Last weekend we took a road trip to L.A. meeting up with friends from Texas. Every time we were away from home, I worried about the girls' diet. Eating in a restaurant with two little kids is not fun. Besides the issue of cleanliness in food preparation and appropriate selection for kids, we adults are so caught up with keeping the kids calm that we often just give them whatever keeps them happy. In my experience, this means starch: noodles, rice cake, bread, or pancakes. Occasionally they get eggs or fish if things are prepared in bite size. On a bad day, the girls might not be interested in adult food at all.
The past few times when we had to stay in a hotel, I decided to bring some items that did not require strict refrigeration. Washed whole fruits (apples, banana, grapes), hard boiled eggs, homemade bread or muffins are pretty convenient. For this specific trip, I made a loaf brioche and a dozen pumpkin muffins. Pasta is also convenient for the first meal on the road and it can be easily fed to babies in the car without too much mess. For their snack, I packed cereals, puffs, Gerber's non-refrigerated yogurt and rice cracker. Most baby cereals today are heavily fortified and high in fiber, so they are great for traveling. Although my girls don't eat canned baby food anymore, I like to bring those along in case we don't get good nutritious meals on the road. The girls found it fun to be a baby again.
In terms of utensils, we brought along small paper plates, small plastic forks, spoons, knives and a peeler. Oh, and don't forget the sanitizing wipes for wiping the high chairs and tables at the restaurants. Because my girls are still drinking lots of milk in their straw cups, I also travel with dish detergent, sponge and a small straw brush.
It is quite a hassle to drag so much food for a short trip, but I do feel good when my girls are eating healthy clean food that I make.
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