Days of adventures
Going out for the whole day is such an adventure and you may find your little one is more willing to try new things in a different environment. Packing up for a day of fun doesn’t need to be a worry if you just plan ahead a little bit.
- If you’re taking homemade meals out with you, make sure you keep them cool and try to give them to your baby relatively early in the day so they aren’t sitting in a cool bag for hours on end.
- Need to heat up meals on the go? You can take a flask of boiled water and stand the container of food in it (you’ll need a larger container for the water). Stir well and test the temperature before giving to your little one.
- If you’re out all day, save non-perishable foods for later in the day. Think banana, avocado and nut butter mashed together when you need it or oatcakes with nut butter or a tiny spread of yeast extract or an Ella’s pouch!
What should I take for my little one when we’re out and about?
If you don’t fancy taking lots of equipment out with you, there are some shortcuts you can take. Get creative with a few portable, easy to prepare options, so all you need is a bowl, a fork and a spoon (plus wipes and bibs):
- Nature’s own packaging – bananas and avocadoes come with their own travel ready packaging in the form of their skin! Just peel and mash together with a fork for an easy, on the go tummy filler.
- Sticks of fruit or cooked veg can make great portable snacks to keep little fingers busy when out and about. Just pop them in a lidded pot in your cool bag.
- Nut butter doesn’t need to be chilled and can be kept in a small pot or you can even buy single serve sachets which are perfect for on the go. Great for adding protein and healthy fats to mashed fruit or veg like banana or avocado.
- Oatcakes are great finger foods for older babies. You can use cream cheese, mashed fruit or nut butter as toppings and sandwich them together, spread inwards to avoid mess, wrap them and keep them in your cool bag for munching on later.
Engaging the senses
Getting out in nature is a great way to engage your little one’s senses. Talk about the colours of the trees, flowers and animals you see; get your little one to sniff a flower, listen to the sound of the birds and feel the bumpy bark of a tree trunk. This helps little ones to learn about the world around them and can keep their imagination busy if they’re getting a bit restless.
It works at mealtimes too! Talk about the different colours, textures, sounds and smells of food, as well as how they taste. Just make sure that your little one doesn’t try to eat any berries or things they shouldn’t when out in nature.
Do I need to stick to a feeding schedule when on holiday?
Holidays are a great time for your little one to try new foods and experience fun new places. But should you stick to your normal home routine when it comes to eating? It’s great for your little one to have regular mealtimes so they don’t get too hungry and it helps to have a routine but you don’t need to stress about lunch always being on the dot of 1pm. It’s fine to just have a similar flow of events each day, without sticking to a rigid schedule. Do what’s right for you and be let by your little one. Don’t let your feeding timetable stop you from having fun!
Dining out with your little one
Eating out can be a great time to get the family around the table and to show your little ones how much you enjoy your food and start to understand that eating together is a social occasion. Here are some top tips for eating out in restaurants with little ones.
- To show your little one how much you enjoy food, go for smaller portions of adult foods if you don’t fancy what’s on the kids’ menu for your little one.
- Lots of foods on the adult menu might be suitable. Just steer clear of added salt. Cooked veg, hummus, scrambled egg, toast, pitta or other types of bread, and pasta pieces with simple sauce can all be given as finger foods or mashed up.
- Order some sides of veg and show your little one how yummy you think they are. If they see you enjoying veggies then they’re more likely to want to copy and give them a try!
- Take familiar toys to keep your little one occupied while they are waiting for the food to come.
Ella’s Kitchen have lots of yummy food for every step of your little ones weaning journey as they discover lots of exciting tastes + textures. From the first tastes to finger foods, snacks + our Big Kids frozen range we’re here to support you + your little one every step of the way. We have handy advice, fab videos, yummy recipes, sensorial games + much more to guide you along every stage of weaning. Take a peek at our website and social channels to find out more www.ellaskitchen.co.uk @ellaskitchenuk
You can now find our feeding stations located in the café’s + restaurants across all Center Parcs villages. Pick up yummy freebies for your little one whilst you eat in with the family. Available on every Center Parcs break.
Win a Center Parcs break for your family
T&C’s
Entries must be submitted by Friday 28 June 2019. Winners will be contacted by Friday 12 July 2019. No cash alternative is offered. Responsibility cannot be accepted for late entries. The winner will be chosen at random by Center Parcs. The winning entry is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Entries accepted from the UK, Republic of Ireland and Channel Islands. This competition is not open to employees of Center Parcs, Ella’s Kitchen, or their families. One entry per household only. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.
The prize consists of a four-night midweek or three-night weekend break for up to six people, in a three bedroom Woodland Lodge, at your choice of UK Center Parcs village. The break must be taken before 31st October 2020 (excluding school and bank holidays) and is subject to availability.
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