food and holidays?? need advice on jars!!

[alice&bump]

we're going away next week and i dont know what to do about katie's food. my mum and dad are on at me to just buy her some jars cos it wont hurt for a few days, but i really really dont want her having them. i just really dont like the idea of them. we're only going to devon, so its not like its a million miles away lol.

i was saying to my dad she can just have whatever we're having and he was being all pedantic like, what she's gona eat a fry up and all that. well no, but she has a slice of toast 6 out of 7 mornings a week for breakfast and she can have a sandwich for lunch. oh but she's only 7moths she cant eat a sandwich. well she bloody can cos i've watched her do it.

anyway, thats not the point - i'm in a bad mood so rambling!!

i'm fine with breakfast and lunch, its dinner i'm worried about, i've been thinking there's a strong chance i'm not going to be able to find anything suitable (mum and dad want to get food from the campsite every night, the people that do it are trained chefs or somethin). so i'm thinkin maybe i am going to have to give her a jar in the evenings, against my better judgement - i'd rather she had something than nothiing lol.

so i need advice on jars - what are the best kind? i'm thinking organic type ones. and she doesnt really eat "baby" food, she just has what we have mushed up a bit normally, but at home i know we dont put salt in the food, which they probs will on the campsite! so what should i go for? i've seen stage 3 jars since i've been back at work, what are they like, or should i just get stage 2???

 

[XKatX]

What sort of accomodation are you staying in and how long are you staying?
Can't you take some tubs of premade stuff, like chopped up sppag bol. Then you can still spoon feed her and parents are happy? Just transport them with an ice pack to keep them cool on the way down.

 

[Serene123]

You're her mum. Do what you like!

IMO organic jars are no better than bloody normal ones. They're all the same. I don't eat organic food and never have, why are we all obsessed with our babies having it?

 

[alice&bump]

we're staying in a caravan for 3-4 days. and i dont think it has a freezer

with the organic stuff, i dunno i just have it in my head that they'll put crap in the other stuff but not in the organic!!

am looking into getting her some jars cos it would be so much simpler and it is only a few days! i just dont know what to get, cos i dont have a clue about them!

 

[AppleBlossom]

Well Grace has mainly Organic ones, she has them once a day, other meals I make, but sometimes she has the "bloody normal ones" but tbh hun, she could just have little bits of what you have. A bit of toast, a sandwhich and maybe some banana or yoghurt for lunch... maybe get a couple of jars in and that way if she eats in the evening a bit of your dinner but is still hungry you can always give her a bit of a jar. Yes, they aren't freshly made but they really aren't as bad as some people make out

 

[alice&bump]

yea for breakfast and lunch, she'll just have what we have. and tbh with tea, i'd be scared they were putting all sorts in it if we got food in, i know what my inlaws, who are chefs are like with putting in salt and allsorts!

so jars for tea it is! i just dont really understand them - i dont get how they stay fresh! and like, the meat ones, how does the meat not go off?? and how you dont have to heat them - surely you've got to heat meat first?!

 

[AppleBlossom]

They are vacumed so they have no air on them to contaminate them which is why once they're opened you have to use them within 24 hours. To heat them you just spoon int a bowl, put in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and then stir it. If you really don't want to give her a jar then do try her with your stuff (in moderation of course lol) and if she isn't full or won't eat it then use jars as a last resort. Grace will have toast for breakfast then for lunch she'll have either a jar or something like sandwiches, beans on toast or a load of stuff like ham, cheese, carrot, banana etc. Then for dinner she will either have a jar or something I or someone else has made sometimes I will end up giving her a jar as well as the rest of her food because she feeds it to the floor lol

 

[alice&bump]

oh god, feeding the floor! we've had to move katie's high chair cos its was next to a fridge with a glass window (one of them big stella ones you get in shops and stuff) and she used to smear her toast on it she thinks the floor likes eating her toast too!

 

[AppleBlossom]

Oh the joys of weaning lol today the floor got half a cheese and ham sandwich and some banana. Thank god for laminate is all I can say!

 

[alice&bump]

god i cant imagine it with carpet! mmm, bits of cheese in amongst all the fibres!!

 

[Blah11]

Ellas Kitchen pouches are really good IMO and are my 'jar' of choice.. but in a pouch haha. Amelie is still on stage 1 but the stage 2s look really nice. They do beef stew and fish pie, stuff like that and it doesnt look as rank as some other brands.

 

[princess_bump]

i was just going to recommend the hipp pasta ones honey - stage 2 and 3. other than that, i would probably take some pasta and cook in for her one night. either way, have a fab time xx

 

[jenstar]

If she likes eggs then an omelette or scrambled egg would be a handy tea to make for her.

 

[alice&bump]

she wont eat eggs i was looking at the ellas kitchen ones, but was a bit like, omg how can the food come out that little bit on top?! the stage three ones dont have that tho, probs cos they're so chunky!

has anyone used stage 3? are they huge chunks, or mouthsized types ones?

 

[Bec L]

Hi Alice.
We're off on hols in a few weeks too, staying in a caravan for 4 nights and I haven't really given much thought to the food thing yet. I'm like you about the jars and stuff so I want to try and give her homemade stuff while we're there. Like you say, brekkie and lunch aren't a problem and I think for the first 2 nights it would be safe to take something made at home and transported there and refridgerated.

I am even temped to take some stuff down with me to prepare for the other 2 nights - just some veggies that I can mash or give her to hold maybe.

Have you looked at the Ella's kitchen or the Plum range of food - they look like they would be the best ones out of them all, from the little reseach I've done! Get down to Sainsbury's while there's a third off cos they're expensive!

 

[Bec L]

I was a bit slow replying - you all got there before me! Good idea about the eggs and pasta x

 

[alice&bump]

think i'm gona get them from boots - i'm saving my points for my double buggy, so i dont mind spending a bit more than you would else where. way i see it its like putting money in the bank, but better cos you get nice stuff at the same time - bonus!!

 

[Hevz]

The stage 3 jars are very big in my opinion. If it was me I'd get stage 2 or age 7mth+ Hipp Organic jars, you can give these at room temp and it's still nice and loose. If you got for example Cow and Gate...they are almost solid at room temp and have to be heated loads to become soft and edible...yuk, too many thickening agents me thinks. Lisa uses Plum Organic little tubs for Hebe, I just bought a few for when we're out and about but not tried them yet.

Dessert can be banana, those little pots of custard or rice pudding or the jars of fruit and yogurt etc as none of those need refrigerating.

Have fun babe, and do what "you" wanna do when it comes to your child.....Mummy knows best