Meals out and about, how do you manage?

[Plateofcrumbs]

Just getting to grips with weaning and we are fine at home when we have a nice routine and can cope with the mess, but it's after I have got used to 'got baby, got boob, let's go!' I'm finding being out and about a bit of a trial.

How do you feed a baby when you haven't got access to a high chair and shower to hose them down afterwards ? I often have DS in a sling so using buggy as a substitute high chair often isn't possible

What are the 'rules' about homemade food being out of the fridge / reheated?

What do you do when being out of the house throws off your routine? DS has missed lunchtime today by sleeping through the window I had free to feed him.

Argh, help!

I just gave ds stuff off my plate - salad, sandwiches, bits of meat, chips, noodles. Really, whatever he could grab off my plate because he'd sit on my lap at the table and we shared.
Big muslin on my lap under him, long sleeved bib on him made clean up easy.

a banana or yoghurt was good to take out. Either give banana as finger food or mash it with a fork and spoon feed the yoghurt. I did use a few jars out and about too as they were handy.

Banana is great lunch food. Or rice cakes with cream cheese, or malt loaf. Or something you can spoon feed if he/she will take a spoon. Philly sandwiches, cooked pasta and veg ... There's lots of choice. Just avoid sauces.

I've never struggled to find a high chair.

Yes to a couple of muslins and a long sleeved bib. Save the messy food for at home.

Rules for food are the same as for you or I really - couple of hours out of the fridge, use a cool bag if it needs to be colder. Some places have microwaves.

OK - example scenario: I have a 5hr train journey solo in a few weeks, DS will be in a sling. Currently finger foods mostly end up smushed everywhere except in his mouth. WWYD?

Take some rice cakes, raisins, a ham sandwich (I like to cut off the crusts)

Ella's kitchen do little healthy snacks

Buy an Ella's kitchen smoothie. Your ds can just suck it from the pouch.

Lots of great flavours available.

How old is he? Is the food for sustainance or distraction?

On the train - sandwiches, an apple, a pear, a raw carrot (all whole, he'll gnaw at them for ages), a small bag with a mixture of dry cereals, cucumber slices, chunks of cold roast chicken would all work

He's only 6.5 months (weaning since 5.5 on HV advice), but already has seemingly gargantuan appetite - at home will eat puréed / mashed food as fast I can shovel it in. Finger foods are a work in progress!

I find at that age offering extra breast feeds do help reduce appetite for proper food. My dd loved carrots and grapes at that stage so I'd do a little pot and put them in her hand for her to eat.

I use long sleeve bibs so clothes don't get messy and go for foods such as pasta, banana (split longways into 3), blueberries that donot leave lots of crumbs.

A pot of yoghurt is also a good one, as spoon feed directly and quite filling.