Travelling overseas with a 7.5 month old. Food tips please

[London77]

Travelling to Portugal when baby is 7.5 months.

I prefer to make my own homemade meals for her and I'm not sure how I will be able to take these.

Flying from Heathrow to Lisbon. Does anyone know if I will be able to take frozen ice packs in a cool bag with the homemade food to last the day?

Flight isn't long but including travel time and bearing in mind I also have to get to the supermarket in Lisbon... also preparing for any delays. I'd like to prepare a days worth of food.

Also any other tips in general regarding travelling with a 7.5 month would be appreciated as this will be our first time. Baby is breastfed so hoping won't have to worry about taking formula

Thanks :)

I wouldn't take food, baby is breastfed and that's all she really needs, then just give her some of whatever you have to pick at for meals. Unless you're going to be away for an extended period she'll be fine even if she doesn't eat much solid food for a week.

You can get fresh fruit and veg, slice it and let her suck and chew on that, things like banana, slices of peach, tomato etc

Bread and butter fingers or bread and cheese spread.

yes as long as the baby is present you can take food and cooling packs. Note airport security may open the food so don’t take a week’s worth in hand luggage.

https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/baby-food-and-baby-milk

Do some BLW

Take this with you

www.amazon.co.uk/Annabel-Karmel-NUK-Baby-Masher/dp/B005697YP4/ref=d_pd_day0_sccl_4_2/262-7420623-6538746?pd_rd_w=chAE3&content-id=amzn1.sym.8ec13b8a-30d2-48fc-8503-84c56766370d&pf_rd_p=8ec13b8a-30d2-48fc-8503-84c56766370d&pf_rd_r=HQ8GR922YYWAJABKGW18&pd_rd_wg=yFwvY&pd_rd_r=8f276396-9059-4c98-ae7d-c79f613c2004&pd_rd_i=B005697YP4&psc=1

Take a few jars or pouches, perhaps of single veg, just for back up. They won't harm your baby for a one off.

Visit local supermarket and see what they have.

In terms of the plane journey, you can take anything you like for baby food, they are exempt from the limits.

If you take the Nuk masher thing, I would also recommend one of those silicone pumps like the Haakaa - it lets you get a little bit of milk to thin down a meal but is easy to pack and store and clean.

Thank you for providing me with the link. I've been looking on Heathrow website for something similar but I just had to go to gov.uk all along. My main concern was the cooling gel so good to know I can take them. Thanks!

Yes I already have a haaka so good idea I can take that haven't used it since newborn days.

I like the idea of the masher bowl too. Will come in handy at my apartment in Lisbon.

I am BLW and would like to keep my baby in a routine as much as possible. I don't like the idea of not giving her any meals for a week.

Why are you making this hard for yourself?

For the flight just pack her an "ambient" box ... Peanut butter sandwich, crackers, apples, carrots sticks, bread sticks, bananas... whatever.

It's Portugal, not Timbuktu, go into the shops and buy food... You can get fruit, veg, breads, porridge, cheese etc...

I just did the same on holiday as I did at home . I would buy yogurt and fruit and bread for breakfast, if eating in cook appropriate foods for baby and adults and give her a bit and if eating make choices that would suit baby eg potatoes and fish and veg or pasta and sauce etc. I didn't find feeding babies abroad any different.

You'll be able to source food there, restaurants are very child friendly in my experience. Supplement with locally bought prepared food

I think you are over egging this a little. If you want food for while you're travelling, absolutely, you can take on the plane no problem. But once you're there, you can buy basic foodstuffs and shouldn't have any problem finding food for your baby. If you're in self catering, you can cook I guess and if in a hotel, then you'll need to give the baby purchased food anyway. Taking a week's worth seems crazy to me. You can pick up fruit, yoghurt, porridge, bread, cheese, ham/cold meats etc easily.

I'm asking what is and isn't allowed on board as I've never flown with a baby before. I wasn't sure if I was allowed home cooked food or if it had to be unopened store brought.

Also not recommend to bring peanuts onto any flights because of others allergies.

I'm not talking about the food In Portugal once I'm there, simply the journey there

I said a days worth of food for travelling not a weeks :)

Like I said...pack her anything ambient and it will be fine. Just don't take meat, milk etc.

Peanut butter was just an example, put whatever you want in there. Hummus, whatever

Or have crackers, or scones or anything.

You're over thinking this.

(As an aside, I couldn't care less about people's potential allergies really. Most I might do is not have the peanut butter sandwiches on the plane...)

She's 7.5 months, how much food is she even realistically going to eat in a day? Surely she's mostly having milk anyway?

Seriously don't make this hard for yourself.

You can take as many snacks as you like. Take a few pouches just in case. Pack some fruit, bananas would be really good and easy to do.

Sandwiches are also great on planes.

Stock up on treat things like rice cakes etc as you might need them.

Try not to stress too much. You're on holiday. As is baby. You're allowed to loosen the reins a bit (whatever that looks like for you)