Feeding Baby Solids When Out And About

[calumsmom]

I have just started feeding my 6 month old solids and am finding it is all a bit of a drama when we are out and about. Are there any gadgets anyone has found to be good - I thinking of bowls with different sections and lids, ways of warming food a bit, tiny cool bags and so on.
All tips greatly appreciated

Baby led weaning is your answer!

If you've only just started weaning you can probably just give him milk while out and about for now. Other wise I just do snacks/finger foods on the go.

I usually take a jar/pouch for out and about, in a sandwich bag with a bib and spoon, shoved into bag.

Or I use thermal lunch bag, with pots (old ready made ones, washed out) with last nights tea, mushed up. I have found most places will give you a coffee cup of hot water to warm food in.

Contrary to popular belief, I found BLW a real pain in the neck when it comes to eating out and about. I have 2 DCs, BLW both of them. Hardly anything is suitable for them in the early months that is on a restuarnat or cafe menu. Everything has got added salt or is processed, unless you find somewhere that does a roast dinner etc. It reallly limits you to where you can eat and the baby ends up just eating bread and a few salad leaves.
Also as they play with the food and throw most of it on the floor, you end up spending a lot on food or yourself going hungry. And you can't even reoffer the food on the floor as the floors are prob very dirty.

I take my own food for them, like roast veggies and ricecakes with cream cheese or avocado, fruit etc.

I have a bowl divided in two with a lid. At the moment his lunch food is vegetables so no need to warm/ heat. Will your LO take cold food? I freeze his vegetables in ice cube trays and take out what i need for the day in the morning, so by lunch it's de-frosted. I think the only time you need to think about heating through is if there's meat or fish in it. I also do a bit of BLW when out and about - DS loves banana and will pretty much try anything we put in front of him from our own plates (although i probably wouldn't do this when eating at a cafe/ restaurant at the moment due to salt/ sugar content). I don't think there's any harm giving the occasional jar of food for convenience when out and about. I haven't done this yet but would definitely do it if i was out for the whole day with DS.

I used the Ella organic pouches for the first few weeks if needed then just kept a supply of rice cakes/bread sticks in his bag (still do at 18 months) and add fruit and a butty if going to be out at meal time

Just take a banana if it's just a snack that's needed. They come in their own wrapper, which is good as our LO doesn't like holding a banana unless it's in the skin - probably due to the slimy slippery texture! Maybe take some yogurt in a little pot and a spoon, but only if it's not too warm a day (otherwise you have to try and keep the yogurt cool). If you're eating out yourself, either choose something from the menu that you can share with your child, or take roast vegetables and cold roast meat, cheese or a hard boiled egg with you (i.e. leftovers from yesterday's meal). Our LO (8 months) will eat grilled or roast vegetables and roast meat cold, an of course eggs and cheese just as they are, so there's no need to warm anything up.

Matana where did you get your bowl - I've been hunting the web for sectioned, lidded bowl

Thank you all for your suggestions it's great to fuse lots of ideas

this is a good one.

calumsmom, i got it from Wilkinsons for a couple of quid.

hazeyjane - you're right that is a good one - I think i am obsessed with tuperware