Road Trippin' Food Prep for Baby

I'm going on the road to visit family in a few days and I thought I'd share my method on how to get the food situation sorted. If you're like me you don't want to chance it when travelling - especially when fast food might be your only option. I am travelling alone with baby (17 months) and am doing around an 8 hour driving day (one way), then spending a few days in a  small town where I'm not sure what the culinary options will be. My little one is a bit behind on the solid food so I do still give him mushy food along with some age appropriate solids, so these might be more suited to travelling with a 1 year old, although every child is different.

I made a bunch of things I know freeze well, and separated them into meals, that way I can keep them in a cooler in the car and if they defrost at least the meal is all together. I tried to give him enough variety so that he wasn't eating the same thing every day but so that I wasn't having to cook too much extra food. A few of the recipes are from "Baby Nosh" by Jennifer Browne.

So what I have here is just about everything spread out;

4 breakfast meals, 4 lunch meals, 4 dinners, 2 car meals, 3 desserts and snacks.

Desserts are brown rice pudding, frozen.

I will also pack some coconut/almond milk and Tiny Tofu Squares which are a great snack or meal adder.

The regular meals are;

Breakfast

Oatmeal fills him up and is long lasting. I often serve with a banana in pieces for him to eat by himself.

B1 - Pear & Yellow Beet Oatmeal*

B2 - Pear & Apple Oatmeal

B3 - Pear & Yellow Beet Oatmeal

B4 - Pear & Peach Oatmeal

*I have a container there of the oatmeal mixed with cinnamon that I just microwave with the frozen items and some coconut/almond milk.

Lunch

These meals are easily defrosted and eaten at room temperature.

L1 - Spinach Pikelets, Date Balls 

L2 - Sweet Potato Patties, Carrot Balls, Banana Energy Balls

L3 - Oatmeal Banana Bakes, Spinach Pikelets, Date Balls

L4 - Lentil Patties, Carrot Balls, Apple Almond Biscuits

Dinner

These are mushy meals that consist of foods I have cooked and frozen in ice cube trays. I microwave for a minute of so then mash together. He usually has brown rice pudding or chia seed pudding for dessert dinner or lunch.

D1 - Sweet potato, chickpeas, quinoa & melon

D2 - Spinach, peas, brown rice & apple

D3 - Sweet potato, quinoa, apple, strawberry & lentils

D4 - Brown rice, peas, tofu, beets & peach

Car & Snacks

Here are the car meals and snacks, I chose items that can defrost on the way and will taste fine without a microwave, plus are not too messy for eating at rest stops etc.

C1 - Spinach Pancakes, Carrot Balls, Banana Energy Balls

C2 - Lentil Patties, Apple Almond Biscuits, Date Balls

Cascadian Farms Organic Cheerios (sugar free)

Organic Bananas