Baby food on the plane | ExpatWoman.com
 

Baby food on the plane

308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 09:54

Sorry, i realise there are a lot of flying threads at the minute. Just wondering , for all those that cook their own baby food, what is the best way to store and reheat over the course of a 10 hour journey? I can take a small cool bag with portions of food, but as these are pre-frozen, i would normally defrost in the microwave and then reheat accordingly. Do i defrost and then serve them cold and just make sure i have veggies and fruit and no meat? I assume they wont be able to heat for me on the plane. Sorry, i've never taken an eating baby on a plane before! Thanks for any advice.

308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 03 September 2011 - 22:00
Dont worry, this is all great info for the future for me! Thanks for all the advice - turns out she was absolutely fine, played between mine and DH's legs for 6.5 hours and looked confusedly at the child next to us that cried pretty much the whole time :) I took your advice kiwispiers and just took my frozen food out when we left and by the time i was ready to feed her it was defrosted. Just stuck to veg and fruit, and took ye olde faithful ricecakes for interim. Perfect. And got home and mum had cooked up batches of stuff from the River Cottage baby cookbook! The luxury!
2937
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 September 2011 - 12:06
And Kelly_C, some aircraft do have microwaves now - although it's probably best not to rely on this. The crew should have spare melamine dishes you can put food in to reheat in the oven too, or could let you use a metal teapot with hot water inside in the galley.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 September 2011 - 12:03
If you can't get an extra meal either the flight was almost under-catered or the crew are just being mean! Hope you manage to get something sorted.
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 September 2011 - 10:09
Infant 'meals', as far as the catering department are concerned, are literally the jars of puree and that's it. So while it's a complete pain in the butt when you have a hungry toddler and no meal, it's standard! Why you can't book - and even pay for - an extra meal I just don't know. Having said that, I only ever did one or two flights in six years where we didn't have any meals left over, even if they were in a different cabin. Handing over a spare should be no problem at all. Thats exactly what I was trying to do, pay for an extra meal, but no joy. I'm sure if we can't get a leftover meal we'll manage fine sharing my meal plus whatever I bring on board, plus boob but it's frustrating they don't offer something more than puree, we have 20 hours of flying (each way) coming up and my wee guy needs protein. PS sorry for the thread hijack KC ;)
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 September 2011 - 00:08
I can well imagine. No doubt we'll have the same issue next year when we fly with DS on a child ticket as baby #2 will be here! We just flew RyanAir to France. It cost us 40 quid to get His Lordship there and back and for that, we got to take the buggy. No cabin baggage, no checked baggage, no nothing.
1861
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 23:55
Child meals are only catered for child passengers, as in over-2s who have their own seat. Infant 'meals', as far as the catering department are concerned, are literally the jars of puree and that's it. So while it's a complete pain in the butt when you have a hungry toddler and no meal, it's standard! Why you can't book - and even pay for - an extra meal I just don't know. Charter airlines manage to work out who's booked and paid for a meal so surely it wouldn't be difficult for scheduled full-service ones to do it. Having said that, I only ever did one or two flights in six years where we didn't have any meals left over, even if they were in a different cabin. Handing over a spare should be no problem at all. Imagine the mayhem and confusion when I booked a seat for DD, then 18 months old, because I was 6 months' pg?! But she's an infant! But she has a seat! But she's an infant!... Argh! Besides, you still have to pay £50-odd for an infant, so they could at least give you a bloomin' meal.
2937
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 23:42
Child meals are only catered for child passengers, as in over-2s who have their own seat. Infant 'meals', as far as the catering department are concerned, are literally the jars of puree and that's it. So while it's a complete pain in the butt when you have a hungry toddler and no meal, it's standard! Why you can't book - and even pay for - an extra meal I just don't know. Charter airlines manage to work out who's booked and paid for a meal so surely it wouldn't be difficult for scheduled full-service ones to do it. Having said that, I only ever did one or two flights in six years where we didn't have any meals left over, even if they were in a different cabin. Handing over a spare should be no problem at all.
1861
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 23:36
no way in h*ll am I giving him the Qatar Airways "child" meal. Without exaggeration, its chocolate, pastry and a flavoured drink!. Oh gosh! Emirates is invariably pasta bolognaise. chicken/fish fingers & mash, but they always come with veg, a salad starter, water, the normal adult pudding (sticky toffee pudding and custard on Monday, which neither child touched - RESULT!) and a snack pack to stash for later with a pack of hula-hoops/ mini cheddars, a pack of dried fruit, a mars/ boost bar (RESULT again, swiped that) and a toothbrush! lol They only randomly get the later "tea" meal though, so sometimes will get the strangest of sausage rolls (with some kind of brown sauce baked on top) instead of the sandwich and scone we get - or sometimes they just have to go without - and on one occasion, DD was given a tub of ice-cream.
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 23:25
Truly the woman I talked to did seem very confused that I didn't want to give my baby puree or formula, and I gave up in the end, last time I just gave him bits of my regular meal, but he's a big eater, its a long flight and no way in h*ll am I giving him the Qatar Airways "child" meal. Without exaggeration, its chocolate, pastry and a flavoured drink! He's hyper enough as it is on organic quinoa and broccoli! :) Pentel was thinking of you as DS was "clicked" at this morning, I've never really noticed it before, I'm too busy being germ-phobic over the cheek squeezing. Funny thing is DS LIKES the clicking, he goes to a baby music class and so when they click he thinks its his cue to dance/groove in his pram.
1861
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 22:12
Literally just got off the phone with qatar airways as I'm trying to buy/organize a regular fresh (non infant/child) meal for my 12 month old and I don't seem to be able to do so, but I've ordered a special salt/msg free meal for myself which I plan on giving to him and trying to see if they can give me a spare regular meal for myself. We used to have such a battle trying to convince Emirates that my 8 month old wanted solid food and not the pots of purée that they provide. I remember a slightly heated conversation with a particularly jobsworthy woman who was adamant they would only provide purées to "infants", which they class as any child under 2 years old. She finally relented (after checking with her manager [rolls eyes'>) when I asked her if she though it acceptable that a young child should go for 7 hours without any food, when a child over 2 would get a full meal and a snack. Still, they've always had the child's meal, which isn't actually that bad. I think I once asked for a low-sodium alternative (before I chilled out and realised that a single meal wasn't going to harm them), but that was way too much to process and I think they just ended up with nothing, so I went ballistic (as if a toddler about to eat someone's arm wasn't hint enough at how serious the situation was) and they gave whatever was spare. Anyhow, on the "Random stuff I wouldn't give my baby" subject, when I first arrived with a 1 year-old DD, I was having coffee and a very nice waiter wandered off with her and re-emerged having given her the biggest marshmallow I've ever seen. I was still at the no sugar, no salt stage and she'd never had a sweet before, let alone a choking hazard sweet! We also had peanut cookies, big bowls of ice cream... and yet I'll always remember one incident in a supermarket when I asked for fresh bread and the chap replied, "this bread is fine, it was baked yesterday! What are you going to do, feed it to the baby?!" and was astonished when I said "yes".
168
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 21:05
right then.. next time someone clicks in the babys' face I'm going to blow my nose really hard!! Haha!! Thanks for this, just choked on my tea for laughing at this ;)
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 August 2011 - 07:48
right then.. next time someone clicks in the babys' face I'm going to blow my nose really hard!!
308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 20:48
Ha... i changed DD's nappy in the middle of the office yesterday! Frown on that...
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 20:39
I do wonder what things we do that annoy other cultures?!! blow our noses in public, many cultures find that really gross. Baby-related, I think public nappy changing is frowned upon.
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 13:53
I do wonder what things we do that annoy other cultures?!!
168
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 12:47
Ugh, the clicking... I did tell one guy she was not a dog. He looked confused. I said the exact same to someone!!! I know they mean no harm by this stuff but it's still VERY annoying.
308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 08:41
Ugh, the clicking... I did tell one guy she was not a dog. He looked confused. Nobody has tried to take her picture yet though, or touch her/cheek squeeze. Perhaps i just have the look of somebody who would tear your arms off if you tried!
168
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 August 2011 - 07:07
The clicking drives me insane too, what drives me more insane is how everyone thinks it is okay to just take a picture of your baby and then get annoyed when you say no.
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 14:48
:D
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 14:45
trust me it will happen soon, the first offer of a Hershey's kiss was at around the 8 month mark, although to be fair DS is big for his age, practice deep breathing and going to your happy place.....:) calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean....
Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 14:42
I know they're just trying to be nice, oddly I don't mind cheek squeezing but clicking fingers drive me insane.. luckily nobody has tried to feed my baby yet.... it may be my deportation ticket!!
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 14:35
I would have gone nuts! and then force fed the man my fist.. I have to stop myself from slapping the clickers (what is it with 'clicking' in the babies faces???) He meant well, when I asked in a panic if it had a nut inside he replied "its ok, I can see he has 4 teeth" and I was inwardly strangling him but really, they're just trying to be nice and its cultural in part. Worse than clicking is the cheek grabbing, most often by the locals, my guy is very blonde and very blue eyed and ultra social so he gets a lot of attention, I don't know how to deal with it sometimes but generally its harmless, the food thing is a problem though and tricky to say no without offending which is why I usually say "later"....
Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 13:58
DS just had his first and only taste of chocolate at Dean and Deluca recently when a well -meaning staff member rushed off to get a box of them for him after I said it was his first birthday, I was diplomatically saying I'd give them to him "later" when the guy popped one straight into DS's mouth, leaving me in a giant panic that it had a nut in it, anyway he enjoyed himself and didn't choke despite my near heart attack. ;) I would have gone nuts! and then force fed the man my fist.. I have to stop myself from slapping the clickers (what is it with 'clicking' in the babies faces???) alternative is to make healthy muffins.. courgette, carrot, apple, polenta or do a cous cous/quinoa salad?
308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 12:29
Argh, i would have been less restrained i feel! Well done you for the diplomacy. SIL was silently brooding at a family meal last summer while Aunties and Uncles were feeding her 6 month old french fries and ice cream! Again, don't think i would have been so diplomatic! Great advice as always thanks. I have those squishy cold gel packs so will use those. She is used to both hot and cold food, and to be honest isn't usually fussy as long as its edible (and sometimes even if its not) its eaten. Its nuts that airlines dont see how chips and chocolate are not going to make for a suitable lunch. Hope you get yourselves sorted!
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 12:10
Take them on in a chiller bag, with some of those blue gel pouches or some frozen apples etc to keep them cool but otherwise, if its fruit/vegies etc it would be fine. I've taken cooked fish before and given it to him at the start of the flight when its still coldish, you can take banana, papaya, avocado etc for later without needing to chill. If you take pouches, give them a trial run before the flight, DS will not eat any bought baby food that has meat/chicken/fish in it and barely tolerates the rest apart from fruit, I may have spoiled him with all the homemade stuff ;). Literally just got off the phone with qatar airways as I'm trying to buy/organize a regular fresh (non infant/child) meal for my 12 month old and I don't seem to be able to do so, but I've ordered a special salt/msg free meal for myself which I plan on giving to him and trying to see if they can give me a spare regular meal for myself. DS just had his first and only taste of chocolate at Dean and Deluca recently when a well -meaning staff member rushed off to get a box of them for him after I said it was his first birthday, I was diplomatically saying I'd give them to him "later" when the guy popped one straight into DS's mouth, leaving me in a giant panic that it had a nut in it, anyway he enjoyed himself and didn't choke despite my near heart attack. ;)
308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 11:44
kiwispiers is it OK to leave the defrosted cubes at room temperature for a few hours then? Good idea mixing in a bit of hot water. I will definitely not be relying on plane food - she is only 8.5 months and has never seen a chocolate bar so far, so id like to keep it that way for the time being!
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 11:37
buy some pouches for the second half, take the cubes frozen/cold and ask for a splash of hot water to add to warm them. They sometimes have jars of baby food on board which I've never tried but otherwise the children's meals they offer are HORRIFIC, for example Qatar airways considers a chocolate bar, a pastry, and chips good baby/toddler food!
438
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 10:34
:D I am sure all will be just fine. O...one more idea... you can take some instant dry porridge packets. They are very easy to use and all ages love them :) Just don't forget that you will need some cup or something and spoon to put the porridge in :)
308
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 10:27
Thanks for that - i thing you're right, it might be easiest to buy her some pouches for the day. I want to try to make this as easy as possible on myself!
438
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 August 2011 - 10:07
Hi, you can take your food frozen, but not in plastic containers as there are no microwaves on board, just ovens. if you use one time use tins, than you will be fine, but again it depends on the service you will have :) All the food on the plane is also frozen and the ovens are made to defrost and reheat. If this is the method you will use I suggest you start the preparation for the food 20min more than usual in case they heat up the food too much and then you will have to wait for it to cool. If you are carrying just veggies, than you can use very hot water to heat the food up. In this case you can use plastic containers. Other option is for you to ask the airline for special meal for your child during the flight. Most have 3-4 options. If this is ok for you than it's hustle free. You ca just carry some snacks :) Hope this helps. Cheers <em>edited by mpp_jl on 29/08/2011</em>
 
 

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