Tips to get you prepared for a flight:
Work out how long the journey will take and how many meals and snacks you might need with you for the journey. Always pack more than you think you will need in case of flight delays or long waiting times which you can’t anticipate! Prepare food in advance such as muffins, quinoa and overnight oats. Make sure you have a cooler bag and food flask to keep food safe on the journey.
Early morning rise for a flight:
If your flight is particularly early it can be hard to get breakfast in before you head to the airport, so what I like to do is pack breakfast to take with us! Other than a fry-up or unhealthy pastries, there isn’t much else available at the airport. The night before the flight prepare some cereal or some overnight oats and pack them in portion pots to take on the go. As soon as you get past security you can purchase some milk or use your baby’s milk so that’s breakfast sorted for them! Another option is my “Blueberry & Apple Porridge Muffins” which you can feed on the go (see page 34 of my Travel with Baby E-Book).
Prepping for the plane journey:
Depending on the length of the flight, you may need to pack two meals along with snacks for your baby. I would always bring a bit more food than you think you might need just in case! The rule with food is that it cannot be kept outside the fridge for more than 2 hours. Our food flask will keep your food hot or cold for up to six hours making it the perfect option for when you need to bring a meal on your flight. Healthy muffins such as my Vegetable Muffins also make the perfect travel meal and can be packed in our portion pots and then placed in your cooler bag.
Timing your short-haul flight to suit your baby or toddler’s schedule is really beneficial and can help make the trip go a lot more smoothly. By choosing a suitable flight time you can keep your feeding and nap schedules as consistent as possible with your usual daily routine which can help when adapting to local time.
Long Haul Flights:
Travelling from home, airport check-in, a long flight, collecting the bags and travelling to your accommodation makes for a very long day. A day that can be made even longer when you have an unsettled baby or toddler who is out of their usual routine. When booking a long haul flight it is best to aim for a flight that leaves in the evening if possible, that way you can keep your daily routine as close to normal as possible and baby will hopefully sleep on the flight! Bring your baby’s dinner to the airport in a food flask or cooler bag ready to eat at their usual mealtime. You may consider bringing additional snacks as airport and flight activity may keep them awake past bedtime - a trip on an aeroplane is exciting for a young child! By aiming to keep meal and nap times consistent you will make your whole trip a lot easier and hopefully you will be able to get some rest yourself!
For more advice on travelling with a baby as well as lots of Travel recipes, check out our Travel with Baby E-Book.
At Mummy Cooks, we know that traveling with young children can be a challenge. That's why we've put together a collection of our most popular travel advice for families in our Out and About Travel Advice page. Whether you're preparing for a trip, looking for tips on feeding your child while on holiday, or trying to figure out how to eat out with toddlers and young children, we've got you covered. Check out our articles for all the information you need to make your next family holiday a success
