Everything you need to know about baby snacks for your next holiday flight

School holidays are upon and us for some, this means taking the whole family on flight to another great destination.

While this is mostly exciting, some parents might find the pre-flight prep intimidating.

But, anything holiday-related including travelling with kids shouldn't be too stressful, right?

So to keep you and your kids calm and chill during your next flight, we have compiled for you all you need to know about baby snacks.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

In order to get the right set of snacks for your child you need to determine these three main factors:

1. YOUR CHILD'S AGE

Based on your child's age you will be best able to prepare a snack box. If your child is below 6 months then its probably best to stick to snacks like food pouches or something more digestible like mashed sweet potatoes.

For kids between one to two years old, you can try to be slightly more adventurous and go with some plain pasta or even a good old sandwich.

2. DURATION OF THE FLIGHT

The duration of your flight definitely affects how much and what kind of food you can pack. So if your flight is more than 5 hours then snacks like mashed sweet potatoes might not be the best option.

It is likely that they will taste bad or worse - smell terrible! For long-distance flights, it's best to take dry snacks, like biscuits or granola bars.

3. YOUR FLIGHT'S DESTINATION

Parents should pay special attention to what you can and cannot bring into the destination of your holiday.

For example, if you are planning a trip to Australia, you have to declare dairy products to immigration authorities upon arrival.

Similarly, if you are flying to South Korea, you are not allowed to bring processed food items like ham, sausage or beef jerky.

DON'TS:

LESS SUGAR

When it comes to kids, sugar is always a no-no. Being a parent in a flight filled with adults can be scary and the last thing you want is your sugar high child creating a ruckus. So limit the sugary treats.

SMELLY FOOD

Avoid smelly food like broccoli or tofu like the plague. You do not want to be stuck in a plane smelling like something died.

MESSY FOOD

You might have packed your snacks in a neat little bag but once your child bites into the snack, it is all over your seats and clothes.

Refrain from buying flaky products like croissants. Apart from that, do not also take food that spoils easily like bananas - they often turn into a slimy brown disaster if not eaten in one go.

DOS:

HAVE A VARIETY:

If your child is more of a fussy eater, then having different options will make your snack box simply irresistible. Be it biscuits, honey stars or apple crips, you have got it all!

HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CANDY

Yes, too much candy is not good but for times like landing and take-off, your child will probably be comforted by sucking on some good old lolly. This will not only put them at ease but also lessen their ear block.

GRANOLA BARS

These are easy to find in any convenience store and plus they are healthy. Also no matter how long your flight is these bars remain fresh and ready to eat. However, do make sure your child is above three years old when eating granola bars. Do not feed them to infants or babies.

PLAIN PAST (FOR YOUNGER KIDS)

For younger kids, if you are looking for something home-made try cooking up some pasta. Just add a dash of salt and mix, nothing fancy. The best part is - it's not messy and you don't any utensils, eat it as is.

So parents, which are your favourite flight snacks? Let us know in the comments!

Till then, happy journey and have a great holiday!

This article was first published in theAsianparent.