Adventuring does not end when you have children. It is only the Beginning.
Easy Travel Fruits and Veggies for Babies
Spending most of the day outside with kids often means that you need to have a lot of food with you, especially if you want to keep them happy. It is not uncommon for us to be out of the house from 9 am until bedtime. We have had to be creative with the types of foods we have given our toddler and infant for several reasons including; expense, nutritional or dietary requirements, limited access to stores (while traveling or camping), and lack of variety. These reasons all drove my desire to find healthy whole foods that travel easily for our kids.
Below are two lists; one is a packing list and the other list is easy travel fruits and vegetables that can be prepared by you.
Packing list: Many of these things you can ask for at a restaurant but these are nice to haves in case you want to stop in a park, on a hike, etc. We find that when we get home we wash and prepare everything and put it right back in our backpack/diaper bag.
Baby spoon and/or fork
Butter knife or pocket knife: to cut up required food
Fork: to mash up food
Empty container or two with a lid: for mixing, mashing, putting smaller quanties into and packing leftovers
Bib
Wet wipes/wet cloth/paper towel: for easy clean up
Small Bag: for dirty dishes
Please note: that I am not a nutritionist or food safety expert. Each tip is from my experience please make choices you are comfortable with. Every baby handles foods and textures differently and when they are ready. Offer food according to food safety standards where you live.
6 Easy Travel Fruits and Vegetables
1. Bananas: My toddler would not take bananas while she was a baby and I actually thought she was allergic to them. Now she loves bananas and they are a staple afternoon snack on the go or at home. For younger babies you can mash them up in a container and serve with water mixed in if necessary. For babies older than 8-9 months you can have them self feed or bite directly from the banana.
2. Avocado: All you need is a spoon or a fork and a knife to cut it in half and you have a great meal filled with healthy fats for your little one. The skin is a great bowl as well!
3. Pear: As long as you have a pear that is ripe enough all you need is a knife to cut it in half and a spoon or fork to scrape out the goods! I have found that it is soft enough for my kids when they are just starting to eat solids. If needed you can also put it into your container, mash up and add water if necessary. This is similar to the avocado technique of cutting in half and using the skin as a bowl This is alot messier though but juicy and yummy!!!
4. Strawberries: Almost overripe is best that way they are nice and squishy. At 9 months old my daughters could eat their own strawberries by picking them up. Otherwise put it into your container, mash up and add water if necessary. I went strawberry picking with some friends when my first daughter was 10 months old. I turned my head to talk with a friend while holding the bucket of strawberries. I looked back at my oldest daughter and she had strawberry juice all over her face and had eaten a bunch of strawberries. She had two more in her hand that she quickly gulped down.
5. Roasted sweet potatoes or yams: When you roast yams you can actually peel open the yam so that you have a nice opening to scoop out the tasty inside. Not only are they easy to transport but yams and sweet potatoes are nutritious treats! For a nice short cut, poke holes in the sweet potato/yam and use a microwave for 3-5 minutes depending on their size.. Not as tasty but does the trick.
6. Steamed Veggies: Steamed veggies are particularly easy if you had them the night before for dinner. I’ll often put the steamed veggies (usually broccoli and cauliflower) in a container or jar.
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