Snacks for baby when out and about?

[charcb]

I’m not very sure how to feed baby when out and about? He’s 6 m only just started eating and is very messy. We do a mix of purée and blw. When we go out walking for example on weekends husband and I would get lunch out and about and I feel bad not to give him anything. What can I pack that’s an easy finger food for him to eat that isn’t too messy? Many of the shop bought snacks are too high in salt /
Sugar. Would I take the bib etc and just give him normal food id give at home? Or wait to feed him when out until he’s better at feeding? Or find appropriate non messy snacks? Ideas? Xxx

Two options - shop bought baby snacks (rice cakes, melty sticks, etc - or stuff from home (cut up cucumber or fingers of toast, egg muffins etc).

It may be that you're overthinking this.

I used the shop bought snacks and the pouches in these situations

I make these for my baby www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/toddler-recipe-sweetcorn-spinach-fritters

I also bring grated cheese sandwiches cut into fingers and squished down so he can feed himself.

Take a bib and some little pots of eg cut up cucumber, melon, chicken or whatever you want to feed him. It’s a bit of a pain at that she but it does improve. Worth also bring some toys as he probably won’t eat lots yet. Do tidy up around the highchair afterwards if you can!

Mini pancakes
Homemade Oaty flapjacks (easy to make)
Sliced carrots/cucumber to chew on
Soft fruits

If I bought lunch for us in a shop i would usually pick up a banana for my baby - most shops sell them, they are cheap and nutritious.

If you're organised in advance you could bring little pots with cut up fruit or cucumber, breadsticks, cheese etc. I have some sistema screw top pots which have been useful for years.

Pouches and a bib.

This is why we were advised to start with breakfast and introduce lunch last. Put off meals outside the house as long as possible.

My two also loved a sandwich

At that age, if I was out for lunch I’d take an Ella’s pouch and spoon feed it as it’s less messy and it’s also really easy. Brunch places are good too as they’re usually happy to do baby a slice of toast and a single scrambled egg - I cut the toast into fingers to self feed and would spoon feed the eggs. If you want snacks then packs of Ella’s puffs or similar are good.

I take an Ella's kitchen pouch, bib, spoon and my tommee tippee travel bottle warmer.
Then at the restaurant I pop the pouch in the hot water for 5 minutes and feed him in the high chair (before he could sit in high chair id just give it him in his pram with it adjusted so he was sat upright

I also always have a packet of the baby wafers or a packet of the melty puffs on me too incase he needs a quick snack or to occupy him whilst shopping etc

Ellas pouch
Chopped cucumber
Hot cross bun
Sandwich
Chopped apple
Banana
Chopped grapes
Wrap

As with others, I would take a pouch and feed him in sat in our backpack carrier if we were out walking, he looked like a turtle having his lunch!! As he got a bigger appetite I would take him some baby crisps or a banana or something as well.

We did full BLW (DS refused all spoons ) and this is the sort of thing I used to take out when he was small:
Sandwich fingers
Mixed fruit
Cucumber sticks
Rice cakes with cream cheese
Chunks of savoury pancakes

Agree with PPs though, a pouch or jar is equally valid.

At 6 months he’s not going to be starving hungry and probably wont consume more than a tiny bit anyway, it’s more the experience of ‘eating’ with you in a social situation.

We used to take a bibado bib to throw around him as well. We’d either sit on the grass, or if going somewhere indoors/in the car, we’d take this along: www.aldi.co.uk/chicco-pocket-snack-booster-seat/p/710548556077901?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8vSOBhCkARIsAGdp6RT5r17j8lsNTOD-fqLZRK-pNaaqZ7EkWFSXhhujPq_GANpSGx54fXYaAosYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

At that age, I used to take a banana or avocado and mash it up and spoonfeed. For finger foods, I would do little sandwiches with things like cream cheese or smooth nut butter (just need to keep an eye on salt content of bread)

Have to add: "baby cheetos"!!!! You know the long puffy ones. For car cries and complaints is the best thing

All 3 of mine used to eat french toast fingers when we were out. It became known as mummy's special bread and dd1 took it in her packed lunch when she started school!

Thanks all some really good ideas!

For those who say cheese - what kind of cheese is this as most have a lot of salt?

Also for cream cheese, is this regular Philadelphia cheese?

Thanks all! I shall prepare a little pot of some snacks like the above for our next adventure.

I've always just given mine little bits of whatever I'm eating when they're that young.

If what your eating isn't suitable for them then pack a banana or some biscuits for them.

@charcb don't worry about salt content of the food. Just don't add any extra salt to what they eat. Bog standard cheddar cheese or cream cheese is fine.

Sandwich favourites in our house are marmite, peanut butter, humous and cream cheese. All nice and low mess.

Seriously though - pouches for the win here. Simple, fuss free, don't have to heat then, no mess etc.

Bananas are great. Or other fruit and veg chopped up - DD really liked cucumber sticks at that age. Fingers of bread and butter were good too.

You could make some of those baby weaning muffins if you wanted - they're very portable.

I'd probably keep giving milk when out and about and save the food carnage for home. But then my babies didn't eat much solid food until 10-11 months

As he is only 6m I wouldn't worry about it too much at the moment. They don't need snacks as such at this age - milk would work but if you wanted to give him bits with your lunch: fruit and veg (fingers of cucumber, pepper, banana, blueberries etc), emmental cheese is lower in salt, rice cakes, strips of pitta bread, I'd make some no sugar banana.or savoury muffins and take those out etc.

[quote Twizbe]@charcb don't worry about salt content of the food. Just don't add any extra salt to what they eat. Bog standard cheddar cheese or cream cheese is fine.

Sandwich favourites in our house are marmite, peanut butter, humous and cream cheese. All nice and low mess.

Seriously though - pouches for the win here. Simple, fuss free, don't have to heat then, no mess etc. [/quote]
Thanks didn't know this about salt content - thought I had to check individual products for salt so this is helpful to know. I'm just really worried about salt and sugar consumption for some reason - wonder if it was because the health visitor talked about this a lot.

For example, am I okay to just buy any tomato sauce for pasta or do I need to look at specific ingredients? We'd also make slow cooker curry at home - can I buy a mild curry sauce jar and use that for baby's food?

Ah so many questions! But thanks ladies - this is most helpful. I shall review all the info you sent and try not to worry too much!

@black2black

I make these for my baby www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/toddler-recipe-sweetcorn-spinach-fritters

I also bring grated cheese sandwiches cut into fingers and squished down so he can feed himself.

Thank you! Is this just plain grated cheese on bread squished down? Maybe with a bit of spread to hold it together? Xx

@DockOTheBay

If I bought lunch for us in a shop i would usually pick up a banana for my baby - most shops sell them, they are cheap and nutritious.

If you're organised in advance you could bring little pots with cut up fruit or cucumber, breadsticks, cheese etc. I have some sistema screw top pots which have been useful for years.

Oh got some tommee tippee pots - I think those would work with small pieces of fruit and veg to take with us along with a bib as suggested by others!