Traveling With Your Baby: what to pack, what to skip, and how to feed
Skip the overwhelm when traveling with your baby. As dietitian moms, we've traveled by car, train, boat, and plane with our littles and this is everything you need to know when it comes to feeding your baby on the go!
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Bite-Sized Takeaways
🍼 Milk still comes first - breastmilk or formula is your baby's main nutrition and comfort while traveling
✈️ Yes, baby food is allowed - milk, formula, pouches, water, and ice packs can go through security with an infant
🍌 Snacks = meltdown prevention - pack familiar, low-choking-risk foods with fibre, fat, and protein (and pack extras)
🧼 Be flexible, stay safe - routines can bend, but food safety and choking prevention always matter
🧳 A little prep goes a long way - plan feeds, map food stops, and bring backups for messes and delays
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Traveling with babies isn't for the faint of heart - we know because we've logged plenty of miles with diaper bags, snack cups, stuffies, and strollers in tow. As dietitian moms who've paced up and down airport and hotel hallways with our children, we've experienced the full spectrum: the magic, the meltdowns, and the moments where you wonder why you ever left home… followed immediately by the moments that make it all completely worth it.
But here's the good news: with the right prep (and the right snacks-trust us on that one), traveling with tiny humans can actually be fun. Really! Over the years, we've picked up tried-and-true tips and tricks that help keep everyone happy, fed, and meltdown-minimal, whether you're embarking on a cross-country adventure or just heading to Grandma's for the weekend.
So buckle up, he he, pun intended! We're spilling our best dietitian mom approved strategies to make family travel smoother, sweeter, and a whole lot more enjoyable for everyone.
Jump to:
- Bite-Sized Takeaways
- Your milk and/or formula is still a go to
- Feeding tips when flying with your baby
- The right snack can calm any meltdown
- Baby foods we love to pack for traveling
- Should we stick with our baby feeding routines when traveling?
- What's the best way to manage mealtime messes when traveling?
- Recommended feeding and activity gear to make flying with a baby easier
- Map out your options
- High allergen foods while traveling
Your milk and/or formula is still a go to
Since you have a baby, you're actually still feeding them milk on demand whether that's nursing at the breast or bottle feeding expressed milk or formula.
Not only is milk your babies primary source of nutrition, but it's also what they are most familiar with in terms of comfort - so, in a new environment or in the midst of travel chaos these milk feeds can be really regulating for your babies nervous system.
As a reminder, look at these graphics below. We've illustrated just how important your milk and formula remains even until twelve months of age.
Feeding tips when flying with your baby
Flying with little ones comes with its own quirks, so it's helpful to keep a few key things in mind before you head to the airport. Below, we'll touch on some simple tips to help make air travel smoother for everyone.
Breastfeeding and bottle feeding logistics
Before you fly, it's always a good idea to contact your airline to confirm their specific rules and regulations for traveling with babies and toddlers. Policies can vary, and having accurate information ahead of time can save you a lot of stress at the airport.
In general, airlines allow liquids needed for feeding babies including breastmilk, formula, distilled water, and baby food pouches - in reasonable quantities. Again always check with airport security or use resources like The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (that's what we've relied on being Canadian) for support.
Wherever you feel comfortable! This might be close to your family in a seating area. However, some airports do have nursing friendly pods and rooms where you can seek a bit more privacy.
If you're traveling abroad, you may want to investigate the public breastfeeding legislature or cultural norms of the country you're visiting.
If your baby is suddenly refusing the bottle, you can try to place the milk/formula in a straw cup or open cup. However, if they are too dysregulated to accept the milk, use your super powers to soothe them in other ways. Flights are hard for the best of adults, nevermind a baby and we definitely don't want to force feed and deal with a potential consequence of bottle aversions.
In your bag, you'll want to make sure you have safe water and it can be helpful to measure it out in your bottle beforehand and have preportioned formula. Simply mix the two together and offer it to your baby.
If your baby prefers warm formula, you can ask airport or airline staff to offer you some hot water to heat it in a bowl or cup. Do the wrist-testcheck by squirting some formula on your wrist to check the temperature before feeding your baby to make sure it isn't too hot.
When traveling, many parents also find it easier to offer ready-to-feed formula - so consider this as an option.
You can sterilize bottles and pump parts by using a microwavable sterilizing bag that is designed for this purpose. Follow the instructions on your bag to best support you. However, this might not always be accessible since airports, planes and hotels do not always have microwaves.
In this case, the best option would be to clean your pump using specific pump wipes, such as these for example, and then sterilize when you arrive at your destination.
You can use your ice packs to keep the formula at an appropriate temperature, however prepared formula is only safe to offer within a 24 hour period assuming it is in a fridge. As such, we suggested using an abundance of caution and making sure you have plenty of ice packs, or, just discard the formula after two hours.
Likewise, prepared formula should not sit out for more than two hours. If it's been more than two hours at room temperature, discard.
And, it's important to discard any remaining formula your baby didn't drink from a bottle after one hour, as saliva introduces bacteria to the formula.
As a reminder, do not freeze prepared formulas.
Take off feeding tips
Takeoff and landing can be tough on adults…let alone a baby and their little ears due to cabin pressure changes, but there are a few simple tricks to help protect your child:
- If the timing works out, nursing or bottle feeding during these moments can help equalize pressure and keep them comfortable.
- If your baby uses a soother and is willing in the moment, letting them suck on it can also help.
Flying with baby food
When travelling with a baby, you're allowed to bring liquid formula, baby food, water, juice, and other essential baby items in your carry-on or personal bag-even in amounts over 100 mL. These items can go through airport security and on the plane with you, as long as you're travelling with an infant under two years of age (0-24 months).
Be prepared to present all baby liquids, including formula, to the screening officer for inspection at the security checkpoint.
CATSA also recommends avoiding metal-lined containers when packing powdered formula in your carry-on, as they may cause delays during screening.
Yes, food pouches count as a liquid and can be packed in your carry on through security in quantities greater than 100 ml. However, you must be travelling with an infant under two years of age (0-24 months).
Since your baby relies on your milk and/or formula for most of their nutrition, it is smart to pack or purchase enough food for two to three meals and some snacks. The volume really will depend on the length of your trip. For example, a 3 hour road trip, versus a two hour flight versus an overseas flight that is 10 hours will make all the difference.
Gel and ice packs are typically subject to the liquid restrictions; however, they are exempt from the restrictions on liquids when required to refrigerate baby food, milk, breast milk, formula, water and juice for infants under 2 years of age.
They do not need to be fully frozen as the general expectation is they will thaw over time.
The right snack can calm any meltdown
One of our best travel secrets? The right snack can calm almost any meltdown. We're big believers in choosing snacks that actually help our little travelers stay full and content-not just for five minutes, but for the long haul.
When we're on the go, we offer nutrient-dense snacks that contain fibre, fat, and protein to help keep blood sugars stable and promote fullness. A well-timed snack can smooth out transitions, prevent hangry outbursts, and buy you those extra few minutes you desperately need when plans shift…because they will. In fact, we always recommend packing double or even triple the snacks you think you'll need. Flight delays, detours, surprise hunger spikes… we've lived them all.
Safety is key, too. Stick to low-choking-risk foods your child already eats confidently, and avoid letting little ones eat in moving vehicles or strollers since it can increase choking risk.
If you want help choosing smart snacks for little ones, don't forget to grab our Baby Snack Freebie - it's packed with ideas for easy, safe, nourishing options on the go.
Below, we've shared some of our favourite *unsponsored* travel-friendly foods for babies and toddler. You'll find both shelf-stable options and snacks that need to be kept cold.
Baby foods we love to pack for traveling
Ready to eat:
- O-Shaped cereal
- Pouches with brain-boosting ingredients (such as Brainiac or Cerebelly)
- Puffed wheat
- Amara melts
- Ryvita crackers
Homemade and minimal prep:
- Soft fruit pouch pancakes
- Chickpea and peanut butter waffles (in our recipe ebook for babies)
- Coconut banana muffin
- Teething biscuit
- Lentil fritter (find this recipe in our best selling baby ebook)
- Hard boiled egg
- Tuna or salmon cakes (as seen in our baby recipe ebook)
- Cooked pasta
- Canned beans (rinsed)
- Shredded cheese
- Soft fruit
- Apple sauce
Food safety, always
It's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to foods that need to be kept cool. Tummy troubles are never fun, but it's worse when it happens on vacation!
Luckily, there are a lot of great options out there for keeping food cold and safe while travelling. At the end of this post we've linked our favourite 'chilling' gear - don't skip it!
Snackle Boxes are an MVP of traveling with littles. With multiple compartments, they keep snacks organized and mess-free, and little ones love opening each section-turning snack time into a mini activity. Compact and convenient, they're perfect when space is tight. See our travel gear guide below for our favourite picks!
Should we stick with our baby feeding routines when traveling?
Routines allow for predictability in your baby's day but when you're traveling and juggling time zone changes you might need to be extra flexible. Since you're a pro at understanding your baby's hunger and fullness cues, roll with that. Plus, your baby's primary source of nutrition is still your milk and/or their formula.
Long story short: it's okay to throw routines out the window temporarily, you and your baby are resilient!
What's the best way to manage mealtime messes when traveling?
Mess is inevitable during the feeding process, at home and when traveling. Remember, your baby is just learning to eat. Here are some tips that have helped us:
- Always bring extra outfits. We recommend packing two (or more) spare outfits for your kids and one for yourself - because messes happen, and they rarely happen at convenient times
- Pack a wet bag to store the dirty clothes until you can launder them!
- Make sure you have easy access to wipes which can also be used to clean surfaces like a table tray at the airplane or in airports
- Invest in a reusable mat - the bonus is you can use it over years, not just when you're traveling
- Bring along two bibs - we've always been a fan of smocks that are light and take up very little room (and weight) in your diaper bag
If you're in Canada, you can shop at Hip Mommies, a local small business, and use HHE10 for a discount.
Recommended feeding and activity gear to make flying with a baby easier
This blog post is brought to you by three dietitian moms who have 7 kids between us and we've likely conquered more than 75+ flights over the years with babies, toddlers and some big kids by now. To help you, here are some items you may want to snag to make your travel journey run more smoothly. As always, don't buy anything you don't actually need.
1. Gobe Spinner | 2.Freezable Lunch Bag | 3. Chicco Clip On Chair | 4. Soft Cooler Pack | 5. Leakproof Water Bottle | 6. Tush Baby Carrier | 7. Snack Container | 8. Wipes Pouch | 9. Wet Dry Bag | 10. Formula Dispenser
1. Itzy Ritzy Teething Ball | 2. Where's Spot Book | 3. Suction Fun Spinners | 4. Very Hungry Caterpillar Book | 5. Pretend Play Phone | 6. Fat Brain Dimple | 7. Stomp Stomp Book | 8. Pretend Play Keys
Map out your options
A little planning can go a long way when you're traveling with babies and toddlers. Whether you're driving or flying, it's incredibly helpful to map out your route ahead of time. On the road, look for spots where you can safely stop, stretch, eat, and reset. If you're flying, check out what food options are available in your terminal so you know exactly where you can grab something nourishing in between flights.
High allergen foods while traveling
Should I avoid introducing new allergens while away from home?
The answer to this is: it depends. If your baby has existing allergies or is categorized as being at high risk for allergies, then in the interest of safety, it might be best to avoid offering highly allergenic foods while traveling. Depending on where you're going, your access to health care may be limited.
However, if your baby is at low risk for allergies and you feel like you have access to adequate healthcare in the unlikely event of an allergic reaction, you're welcome to offer them. This might be wise, especially if you're on a lengthy trip (imagine a two month leave somewhere tropical) since best practice is to offer allergens early and often.
The answer really boils down to each caregiver's lived experiences with food allergies and comfort level.
What if my baby already eats allergens-are they okay to take along?
Yes, and since the latest recommendations stress the importance of repeat exposure of allergens once introduced, you can definitely offer them.
What's safe to pack (e.g., peanut butter) in airports?
Technically, most food is considered safe but you do need to be mindful of liquids. For example, peanut butter is considered a liquid. It's safe to pack in your checked luggage; however, if you are packing it in your carry on it must be < 100mL and within the total limit allowed for liquids.
What do I need to know about minimizing the risk of choking?
Because babies are learning to eat, and choking is the number one fear for parents, we recommend our standard advice even when traveling.
- Avoid feeding if the airplane is experiencing turbulence
- Do not feed when you're in a moving vehicle or your baby is in a stroll, instead, plan breaks that allow for safe feeding
- Do not serve foods that are considered to be high risk for choking
- Make sure you have a good understanding of the difference between choking and gagging
Traveling with babies isn't always easy, but with a bit of planning-snacks, extra outfits, and mapped-out stops - it can go much more smoothly for everyone. Small preparations can make a big difference in keeping your little ones comfortable and minimizing stress along the way.
Most of all - just do it. Traveling with kids has its challenges, but it also creates meaningful memories that last long after the trip is over. And despite the chaos, these shared adventures can be truly magical for both you and your little ones.
Happy adventure!
