Blot Out The Mess – Kids Travel Food Ideas For A Stress-Free Vacation

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5 years ago

by T.S. Sujatha

My siblings and I visited our grandparents each year and while my grandmother could cook up a storm, it was the long train journey that excited us the most. Mom was a veritable magician, conjuring up little packets of delightful foods and snacks whenever we were hungry, which was pretty much all the time.

Now that I am the mom and the keeper of snacks and goodies, I understand that the most important part of planning my family’s travel is getting the foods and snacks right. This could be the key to maintaining peace between warring siblings, keeping the car mess-free or our air travel- hassle-free, and even putting an end to repetitions of, “Are we there yet?”

Here are some bright ideas to stock up on travel food for kids and older kids.

Grab ‘Em Snacks

Back home, kids tend to have a rather fixed schedule, or at least we try. This means meal times are planned. Like many other things, travel tends to throw meal times off schedule.

It is important to stock up on healthy snacks for kids that will pack an energy punch without the sugar rush. Here are some snacks you can pack in for those long boring hours on the road –

Apples and oranges – No, not the game. The real thing!
Cheesesticks or puffs – For a bunch of those “nothing else may work” moments
Hardboiled eggs – Here’s to trying!
Nuts and dry fruits – That sounds easy (and convenient).
Munchies – Slurrp Farm Mighty Munch made from supergrains like ragi and jowar save the day. Tomato or herbs and cheese?
Cookies – Chocolates are an all-time favourite but you’d rather they have a healthy ragi chocolate cookie than a bar of gooey mess. Oats, honey, banana cookies if they’re in the mood. Slurrp Farm cookies are a godsend.

Pack In The Protein

Still about reminisce those banana leaf parcels of idlis and pooris and theplas that mom would unveil during your train journeys?

You can do better – switch the carbs and the sugars with healthy millets and dals and you have the perfect ‘power meals’.

Here are some colourful and high-on-satiety meals that you may want to take when you travel with kids–

Millet Dosa – Made from foxtail millets, urad, chana, toor, and moong dals these Slurrp Farm’s spinach dosas are both yummy and filling. If your kids are young enough to play pretend, you may want to remind them of Popeye’s favourite food.

Alternatively, you may want to pick the oats, ragi, urad dal and suji dosa with beetroot for the pretty princess who loves everything pink.

Flavoured Pancakes – If your kids are more of pancake fans, pick from Slurrp Farm’s foxtail millets, oats, jowar, and amaranth with banana and chocolate chips or the ragi and foxtail millet with cocoa option
Methi Thepla – Traditional favourite, particularly in winters. Can be turned into an interesting kathi roll
Chana Cutlets – Finger foods need not be messy. Turn chana cutlets or moong sticks into a protein power meal by adding in a fruit and some tasty titbits

Traveling with babies

Traveling with babies and toddlers can be easier. They certainly do not demand pizza in the middle of anywhere. Stock up on Slurrp Farm’s organic cereal with rice, ragi, and milk. These come in 3 yummy fruit flavors and all you will need to do is add hot water.

Do not forget, though

Pack in more than you think you need – “Enough, too much”, said no kid ever
Don’t miss out on low-sugar juices and beverages – And schedule more pit stops
Always keep an emergency stash – A pack of Slurrp Farm Mighty Puff, perhaps?
Pack foods separately, preferably in Tupperware – Label them with your kids’ names if sibling wars seem to be imminent
Carry a cooler with ice if you’re on a short road trip and/or carry perishables – Crunchy apples and chilled milk will seal the deal

Whatever foods and snacks you bring along or forget, remember to bring yourself. Put away your mobile phones and tablets and enjoy every moment of your vacation. These are memories that will last with your child(ren) for a lifetime.

About Sujatha: There was a time when young men would tell me, “You’re mine, you know”. I’d smile coyly but never nod in assent. These days when a young man nonchalantly says, “Oh, but you’re all mine”, I smile and whisper, “All yours, son”.

Featured image courtesy: Saudi.com