eats. In fact I am now expecting a tantrum from one or other child over access to the food brought for my eldest.

I'm not a novice flyer - I fly several times a month for work and we took my eldest multiple times as a lap child. Last year when we flew transatlantic as a family it wasn't a problem as DD2 was breast fed and had only just started weaning.

I'm most worried about the return journey as we are going to be in LA and I don't know what I can get airside there. In the UK at least I know what is available.

I would take some bread and breadsticks, carrot and cucumber, fruit bars, babybels, cold pasta (mine always loved this as aeroplane tea!), chopped grapes etc. You may well find when you are actually on the plan they can scrounge you up some extras or even a full kids meal, definitely worth asking.

SeashellHoarder - thanks for the info. I've just realized how ungrateful I sound for your input. I'm not. I'm just panicing. Give me overnight to sort things through in my mind and I'll probably be OK.

I would be interested in some ideas though. I need to meals for a BLW fed 18 month old that I can get through security or get airside that don't need refrigeration. And suggestions for the return flight when I don't know if I'm going to be able to get to a supermarket would be really helpful. Does anyone know what I can get airside at LAX?

Oh its ok.
In LAX there is not much airside - its not like here.
There is a really good supermarket nearl lax though. If you have a car. Whole foods. They have great salad bars and cooked food bars and you can take it straight through.

On the way out can you feed your little one sandwiches / salad from a supermarket?

No car unfortunately. We're going to Disney and staying a block from the parks so there was no need. It's a shame as I love Whole Foods (I used to live in SF). She'd eat sandwiches and salads etc no problem. The issue is that I'll have no refrigeration. We have to check in 3 hours before our 11 hour flight. So even if I buy stuff just before we check in what can I buy that will still be edible at the end of the flight?

A cool bag, food from the fridge, and an icepack from the fridge should keep things cool for one meal.

What about a bought pasta salad, fridged and cool baged for first meal (or 2, one for each child!?), I'd think baby bel or other "plastic", pre-wrapped cheese would survive. Yoghurt tubes claim to be OK for 8hrs out of the fridge (liquids through security).

You can buy pints of milk airside in most airports (tho we have had to get semi occasionally). Could you get the mini packs for cereal, and either eat dry, or add milk?

Breadsticks? Cheese straws? Mini chedders?

Can you find any individual pots/tins of fruit which are under 100ml? Or dried fruit.

I'd go and investigate the kids lunch box sections of the supermarket, and think what would be OK for 3 weeks in a suitcase before coming back! Does DD2 get a hand luggage allowance as a lap traveller?

Flying the other way we had free reign on the snacks left out in the "kitchens" - biscuits, crisps, mars bars, those cheesy biscuits. I've also asked if there is any fresh fruit going spare from first class before, and its been produced.

It sounds like a bonkers rule - and I'm sure if the cabin crew want less stressed parents, and less screaming kids, they will let you have an extra meal! They were very helpful when they thought I was lone travelling with 18 month DS2 and 3 yr DS1 (because they had split the 4 of us up on a 13 hr flight......).

Enjoy your holiday - if it comes to it, 12 hrs of junk isn't going to be the end of the world!

Who are you flying with??

There is a M&S at T5 if with BA and also various other eateries airside where you can easily get a sandwich etc for her. If you get a bit extra could you share your meal too?

Coming back its an overnight flight I presume so hopefully your LO will sleep. Then into London you will get a small breakfast offering so try and take some pastries or something. There is bound to be a Starbucks in LAX!

mrsmortis

There is nothing airside at LAX and not much landside, that airport's facilities are very poor.

The M & S Simply Food shop though is in arrivals at Heathrow's T5, not departures which is also unfortunate.

I would just grab some bread/ fruit / and whatever snacks avaliable. Surely at 18 months they can just eat that and share your food? Just grab something for the adults to eat if she eats most of your meal.

And the option to feed from airport cafe/ restaurant/ whatever is around. Lax really does have lots of cafes/ delis/ restaurants where you can always eat beforehand. When we fly to and from LA we usually all just eat beforehand at airport then try and sleep most of the journey anyway.

Ps the thing about extra meals is that if they are on lap there is only one tray spae and very little room, so not enough to serve two meals and both sit down. It is a mode of transport, not a gourmet restaurant

forevergeek - But three years ago the same airline fed my elder daughter a meal as a lap child and it worked fine. The special meals come out first and by the time the adult meals come out she'd finished eating. I'm not expecting gourmet food. But I would like some food, especially on a flight that long.

www.lawa.org/tenantLAXResult.aspx?airport=4&category=31&sindicator=qs

the above is a list of restaurants facilities at LAX. It also very much depends on which terminal is being used.

Well if they don't do it anymore it's not an option. Hence suggesting sharing meal and taking a banana.

Surely an 18 month doesn't eat that much in 12 hrs? Seeing they can eat before and after. The airlines are cutting costs now. The only way would be to book a seat for child. But I'm
Sure a few snacks is the cheaper option.

You will also be able to buy snacks and drinks onboard

Order stuff in boots to collect airside? We did this last year.

Thanks every one for your responses. I was talking about this with some friends last night and they suggested a mugshot or something like that which can be made up on the flight. That has the advantage that I can pack a couple for the return flight in my hold luggage.