Hello!

My child is 4yrs and while travelling internationally in airways its difficult to manage kids with the food that they give. She hardly eats anything and it is difficult to manage 16- 18 hrs journey. Any suggestions what I can take for my kid while travelling internationally and what types of food are allowed in customs? I prefer vegetarian food please.


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  • Whatever you eat at home! I try to make it as “normal” as we can for the long haul flights.


  • Maybe they are odd… But my kids love dry cereal… Cornflakes/Nutri-grain etc… Fruit & sultanas… Sandwhich/mini quiche. Goodluck sooo hard keeping them entertained!


  • Would avoid sugary “junk foods”. Last thing you want is a sugar rush with 15 hours to go


  • Fruit, veggies, yoghurt, muffins (sweet or savoury), sandwiches, mini quiches, mini pizzas. Veggie sticks and dips….yummo


  • sandwiches, sultanas, most foods until 100ml can be taken on board, you just need to destroy or declare on arrival.


  • If the air pressure on the plane isn’t set correctly you may need to suck on something a lot longer than just approaching to land or take off. One plane we went to I had trouble with my ears mid flight on a 2 1/2 flight, so much so that the tears were rolling down my face. Luckily one of the crew had special patches that you open and inhale the contents of the small loth in it. I think it was eucalyptus. I was already sucking on lollies. There were a lot of passengers had problems on that flight. It was good fine weather so that certainly wasn’t the problem. I had flown several times in the past and only very minor problem on one occasion but the last time I had severe pain in both ears until an hour or so after we actually got off the plane. I had only ever had a problem with one ear prior to that. I am not looking forward to flying again.


  • For the flight itself try making your own dried mixed fruit salad with banana chips etc. if he can eat nuts then some nuts should be ok but in would stick to fruits and things like yoghurt topped muesli bars etc. you want them to get nutrition while traveling.


  • anything they can suck on that’s not messy


  • Also; be aware that whatever you do take on board; you may have to leave once you depart the plane/land due to quarantine rules and regulations.


  • Peanut Butter should not be taken into confined spaces at all. Some people can have life threatening allergic reactions to peanuts even if they only inhale the smell of it. Sad but true!! Different countries have bans on different foods.
    Domestically you are not allowed to bring an apple off a plane in Adelaide. A child was given an apple on a flight from interstate nd had to eat it before she got off the plane or “bin” it. The annoying part was it had a SA town name and code number on the sticker on it.


  • rice crackers and dip, olives, homemade bikkies, and good old mini meat balls and sauce (with hidden veges)


  • Depends on what your kid would eat. I would suggest packing some of their favs. You can take most foods on the plane and throw out anything you don’t finish before you go through customs. Biscuits, mini veggie quiches are usually good for kids.


  • I think you will find you can pretty much take any foods through and on to the plane but you might have to leave it on the plane when you depart.
    Pretty much take what ever you know and feel your child will eat and if you are not sure about it then leave it onboard when you land or just make sure you list it on the customs form and if its not allowed in the country they will tell you and take it off you. You wont get into trouble as long as you have listed it on the card.


  • Pretty much anything in a packet is fine. Fresh food is out.
    That being the case I normally try to source packaged food that is not too high in sugar….


  • My grandchildren are 3 and 5 and are veterans of long haul flights. Variety of snacks seem to be the key. Peanut butter sandwiches always go down well when Miss 5 is hungry. She grazes on the airline kid’s meal then tucks into the sandwiches. (keep any packs of dry biscuits etc. for later) Her water bottle is always at the ready. Fruit – apple, grapes, carrot and sultanas in a plastic container. Mr. 3 isn’t keen on peanut butter sandwiches but will cheerfully eat rice crackers with a smear of p’nut butter. Laughing Cow cheese in its foil wrapped triangles. All these items go on to the plane but some can’t come off in Australia – fruit and un packaged cheese. Combine these suggestions with the airline food, films and hopefully sleep, and you should get through the flight.


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