It takes a little more preparation to travel with kids, particularly when it comes to meals. Ensuring your children are properly fed and content while traveling can facilitate a more seamless experience for all. The secret is to pack kid-friendly, nutrient-dense, and easily manageable meals and snacks.
When selecting food for a trip, convenience and nutrition must be balanced. Items that are easy to eat on the go, hold their nutritional value over time, and give active kids enough energy are what you’ll want. When hunger strikes, simple snacks like sandwiches, crackers, or fresh fruit can be lifesavers.
It’s crucial to consider the duration of the trip and your available storage options. Using insulated containers or packing a cooler for perishables can help preserve freshness. You can make sure your child has wholesome, delicious options for when they travel with a little preparation.
| Food Item | Why It"s a Good Choice |
| Fruits (e.g., apples, bananas) | Healthy, easy to eat, and doesn"t require refrigeration. |
| Sandwiches | Filling and can be customized with different ingredients. |
| Nuts and seeds | Great source of energy and easy to pack. |
| Crackers or rice cakes | Light and won"t spoil during the trip. |
| Vegetable sticks (e.g., carrots, cucumbers) | Fresh and nutritious snacks for kids. |
| Granola bars | Portable and a quick snack for hunger on the go. |
- Nutrition when traveling with a child under one and a half years
- Nutrition on the road for older children: criteria for selecting products
- Porridges and dry breakfasts
- Eggs, meat products, cheese
- Sandwiches
- Vegetables and fruits
- Baked goods
- Healthy snacks and tea breaks
- Drinks
- Video on the topic
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- Preparing for a train trip with children: delicious food on the way / food on the train food for the whole family
- Food on the train / What to eat on the road
- What to cook with you ON THE ROAD
- A full road menu. What products to take on the road and how to keep them fresh?
- Food on the road//Two days on the train//I share my tips!
Nutrition when traveling with a child under one and a half years
Thankfully, and this is very convenient, a breastfed child does not require special nutrition! First and foremost, though, it’s critical to ensure the nursing mother’s nutrition is safe. Consume only well-tested goods with extended shelf lives, stay away from allergens, and follow basic hygiene guidelines. You can set up a feeding area inside the compartment and use a sheet or bedspread as a curtain.
Take a tiny sterilizer-warmer with you when you go so you can fill bottles with the mixture to feed an artificial baby. Modern trains come equipped with power outlets in every seat—if not, there’s undoubtedly one in the conductor’s compartment. You can mix hot and cold water in a thermos filled with boiling water to dilute the dry mixture.
We provide baby milk soluble cereals, meat and vegetable preserves, fruit puree, and cookies for young passengers starting at six months of age. We can safely take baby food on the road because jarred and bagged food can be stored at up to +25 degrees (but only until opening!).
When preparing meals for a trip with kids, it’s important to make sure they’re nourishing and portable. During lengthy rides, selecting wholesome snacks like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help you stay energized and stave off hunger. Food safety should also be taken into account. Bring plenty of water to keep kids hydrated during the trip, and pack foods that keep fresh without refrigeration.
Nutrition on the road for older children: criteria for selecting products
Several well-known products are acceptable to bring on trains. There is a good amount of food in the grocery set that doesn’t need particular preparation or storage conditions.
We select meals that:
- does not spoil for a long time;
- conveniently packaged;
- easy to use;
- nutritious;
- does not have a strong odor (think about fellow travelers!);
- does not require heat treatment.
The following would make the best train fare:
- boiled or baked potatoes,
- fried chicken fillet,
- boiled beef,
- boiled eggs,
- fresh vegetables and fruits,
- hard cheese,
- vacuum-packed smoked sausage,
- oatmeal, buckwheat or corn flakes,
- bread,
- dried fruits and nuts,
- gingerbread, dry biscuits, waffles.
Porridges and dry breakfasts
Porridges can be carried in portioned bags. All that’s needed to make these porridges is hot water; powdered milk and dried fruits are already included. Another choice is finely ground corn, buckwheat, oats, or flakes; the packaging should indicate "no cooking required." To avoid bringing the entire pack, pour the necessary amount into a bag at home. Then, while traveling by train, fill a regular mug with boiling water and let it sit for five to ten minutes.
We use dried fruits as additions, such as prunes, dried apricots, or raisins.
Portioned cream or ultra-pasteurized milk can be added to the porridge. Carry along multiple tiny packets of this type of milk; it keeps well without refrigeration and works well for diluting prepared meals.
Rice or buckwheat cereal can be prepared at home, sealed in a container, and reheated on the train (the conductor has a microwave).
Eggs, meat products, cheese
Hard-boiled eggs are a wholesome food item that you can travel with without risk. Checking to make sure the shell is intact is crucial.
They boil, fry in a dry frying pan, or bake meat for the train. It could be nuggets, shnitzeli, chops, turkey, beef, or veal. Meat should be transported in foil, broken up into tiny pieces before packing. It needs to be consumed on the first day!
Sausage and smoked chicken are okay but not the greatest choices for the train. They don’t last long, so on the first day of travel, eat them right away after opening the package. Traveling with dry-smoked sausage can last up to five days. Storing it in foil rather than a bag is crucial.
We’ll pick hard cheeses for the trip; processed or cottage cheese work well (you can bring both in "baths" and portioned triangles wrapped in foil). Bring vacuum-packed meat and cheese products on the train. When stored in a vacuum at a temperature of up to +25 degrees, cheeses, sausages, ham, and bacon do not spoil for two to three days.
Sandwiches
You can prepare sandwiches ahead of time at home or while traveling by train.
Premade sandwiches aswell as The bread can easily go bad in a bag, so wrap it in foil.
Both fresh bread and fried house bread work well for sandwiches when heated in a toaster. Spread the bread (or breads) with cottage cheese, top with a slice of cucumber or a piece of boiled meat, or some smoked sausage. Liver paste can be used to make sandwiches, and baby food paste is a good travel companion.
Vegetables and fruits
You should only select firm, ripe fruits and vegetables for a long journey.
Vegetables for the train include carrots, radishes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and jacket potatoes (baked or boiled without oil). It is preferable to wash and slice fresh vegetables at home. Once they are placed in containers, the vegetable portion of the meal is ready to eat. You can also prepare the salad the night before by tossing it with a little extra greenery and oil over the vegetable slices. However, avoid adding salt until right before the meal, as it will cause the juices in the vegetables to spurt out and make them look less tasty. Salt can be stored in a tiny jar filled with tablets (like valerian).
If the kid enjoys tomatoes, it’s worth getting "cherry" tomatoes since they’re more durable than regular tomatoes and don’t need to be chopped, so they won’t leak juice, last longer, or leave stains on clothing.
Tangerines will travel well, but apples and pears are the hard fruits we will prioritize. Bananas that are nutritious and well-liked by kids can also be consumed, but they shouldn’t become soft or discolored.
Baked goods
As an alternative to sandwiches, baked pies work well. Pies containing meat, poultry, or cottage cheese should only be kept for a maximum of one day; the same goes for dough-wrapped sausages. Baked goods that contain potatoes, cabbage, onions, eggs, and apples have a two-day shelf life. Sweet baked goods keep best when stored with dried fruits, jam, boiled condensed milk, sugar, and cinnamon.
Healthy snacks and tea breaks
Nuts, dried fruits, kozinaki, muesli bars, or bars with natural marmalade make a nutritious snack. Bring crackers, pretzels, straws, gingerbread, waffles, and muffins to go with your tea. You can also bring dry biscuits, crackers, and muffins. Caramel or fudge are good options for sweets, and lollipops are sure to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Drinks
We will undoubtedly take still water with us when we travel. Compote, fruit drinks, or herbal tea in a thermos are also excellent options. Store-bought juices in little packages are best consumed all at once, and the same is true of ultra-pasteurized milk.
Since yoghurts and other fermented milk products are perishable and could cause food poisoning, it is not advised to carry them with you if you do not have a cooler bag.
Organizing food for a family vacation doesn’t have to be difficult. You can make sure your child has wholesome, enjoyable meals and snacks while traveling by doing a little preparation ahead of time.
Make an effort to pack foods that are nourishing, mess-free, and simple to eat. Think about options like kid-friendly packaged snacks, premade sandwiches, or fresh fruit. To keep them hydrated, don’t forget to bring lots of water.
Finally, to preserve freshness and prevent spoiling, make sure everything is stored correctly. Making the correct decisions will keep your child content and motivated the entire way.
