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Traveling is one of the best ways to experience different cultures and explore your interests but they can become even more rewarding when you get the opportunity to travel with your kids. However, feeding your children while touring can be a real struggle. Since sitting them down and preparing complete meals might not be possible during your travels, finding snacks that are healthy and portable can make it easy for you to enjoy your journey. If you’re wondering what to pack in your bag so that your child doesn’t go hungry and become irritated as you’re enjoying a well-deserved vacation.
Ten Healthy and Portable Food Ideas For Your Little One
Hummus And Carrots Hummus is a delicious and easy to prep snack option. Not only is it a healthy treat but can also be carried around in your snack bag. Feel free to add as many vegetables as you like to the hummus along with chickpeas. Since chickpeas are a great source of protein, it’ll keep your toddler satiated for longer. Combine that with some carrots and you’ve got a perfect combination of proteins, fats, and fiber that’ll keep your kid full of energy as they enjoy the traveling experience. Hard Boiled Eggs Hard boiled eggs only take 10 minutes to prepare, can be stored upto a day and are a great source of protein and healthy fats for your growing child. You could simply pack some hard boiled eggs in a box for a ready-to-eat treat, or you can get creative and make an egg salad with onions, tomatoes, chicken or other accompaniments of your choice. It’s a healthy treat that can be enjoyed at any time of the day and is mess-free. Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is filling, tasty, and needs no accompaniments to make it a whole meal. The protein and fats in cheese can be enjoyed with spices. If you want, you can also add a few other raw vegetables to the box so that your toddler can enjoy a snack box filled with different types of vegetables and cottage cheese. The creaminess of cottage cheese will make it easy to enjoy the rest of the vegetables. Afterwards, a piece of salt water taffy will make their snacking time complete. Nuts And Dried Fruits Nuts and dried fruits such as raisins, figs, cashews, almonds, and walnuts are the healthiest form of fats that your toddler can enjoy while they’re on-the-go. You can cut up nuts into small pieces or even blend them if you want to give them to your baby or sprinkle it on top of yogurt or smoothies. Since they have a higher shelf life, you can easily store them in containers and take them with you while traveling. That way, your kids will always have a ready to eat snack on their hands, irrespective of where you are. Roasted Fox Nuts Fox Nuts are known for their high antioxidant content along with anti-inflammatory properties. Simply roast some fox nuts in a pan until they are crispy and store them in a box for later. You can sprinkle them with salt and pepper, or add other spices of your choice. If your toddler has a sweet tooth, you can also add a little bit of melted dark chocolate on the fox nuts instead of spices and they’ll be ready to be enjoyed while traveling. Think of them as an alternative to popcorn, but with higher nutrient density. This can be an easy to store snack option if you’re on a family vacation with a toddler. Mashed Potato This is a specific snack-cum-meal option that caters to both toddlers and babies. You can add some milk and herbs to your mashed potato recipe to make it softer. If you want a healthier alternative, switch your potatoes to sweet potatoes for a nutrient dense treat. Just remember to store them away from heat to avoid spoilage. You can also add some green onions and tortilla chips to the containers to make it an enjoyable snack option for your toddler. Vegetable Puree Kids aren’t the best followers of rules when it comes to eating vegetables. While as parents, you know that it’s great for their health, they might not enjoy the taste of vegetables so much, so what do you do? Hide them! Create a vegetable puree of the vegetables you have at home. Cook it for a few minutes and add some salt and pepper, along with spices, a little bit of lemon juice, and cheese to it to prevent your kids from tasting the vegetable if they don’t particularly enjoy them. This is a nutritious and easy-to-make meal that can be taken anywhere. Keep some pita or other type of bread along with you so that they can enjoy the vegetable puree as a dip. This can also be served to babies 6 months and above, but without the spices. Fruit Puree This can be a sweet treat that’s easy to make and can be enjoyed anytime during the day. Simply blend some seasonal fruits until they attain a puree-like consistency, add a little salt to the puree and pack it in a container for your children to enjoy later. The snack can be enjoyed by babies and toddlers alike. You can also add some nuts in there to make it an energy-packed snack. Formula Milk If your baby is below the age of 2, chances are that they’re still being fed breast milk but it can be inconvenient when you’re traveling. So, pack a few boxes of formula milk to ensure that your baby has something to eat every few hours, even when you’re out. The formula milk is healthy, portable, and can even help the baby sleep better during the travels. Lentil Porridge Lentils are a very healthy and easy to eat snack option if your baby or toddler is super young, or if you prefer a vegan-friendly snack option. Lentils are a good source of protein, zinc, iron, and vitamin B. When paired with vitamin C such as lime juice, the iron can be better absorbed by babies. This is an excellent snack option if you only have 10 minutes on your hands to prepare a healthy travel snack, as they don’t require any soaking unlike other legumes. Wrapping Up Whether you have a baby or a toddler at your hand, it’s important to find healthy and portable travel snacks to keep them satiated throughout the trip. Finding things that are easy to carry yet nutritious might seem like a task but there’s more variety in the market than you can imagine. The options given above are just a glimpse of what your snack bag can look like. However, feel free to choose items that your child finds delicious, and are in alignment with your travel plans and the duration of your stay. Or you could get a little creative and find ways to incorporate more macronutrients and micronutrients into your child’s diet, even when you’re on a trip!
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Hair is a funny thing. We want more of it in some places, and less of it (or NONE of it) in others. Whether male or female, in the past, present, or future, we all seem to have a different idea of what the perfect quality and quantity of hair looks like. Eyebrow blindness is the perfect example - if you haven't heard of it, go have a laugh about it on TikTok and leave a comment here with your thoughts!!
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Hair on my head and brows? YES PLEASE!! Hair on my chin, arm pits, bikini area, legs... we all feel differently about those, but for me, NO THANKS!! Sure, we can shave at home. We can get professionally waxed or sugared or lasered, but that takes a lot of time and money if doing it regularly! I had professional IPL (intense pulsed light) done on my arm pits at a salon in Japan over a decade ago with amazing results - 99% of the hair gone! It hurt though, like hot snapping rubber bands, and I had to go back to the salon several times over the period of a few months. But these days, there are many at home IPL devices on the market and they're an amazing alternative!! They're not quite as powerful, but this also means little or no pain (depending on the setting you use), and are much more budget friendly than professional treatments! What's more?? You have it at home for touch ups if needed. In my experience, with each treatment, some of the hair follicles are destroyed and hair doesn't come back, while others are simply "paused" or damaged and hair is gone for a few weeks and grows back in a bit thinner, needing to be zapped again. I've been using mine here and there for about 9 months now and am really happy with it. Results definitely vary though. I've heard some say their results are much quicker and permanent, others saying it did nothing. User error, hormone levels, skin color, and hair color can all play a role in how well these work for each individual. I've actually reviewed 2 brands (both sent to me), and I would say they're pretty equal in results and being painless. You can see my demos below. The Lubex Glow 6A+ Sapphire Ice Cooling IPL device** has more customizations through their app, and they email you reminders for when it's time for your next treatment, which is nice (you need to do it every few days in the first month and then back down to every 2 weeks and finally monthly or just as needed)! But if you tend to get overwhelmed with technology, Ulike Air3 Ice Cooling IPL device** might be a better choice - only 3 power levels, nice and simple! If you want to learn more about IPL Hair Removal, watch the the video below left "IPL 101" or read my IPL blog post here!
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Not sure if you knew this about me, but I've been cutting and dying my hair at home for many years now! It started when I impulsively cut my own bangs back in 2017, it opened the floodgates so to speak! I was chronically unhappy after getting professional cuts - just not thrilled with the results, the price tag, or the time invested. And now, doing my own hair?? Well, definitely happy with the price tag LOL!! Sometimes love the results, sometimes have a hilarious whoopsy moment, but never a regret! If you want to be inspired or have some laughs, be sure to check out my YouTube channel "It's Just Hair with Heather"!! And I'll finish it up with a few of my "must haves" for at home hair cuts and colors:
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Guest post provided by TP Toys.
Traveling with young children may seem daunting, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences for both parents and kids. While some may argue that children are too young to remember the trips, the benefits of exposing them to new environments, cultures, and experiences are profound. Traveling with your little ones offers lasting advantages beyond a fun vacation, from fostering a sense of adventure to creating family memories. The seeds of curiosity, creativity, and adaptability are sown as they explore the world around them, even at a tender age. Building Lifelong Memories One of the greatest joys of traveling with young kids is the memories that are created along the way. While young children may not remember every detail of the trip, the family bonding experiences are something everyone carries in their hearts. Whether it’s setting up a kids picnic table by the beach or watching them excitedly climb on childrens climbing frames at a local park, these shared moments foster closeness. The laughter shared during a family picnic, or the wonder in their eyes as they explore a new place is something that stays with you as a parent. Family trips also allow parents to step back from the hustle and bustle of daily routines. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in work and responsibilities, often leaving little time for undivided family interaction. A vacation provides the perfect opportunity to disconnect from the usual distractions and focus on what truly matters – quality time with your children. Fostering a Sense of Adventure Young children have an innate curiosity, and traveling fuels this natural instinct. When you expose them to new environments, their imaginations soar. From sandy beaches and towering mountains to bustling cities, every place presents an opportunity to learn something new. A simple walk in a foreign park, where they might encounter children's climbing frames unlike any they’ve seen before, or a visit to a local market with its unique foods and smells, can spark their curiosity in ways that no classroom can. As they navigate unfamiliar settings, kids develop problem-solving skills and adaptability. They learn to adjust to different cultures, climates, and routines. These skills are invaluable as they grow older, helping them become more confident and resourceful individuals. Encouraging Physical and Social Development Traveling gives children the chance to engage in physical activities that they might not usually experience. They're constantly on the move, whether it’s splashing in the ocean, hiking through a nature trail, or climbing on new play structures, such as children's climbing frames in parks. These activities help them stay active and improve their motor skills and physical coordination. Moreover, travel encourages children to be social. When they visit new places, they often meet other kids at a hotel’s kids' club or while playing outdoors. This interaction helps them build social skills and make new friends, teaching them how to communicate and cooperate with others. Even something as simple as sharing a meal at a kids' picnic table in a public park can become a social event where they learn about sharing, manners, and the joy of making new friends. Enhancing Cognitive Development From a cognitive standpoint, traveling exposes children to new sights, sounds, and languages, boosting brain development. Experiencing different cultures introduces them to new ways of thinking, problem-solving, and viewing the world. Studies have shown that early exposure to diverse environments can enhance cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to adapt to new information and think creatively. While adults might take for granted the everyday experiences of a foreign city – the architecture, the street signs, the sounds of a different language – these can be immensely stimulating for a young child. Their brains are like sponges, absorbing everything around them, and travel provides a wealth of stimuli that help develop their senses and thinking abilities. Instilling a Love for Nature and the Outdoors Many family trips involve spending time outdoors, whether camping, hiking or simply enjoying a picnic in a local park. Children who experience nature's wonders from an early age develop an appreciation for the environment. They learn to respect and care for the world around them, whether admiring a mountain range’s beauty or playing on wooden children's climbing frames in a quiet countryside village. A day out in nature, complete with a kids' picnic table where they can relax and enjoy their snacks, fosters a connection to the natural world. It also promotes healthier habits, encouraging them to spend more time outdoors rather than glued to screens. Creating Well-Rounded Individuals 
Ultimately, travelling with young children helps shape well-rounded individuals. They become more open-minded, adaptable, and empathetic. As they encounter different cultures, they learn to appreciate diversity and understand that there are many ways of living. This early exposure to the world outside their home broadens their horizons and makes them more tolerant and understanding individuals as they grow.
Children who travel from a young age are more likely to develop a love for learning and exploration. They are curious about the world and eager to discover more. Whether climbing on a new play structure or sitting at a kids' picnic table, marveling at their surroundings, each experience contributes to their growth and development. Conclusion Traveling with young children requires more planning and patience, but the rewards are immeasurable. From building lasting memories to fostering a sense of adventure, the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Exposing your kids to the world early helps them grow into curious, adaptable, and well-rounded individuals. Whether it’s a simple day trip to a park with children's climbing frames or a long family holiday, the experiences you share with them will be cherished for years to come, providing a foundation for lifelong learning and exploration. |
 
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! 
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