I’m amazed at how many kid snacks are more like a bite of air, not a bite of food. But, because my daughter can’t yet eat a burger or hold a pizza or fit a sandwich in her mouth, I definitely need to bring food for her on our flights. I can nurse her as needed, but at this point, she needs the extra nutrition and calories from solid foods. It was pretty challenging at first, because I wasn’t used to feeding a baby on the go. So, I’ve pulled together the best baby and toddler snacks on a plane.
Melts
Thank goodness for the melts! After my husband choked to death on a flight when our daughter was just starting solids, I was petrified at the thought of her choking. But melts literally melt in the mouth. They are made of freeze dried fruit puree, yogurt, coconut milk, or veggie puree, so they just… Melt away. And because there are real food ingredients in there, they’re actually nutritious, too. These are some of the best baby and toddler snacks around.
More here: The Top 7 Reasons Why Single Parents Should Travel with Their Kids
Pouches
Speaking of anti-choking snacks, purees are still my baby food bestie, even though my daughter is a great solid food eater now. Once she finally learned how to suck the puree out herself, my life got so much cleaner and easier. She loves these things, and I’m glad. I especially love the ones that include nut butters and avocado, or the ones below with fiber and protein for extra calories and nutrition, but any will do. I usually take 2-3 for any flight, of any length.
And for grownups: The Best Snacks to Pack for the Flight
Puffs
Okay, so it depends on the puff. Not all puffs have nutritional value or enough calories to fill my daughter up, much less keep her full. I do, however, like the nut butter puffs below, and Iris does, too! They’re more than a bite of air, by far. These are some of the best baby and toddler snacks, and some of the most portable.
Keep reading: How to Get a Baby’s First Passport
Fruit
This takes a little at-home prep work, but it’s worth it if your baby loves fruit as much as mine does. The cleanest, most travel-friendly fresh fruits I’ve found are grapes (especially green grapes) and blueberries—yes! Blueberries!—as long as your baby doesn’t have a habit of smashing them. Just make sure the grapes are quartered. This device makes that much faster than cutting each one by hand.
Also helpful: The Top 7 Things to Consider When Booking a Flight
Freeze Dried Fruit
Can’t make the fresh fruit happen? Your baby prefers crunchy? Enter the freeze-dried fruits. Some of the more colorful ones (strawberries, blueberries, dragonfruit) can be a bit messy, but freeze-dried apples, mangoes, and bananas are all cleaner options for you. Iris is a fan of the mangoes. I also keep a few of these packets in my car for those times I get nap trapped on the way home.
Read on: The Best Ever Air Travel Tips
Mini Cheeses
Need to make sure your baby has access to protein, fat, and enough calories to actually fill that belly for more than a minute? Bring cheese! Mozzarella, Colby Jack, cheddar, and even tiny packets of brie are all excellent baby and toddler snack options that travel nicely. Just be sure they get eaten early in your travel day if you’re not traveling with a cold, insulated bag. I love the variety pack below.
More here: How to Treat Yourself as a Single Parent on Travel
Stackable Containers
How are you going to transport all these baby and toddler snacks? Some of them come in their own, resealable packaging. Others, however, need a little corralling. I love these stackable containers that are not only interchangeable, but interlocking. I usually fill one with cut fruit, one with melts or puffs, and one with some freeze-dried fruit. We usually break into all three of them at some point during a travel day!
What are your favorite baby and toddler snacks for travel days? Comment below to spread the tasty treats!
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