taking baby jar food and yoghurts to florida - VA

[marbella_chris]

hi all,

my wife has asked me to post this, so its important i get it right.

we have taken our baby at 5 months with VA to florida, this is his 2nd journey with VA, last time he was only on bottled milk,
however now he is one, he is on food, and my wife would like to know anyone who has taken a baby on solids, can you take jar food thru the airport and yoghurts with you?

obviously i am aware you can get stuff airside in the airport, but when we last went the only jar food in the USA at disney beach club was gerber which is not a brand we know here in the UK, so we wanted to pack some jar food to take with us for him.

any experiences would be good to hear, thanks

chris and natasha

 

[scottish mum]

Your not allowed meat into the usa and I think that means no meat in baby foods either. If you can get meat free ones they should be ok. Also no fruit allowed in either. One time we went there was no dairy products either but this wasn't mentioned last time so that may have changed.

Have you though about ordering the baby food from gardengrocer. They have a wide range and will deliver to you resort for you.

 

[marbella_chris]

hi, yeah just been looking at their site. we ordered from them when we went last september and they were great, i think you are right, and i think the TSA can get a bit funny if you try and bring too much in, i think they are ok if it seems like its just for the flight, but not for any decent amount of time

thanks anyway, i think gardengrocer is the way to go

thanxxx

 

[janeyb]

We took our daughter of the same age a year ago and posted a similar question. I decided to take 'follow on milk' in cartons and decided to buy jars airside in Boots as others had recommended..
First off, security insisted on us opening the cartons of follow on milk to taste!! I had only taken 2 empty bottles, so filled them and threw the rest.
Relying on buying airside was a bad move (we flew from LHR). Boots only had VERY limited jars for sale as obviously many others had the same idea. They were also Boots own brand which both my daughters refused to eat!!
Virgin did have jars on the plane that they were happy to give to us but they were for very young babies, apple puree etc, so didn't really satisfy her.
The result of all this was a very grumpy child during the long flight. If I was you I'd take jars, expect that you'll have to open and taste at security then take a 'soft' cool bag to put them in your carry-on luggage.
My other word of advice would be don't put your stroller in a stroller bag, just on the off chance you were. We bought one from mothercare to protect the brand new 'all singing-all dancing' stroller during a visit with our first daughter when she was a young baby. When we arrived at MCO we were greeted with a stroller with wheels missing!!! Even though we left it at the gate with the others and marked stroller/fragile etc on bag! Wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been 6 months pregnant at the time...pushing my young baby through the airport in a 3 wheeled stroller, heavily pregnant, exhausted from a long flight whilst my husband pushed the cases, then having to wait over an hour at Virgin 'lost and damaged luggage', made me realise that I'd do away with the bag for following trips!!!
Also take a parasol for the pushchair, it was, and still is, invaluable. Got from Mothercare.
Just trying to think what else may help...Someone on this board that lives in Texas advised parents with babies, young children to take tumble dryer sheets! Apparently many mothers in Texas/Florida use them as the mosquitos hate them and stay away from the child. They rub the childs skin with them, put in pushchair, leave in changing bag etc.....I'm going to try it this year and see if it works!!
We have also taken a Cath Kidston oilcloth back pack the past few trips which has been great as a change bag as it's waterproof for all the florida showers and hangs perfectly off the back of the stroller.
I'm sure you have probably thought of all these things but thought I'd write it anyway just incase any of it helps.
Have a great trip.

 

[Elise79]

How old is the baby?

We took Chloe at 9 months. On the plane I had ordered her a baby meal whcih consisted of 4 jars of cow and gate stage one foods. She was ok with this! We had also taken some packets of cereal (samples that came in the Bounty bag) and some jars in our carry on but nothing with meat. Flight home she got loads of different jars and we ended up bringing most of them home as the cabin crew asked if we wanted to take them with us!

We didn't take any supplies over with us expect her breakfast cereal in boxes. We bought her a couple of jars from Publix (We bought gerber and she ate them fine) but other than that we just bought her a childs meal as she always eats what we do for dinner so she was fine with things like Mac'n'cheese/pasta/ chicken and mash etc

I didn't take formula as she either breast feeds or has whole milk so can't help there.

 

[janeyb]

Just realised we're there at the same time, we leave next Friday 24th for 2 weeks. If you see a woman frantically rubbing her children with tumble dryer wipes with a Cath Kidston backpack hanging off the back of her pushchair then that'll be me!!!!

Just had another thought that may help....... I know your wife has probably already bought suntan lotion for your child but have you tried Johnson's Suncare Cream for kids? It's brilliant stuff... The factor 50 lasts 8 hours and is waterproof and really 'light' on their skin. All the others tend to be quite heavy and my daughters really struggle with all the other brands...Someone recommended it to me once and have never looked back. It's quite difficult to find and I've only found it in the much larger Boots stores in factor 50 (Sainsbury's stock it but factor 20).

Jane.

 

[Dimplenose]

If you see a woman frantically rubbing her children with tumble dryer wipes
Jane.

Do a small spot test first. I'm fine with clothes that have been dried using these sheets but the "neat" sheets can leave me itchy and give me hay fever like symptoms - sneezing, runny nose, puffy eyes etc.

 

[london75]

Not that you should take this as gospel, it's just our story but we took over a dozen jars of baby food and 2 tins of SMA the first time we went with our eldest daughter when she was 10 months.

We also took 4 for the flight and I just had to taste them all along with the milk. No one gave a monkey's whether it had meat in to be honest but I suppose it was obviously for consumption by us rather than for sale.

We plan to do the same this time as we have another 10 month old!

 

[katytrott]

My other word of advice would be don't put your stroller in a stroller bag, just on the off chance you were. We bought one from mothercare to protect the brand new 'all singing-all dancing' stroller during a visit with our first daughter when she was a young baby. When we arrived at MCO we were greeted with a stroller with wheels missing!!! Even though we left it at the gate with the others and marked stroller/fragile etc on bag! Wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been 6 months pregnant at the time...pushing my young baby through the airport in a 3 wheeled stroller, heavily pregnant, exhausted from a long flight whilst my husband pushed the cases, then having to wait over an hour at Virgin 'lost and damaged luggage', made me realise that I'd do away with the bag for following trips!!!.

Oh drat, just bought a stroller bag. Got to ask though, why did this happen due to being in a bag as opposed to not being in a bag?

Love Cath Kidston stuff too!!

 

[katytrott]

I was planning to take our pureed fruit/veg for DS (tend to puree own so wont be buying airside), test it through security, then throw any left over once land at US before getting off the plane. Would welcome any comments about this plan though!

We are staying at a villa so will just make up new stuff once there, but if staying on site, would get delivery. A few years back (before kids), I took a bag full of fruit on the plane with me (don't ask!) and just handed left overs/cores to cabin crew on landing. I have no idea if this was the right thing to do, but no one said anything (I didn't think about things like security/customs back then!)

I had already thought about the consequence of taking carton formula, and having to open in it to test it through customs, so plan to take powder in special container and bottles with water. No matter if both have to be tested then. Apparently, UK brands of formula cannot be bought out there, so will take some cans of powder formula and put them in the hold. Assuming this will be ok. Any suggestions?

Checking the BAA web site, security are fairly understanding when it comes to liquid and solids for babies, providing we test it.

 

[marbella_chris]

thanks for the advice everyone.

lewis is 1 year old (2 days ago) so is off formula milk as such, and onto cows milk now.

we have been with him before, but thaks for the tips, some i didnt know there....

we took a stroller with us last time and our own bag, (not the virgin see thru ones that are too small.) and fortunately it was fine the other end.

janeyb - we go next sunday from gatwick staying at disney beach club villas - can't wait - if you see 2 tired people asleep in the park next to a screaming baby boy - thats us!!!

 

[janeyb]

Katytrott - Sorry didn't mean to worry you, it was just my experience and not something I repeated again, 'just in case'!! I must have just got un-lucky and I'm sure for my one broken stroller there were many thousands of others that were fine.

I guess they just treated it like any other bag as they couldn't see what was in it and probably threw other bags/cases on top of it when transporting it to the baggage carousel. It was a really good quality stroller too and brand new so it must have taken a bashing as it was in a pretty sorry state!

What is quite funny is that virgin gave us a lost property McLaren in it's place to tide us over....it turned out to be great and it has now become our 'Disney' stroller that comes on every trip..... Where all the other expensive pushchairs have come and gone..Bugaboo/Phil & Ted's etc...the lost property McClaren is still with us and going strong!!

I also took a carton of formula in my case and had no problems.

 

[Byron13]

We have taken yoghurts and jars of baby food on the plane. At security we put them through separately. They saw we had a baby with us and did not say anything. Make sure you get rid of all leftover dairy, fruit and meat products before you leave the plane. You can take your leftover crisps, cake and sweets through customs at Orlando.

 

[mushumadness]

we need to take jars next time as well lol, we saw security checking someones jars from our plane in december and the only ones they made them throw were the ones containing pork so who knows what thats about lol

on the stroller bag thing, we used one this time and they shredded it!!

 

[katytrott]

Janeyb - sounds quite unfortunate. Certainly food for thought though - thanks. I am confused how it could shredded though .

To OP, I was looking on the VA website and they do have baby food on board. In fact if you go to the MY BOOKING area you can preorder baby food to come round with the meals! I will def be taking my own anyway, but ordered it as well - just to cover all bases and it's no extra cost.

 

[LORNA ANN]

We took jars of baby food with us when DS was 11mths old & they took all jars off us that had animal products in them & binned them in front of us, my DH was livid he felt binning baby food was a step to far as it is all so highly processed. But on a positive note went to supermarket to restock, DS loved there little trays of baby food. So I would say take enough for airport & flight but stock up while there will save a lot of worry.
We went with VA too they did supply us with baby food but it is stage one..
Been 5 times with same stroller always use stroller bag & had no problems !

 

[Clare D]

Our youngest DS (who turned 1 the day before your little one Chris) will hopefully have a mashed up small portion of the kids meal so we don't have to worry about jars.
I am also going to take bananas that I can mash in the skins and breadsticks and crackers.
He is going to be 15 months on our trip and rather than a parasol for the buggy I am considering ones of those UV covers that pull over the buggy like a rain cover. I have also got one of the parasol fans from Mothercare too as we have a wedding in Chicago first.
This time I am going to put elastic bands around the handles of the buggy as there always seems to be loads of McLarens waiting in a pile
Have a great trip

 

[karengr]

when my daughter was 8months (she is now 6) we took all jars and at sanford they took them off us. we just went and stocked up in Walmart .
my mistake was that she never ate any of them as i had never given her jar food before so she wasnt used to it,so she lived off cerel and stuff from the buffets we went to.

 

[marbella_chris]

my better half has now decided that we will not bother with jar food, we ordered stuff from garden grocer and can go walmart if needed. Clare D, that sounds like a great idea regarding banana and mashing the kids meal, he is eating most of our food anyway now thats mashed up

thanks for your comments everyone

much appreciated

 

[joolz1910]

Our youngest DS (who turned 1 the day before your little one Chris) will hopefully have a mashed up small portion of the kids meal so we don't have to worry about jars.
I am also going to take bananas that I can mash in the skins and breadsticks and crackers.
He is going to be 15 months on our trip and rather than a parasol for the buggy I am considering ones of those UV covers that pull over the buggy like a rain cover. I have also got one of the parasol fans from Mothercare too as we have a wedding in Chicago first.
This time I am going to put elastic bands around the handles of the buggy as there always seems to be loads of McLarens waiting in a pile
Have a great trip

I bought a shade-a-babe uv cover for my DD last year and I would never use a parasol again. They are great, providing proper shade and don't need to be adjusted. If you decide to buy one, make sure you get one with the zip at the front as this makes it easier to pass beakers, food etc through to the child. It was worth every penny imo.