Warm weather and sunny days make outdoor activities an appealing way of keeping you and your baby entertained. Trips to the beach, park, playground, outdoor events and different friends’ gardens are all delightful ways of passing a few hours. Depending on sleep times, you can often time these around late morning and lunchtime and enjoy a picnic too.

Picnics with babies can be fun as the mess is kept outside, preferably under the shade of a nice big tree. Depending on the age of your baby they may be eating purées, more textured food or even enjoying some finger foods too.

With all outdoor eating, food safety needs to be maintained to reduce the risk of eating unsafe food. Before you eat, if you can’t find clean water and soap to wash your hands, wipe them with baby wipes and apply a squirt of hand sanitizer. You should clean your babies hands too, especially if they’re feeding themselves.

With solids you may choose to take a tin or jar of food as this can be opened when you’re ready and any uneaten contents thrown away. Try to choose a flavour that tastes good cold, like a fruit puree or custard. Meat and pasta foods tend to be rather gloopy when served cold.

If you take baby food you have made yourself put a couple of frozen food cubes in a clean pot just before you leave. By the time you’re ready for your picnic they will be defrosted and be ready to eat. If you want to add baby rice, just measure out the amount you want into a clean pot to avoid taking the whole packet out.

With finger foods¹, choose items that don’t spoil quickly in the warm weather, and ones that don’t need to be chilled. For example, take a ripe peach, nectarine, plum or banana and cut pieces for your baby. Cucumber is nice and refreshing so you can offer peeled strips, and hulled strawberries are easy.

Soft pita bread strips, crunchy bread sticks, raisins and simple sandwiches filled with marmite or jam are also good options. For something sweet, you can try wine or arrowroot biscuits or gingernuts – great for teething!

If your baby is drinking formula, you can put the correct volume and temperature of water into a sterile bottle and keep it in a bottle warmer, or wrap in a few clean cloths to keep it warm. If you take the measured amount of formula in a clean container, you can then add this to the water when your baby is ready for their feed.

Disposable plates, spoons and napkins are always useful things to carry in your chilly bin. In addition a tea towel with a sharp knife safely wrapped up can be good for cutting up fruit. This means you don’t have to unwrap a pile of dirty crusty plates and bowls when you get home, happy but a little tired after your outing.

Once the picnic is all done its time for a quick tidy up before a last play. Baby wipes are great again for wiping smeary hands and faces (and clothes). You can also use nappy bags to put the left over rubbish in, ready to go in the bin. So pack a rug and the sunscreen and enjoy your days out making the most of summer!

¹ Remember to avoid small hard foods as these could make your baby choke. Stay with your baby when they’re eating and make sure they are sitting down to avoid the risk of choking.

Endorsed by our New World Nutritionist  ||   Proudly Partnering with Parents Centre

Add Tile: