Feeding your child while out and about by Siobhan Berry, Mummy Cooks

The wonderful Siobhan Berry aka Mummy Cooks has been kind enough to write us a blog to help with feeding your child while out and about. Be sure to check out everything she has to offer at mummycooks.com

One of my top tips for new parents is to enjoy every minute they have with their new baby, its so special and it goes so quickly. With weaning starting around six months of age, we don’t want to this to interfere with the freedom of getting out and about with your baby. Knowing how to keep food safe and planning ahead is key to making this successful. 

How to keep food safe while out and about:

• Do not keep food out of a fridge longer than 2 hours. To keep food safe you can use a cooler bag and a cooler pack. This will keep food fresh until you get to your destination. 
• If your destination does not have somewhere you can reheat the food a flask is a great option. Flasks can keep food safe for up to 12 hours, perfect for long trips. 
• When reheating the food in a microwave make sure the food reaches 71c and then serve below 40c. Something like our ThermoSpoon will help you test the temperature on the go and you can feed baby from the spoon. 
• If you are offering food pouches - heat the food and serve from a bowl as if it was your own food. 

How to use your cooler bag:

Your cooler bag will keep your food fresh for longer. Place an ice pack inside so that it takes on a cooler temperature. Food is now safe for up to two hours, or for food that does not need to be in the fridge it will keep the food fresh for up to six hours. 

How to use your food flask:

Food flask are usually around 300ml and in order to keep the food hot you need to fill the flask so that heat does not escape. Therefore for a smaller baby it is recommended to place the smaller portion pots inside the flask.

The perfect food on the go:

Before you head out, think about how many meals you might need to cover and snacks in between. 

Stored in your cooler bag with cooler pack: Finger food & snack ideas

• Muffins and a dip such as hummus
• Raw vegetables for an older baby and steamed veggies for a younger baby
• Fruit options like banana, orange and pear
• Puréed baby food (if under 2 hours out of fridge) 

Stored in your food flask;

• Porridge (great for Mum too!)
• Pasta with a sauce
• Favourite purée
• Pancakes 
• Egg muffin or omelette