The best stroller snacks for your baby

Once you start to feed your baby solids away from home, you may miss the days of breastfeeding, since breastfeeding doesn't require any special equipment, small plastic containers of snacks, and wipes for sticky hands and faces that just seem to be attracted to your white t-shirts. Here are some tips for feeding your baby healthy food in a safe way when you are away from your home.

The best stroller snacks

Babies eat frequent small meals throughout their day and each feeding needs to count. A little something from the corner store or the food court probably won't be as healthy as a snack you prepare from home. Take the time to prepare a snack for your stroll.

You'll need a container with a fitted lid and wipes or a damp facecloth. Your container can be as simple as a recycled plastic cottage cheese container or as elaborate as specially made containers with lids that allow a young baby's hand to move in and out easily. Wipes or a damp facecloth are essential for cleaning your baby's hands before her snack and for wiping up afterwards.

Some healthy and yummy stroller snack ideas include:

• bite-sized pieces of fruit and veggies
• cubes of cheese
• homemade muffins made with fruit or vegetables
• low salt crackers or rice cakes with hummus

Parent's tip: "When I'm cooking dinner I always chop a little more fruit and vegetables then I need. I store the cut up leftovers in plastic tubs in my fridge. A readymade snack I can grab on the way out the door."

How to offer healthy meals to your baby during a road trip

Healthy eating on the road takes a little more planning. You'll need to think of healthy snacks as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Again, the goal is to make each meal count, even on a road trip.

A word of warning, it's not a good idea to feed your baby in the car. Most car seats have babies on an incline that could cause a baby who is handling finger foods well to choke. Also, you should have your child in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible so you won't be able to observe her when she's eating. Wait until you've stopped the car and your baby is upright before feeding her.

Some equipment that will come in handy on the road includes a small cooler with some ice packs for keeping food chilled, wipes or a cloth for cleaning hands before eating and wiping up, a pocket knife for cutting up fresh food into bite size pieces, and a container that your baby can eat out of. A small spoon and a bib are also handy. As for seating, you may need to improvise. An upright car seat on the grass could work. Most restaurants can provide a highchair. Your lap is probably the easiest, but also the messiest, option!

Some healthy baby food for the road includes:

• Packaged baby food. One of the easiest ways to feed your baby on the road is to buy a jar or packet of baby food. You won't need to refrigerate it before opening. After opening you will need to be sure that the food is kept chilled. If you plan to save your leftovers be sure to pour out what you need from the jar or packet into a bowl. Germs from your baby's mouth could contaminate the food.
• Whole fruit and vegetables. Choose fruit and vegetables that won't bruise too easily. You can always cut into bite size pieces or mash with a fork on the road. Whole bananas, apples, avocados, oranges, red peppers can easily be chopped and offered to your baby from anywhere.
• Sharing your food. You will be eating on the road and you can always offer your baby bite sized pieces or food mashed with a fork from your plate. Try to choose foods that are fresh and prepared with very little salt. See our suggestions for feeding a baby from a restaurant below.

Parent's tip: "Recently, my family took a road trip. I packed several avocados and brought them out at every meal. My son loves them and I was happy to feed him something healthy."

Suggestions for how to feed your baby while on a plane

Offering your baby food on a plane can be a great way to keep her happy and distracted from wiggling all over the place. Be sure to have her sitting upright and not reclining in a car seat which may put her at risk of choking. Your lap is probably the best bet although it will be messy.

Similar to stroller snacks, you can bring food cut up in small pieces in a container with a fitted lid. Since you want to keep the mess to a minimum, drier snacks are probably a better way to go.

Some healthy snacks for the plane include:

• Cut up, non-juicy fruit or vegetables like apple pieces and red peppers. If you are crossing a border on the plane there may be restrictions on carrying fresh fruit and vegetables. Check with your airline or travel agent.
• Dried fruit. Cut up dried apricots, prunes, dried apples are healthy snacks. You can easily tear them into small pieces and they won't make a mess all over your lap! Remember that dried fruit is very high in fibre so you won't want your baby to eat too much.
• Rice crackers. Easy to gum rice crackers are easy to eat. Rice cakes are a great snack but can sometimes crumble into a mess. Look for low or no salt varieties.
• Toasted Os cereal. These are easy to eat, make a mess that is easy enough to clean up, are light to carry in your diaper bag and can keep your little one occupied.

Read more about flying with a young family.

Best ways to feed your baby in a restaurant

Chances are you will need to feed your baby at a restaurant at some point. A quick way to check if a restaurant is child friendly is to see if there are highchairs. If there are, you've found a friendly place. If there aren't, you may not feel as welcome. Some highchairs may have broken lap belts so make sure that your baby is secured safely in her chair.

Kids' menus are typically aimed at older children and often offer food that is very unhealthy. Your best bet at a restaurant is to order something healthy for yourself and to share with your baby. Or most family-friendly places will understand if you open a jar of baby food that you've brought for your little one.

Some good choices for feeding your baby at a restaurant include:

• Fresh food from your plate. Cut up or mashed pieces of meat including fish, chicken, beef including ground beef. Steamed veggies cut into small pieces, pieces of noodles or potatoes, even rice are all good choices.
• Stew. A stew or soup full of healthy veggies and cooked meat is ideal for your baby. Let it cool on a side plate before offering it to her.
• Toast. If your meal comes with toasted bread share some with your baby or order it a la carte. Just ask that they don't butter it first.
• A la carte. Fruit bowls, toast, even a hard-boiled egg that you peel and offer are all good choices.
• Packaged baby food. This convenient option is especially useful if your baby has not started eating finger foods yet.
• Take homemade with you. Fill a container with your homemade food, pack the spoons, and off you go. You know your baby will like it and you know what's gone into it.

How to feed your baby at friend's or family's home

It may feel like home, but chances are you will need to bring something for feeding your baby when you visit family. Don't expect grandparents, friends, and relatives to keep dishes, cups and cutlery on hand for you. Bring what your baby needs or be prepared to be flexible and use a normal bowl, a teaspoon, and an old cup.

As for seating, bring a portable booster chair that attaches to any adult chair or see if someone on your family's street has recently had young children. People are often willing to lend. There are also companies that rent equipment for babies to families with out of town guests, and most even drop off equipment and pick it up. Look online to see if there is something in your family's town. Above all be flexible and a gracious guest, you are away from home and the set up for feeding your baby will not be exactly what you are used to.

While you can offer your baby mashed and diced food that everyone is eating, you may want to bring a few things with you. Some healthy choices include:

• Dried baby cereal. You will have a kitchen to prepare cereal. Bring your baby's favourite kind with you or buy it when you arrive.
• Favourite fruits and veggies. If there is a particular fruit or vegetable that your baby loves to eat bring it with you or buy it at a local store. Babies are often thrown off in a new environment and a familiar food might go down easier than something new.
• Full fat dairy products. Most people don't eat full fat dairy products anymore. Bring or buy some full fat products like yogurt, cheese, or cottage cheese that will be just for your baby.
• Favourite crackers or toasted Os cereal. If your baby likes a certain kind of cereal or cracker as a snack bring or buy it when you arrive.