Food to keep in the car for toddler

[ncqtime]

If we want to stay out past her dinner time (home for 4.30 to cook, dinner at 5), what can I keep in the car to feed her? We wouldn't be near shops.
Nothing too messy, nothing too perishable.
She's not fussy.

Instead of her dinner, or just a snack to keep her going until you get home?

I don't think that you can replace a whole meal with stuff you can keep in a car because it won't be that nutritious. I'd just take some fruit out with me that day and give her a snack to keep going until I got home to give her a meal, even if it's quick and easy like scrambled egg or soup

Could you not just take out a sandwhich for her?

I used to keep rice cakes and raisins in the car for emergencies, but round take a proper pack up for the children if we thought we’d be late.

I wouldn't be keeping food in the car, the temperature is so unstable. I always have snacks in the changing bag and if I plan on not being home for tea then I'll have made a sandwich, or pasta pasta salad for her. Its not really safe for them to eat in the car seat IMO, especially not while you're driving and no supervision. Although saying that, I do give her a bag of wotsits to keep her going occasionally.

Yeah instead of her dinner. Something I can keep for emergencies so I don't have to leave where I am. Was thinking noodles maybe as I can get boiling water but not feeling too inspired this morning!

We just have a small stash of dry foods in the glove box like plain biscuits (rich tea etc), cereal bars, breadsticks, that sort of thing, for emergencies.

These are snacks to get us home, not meal substitutes.

You mean to always keep?
I wouldn’t to be honest - just pack extra on a day you think you’re out late.

How old? My nearly three year old likes apples (bonus points for taking an age to eat), rice cakes or (supervised) popcorn. But none of these replace meals. Just like instant food for adults, the sort of things you’re likely to find won’t be brilliant nutritionally.

I’d just make a sandwich that morning if anything, to replace a meal.

Weird idea.

When we go out with DS (3) we always take his bag with snacks (and a few other bits, spare pants and trousers, etc). Some will be dry snacks like rice cakes or Pom bears (why do kids love Pom bears so much?!), oat bars, raisins. But we usually put something fresh in like cucumber sticks and fruit.

Tbh though we wouldn't replace a meal with snacks, we would either feed him while out, or if we knew that was unlikely to be possible, we'd make him a sandwich to take with us.

Personally I would just keep snacks in the car to tide her over untim I could get her home and then she can have a leftover dinner from tube freezer (I always have maybe 3 in there). If i thought there was a chance i was going to be out all day and may not be home for dinner I plan ahead and bring a dinner in a tub with me, even if it's just a cold pasta dish. If I am in someones house I will just use their microwave. The sort of thing you would be able to keep in a car wouldnt really replace a dinner.

@FizzingWhizzbee123 bread sticks yes! And seriously a dinner of bread sticks, raisins and er a tin of mackerel or something like that once in a blue moon isn't going to make them unhealthy. Better they eat at the meal time and get to sleep on time imo.
Well done all you who never ever forget to plan and are never ever spontaneous ha

It's not easy to be spontaneous with kids but it is possible to do it sometimes without leaving food in the car indefinitely 🙄

You can buy packs from Tesco with 6 small individual packs of breadsticks.

Cereal and a carton of uht milk. Mine liked the strawberry soya milk and cheerios :)

We had the floor storage pods in our scenic, each one was stuffed with a spare set of clothes, a couple of small toys, a towel, bottle of water, some non perishable snacks, when babies, a presterilised bottle and carton of baby milk, after that any long life milk and some bags of cereal. It didn't take up any room in the car and just got checked and updated at the same time as doing car checks such as tyres, water etc.

Made it easier to be spontaneous :) if out on a longish drive, we could stop and let them have a paddle in the river or something.

DH is a hillwalker so I suppose just used to having an extra set of everything for himself for an emergency.

Well done all you who never ever forget to plan and are never ever spontaneous ha

I always had snacks with me when the kids were toddlers🤷🏻‍♀️ Always.

I don't get it, it's rare that we'd go somewhere with no food available (if visiting someone they would offer food, and if out and about it's likely we could buy something) and if we did - such as trips out during lockdown when nothing was open - we'd take our own food.

I'd rather keep the snacks in DS's bag where they are regularly eaten and replaced than leaving them in the car where they will be subject to hot/cold and could be there for ages before being used.

If a microwave is available I just used to carry a potato around (swapped out weekly).

small tin of beans or spaghetti hoops to be eaten cold?

If we went out with them and thought it might be longer than planned, I used to take a bento box with snacks - breadsticks, cheese cubes, frube, apple slices, grapes etc. With a freezer pack into keep it cool.

I don't understand this

You either know your will be out longer so can plan to take a packed dinner or snacks in advance, or get something out at friends, family, shops, cafe etc

Or, its such a last minute thing, and you are in the middle of nowhere, miles and miles from civilisation, that you can just give a car snack like some breadsticks/granola bar, let her nap in car and feed actual food when home or back near somewhere.

How about:

• packet of pitta bread (lasts a while but keep an eye on date)
• can of tuna with a ring pull

-can of sweetcorn with a ring pull

• sachets of mayonnaise (you can buy them online)
• plastic Tupperware to mix the tuna mayo in
• tin of pineapple or tin of peaches for pudding

If you're in the car anyway and it isn't a regular thing why not do a drive through McDonald's and get a six pack of nuggets?

I keep oatcakes and single serving Nutella in my car, along with a bottle of water or a couple of cans of pop.

I've been stuck in traffic for ages before and needed something to eat/drink.