Airline food for infants and toddlers
It's airline food, why are we even expecting a lot from it, right? Well, I believe that if you are riding on a 'premium' steed that been listed as among best in the industry, expecting them to provide good service (and food should be part of it) should never be understated.
So far with my son, on the non-budget airline category (because we've already flown Cebu Pacific for Christmas Holidays when A was a year old) we have tried Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Air and Emirates and here are a few notes on their selections.
(to be constantly updated)
- Singapore Airlines
1. SIN-MNL-SIN, Economy, 3+ hrs flight with a 6 month old infant
Baby Meal: Is the usual bottled baby food, mostly flavored apple sauce and if you're lucky (like on A's first time), wider variations such as turkey with squash and corn, or pear.
*Now the problem with that is--our son does not eat bottled baby food. Having said this, I think it is still our responsibility, as parents to an infant who is less than a year old, to bring our own meal.
2. SIN-MNL-SIN, Economy, 3+hrs flight with a 1 year old toddler (1.4 yr old)
*Since I know that A won't take any of those bottled meals, I called in advance, requesting for a child's meal that is dairy-free and egg free. Result?
Post-weaning, no dairy, no egg meal: Steamed salmon, with mashed potatoes, mixed with mashed salmon on the side.
*Although I appreciate that they've given us a nutritious and fancy meal (wow, salmon), I don't think it was clear that they understood the requirement. A toddler eating baked salmon? Come on. The last time A eat salmon with gusto was when we were still experimenting with food, around six months. Of course he didn't eat it. I was hoping to see something like nuggets and fries. Or steamed carrots and peas. Or anything crispy or munchy. That's the safest, I believe. Probably not the healthiest-- but with 'not eating at all' as an option in toddlerhood, we'll be more than happy to take it.
- Cathay Pacific
SIN-HKG-HND-HKG-SIN, Economy, 8+hrs flight with stopover in HKG with an almost-one year old
1. Cathay Pacific in my opinion handled our requirements best. The first leg of the flight went like this: while we requested for a no-egg/no dairy meal for kids, the customer service officer I've spoken with over the phone (their phone people are not the best though) did not relay this specific requirement so we ended up with a meal oozing with cheese and all those allergic aspirations that come with it. We informed the stewardess about this, she apologised and noted that for the next leg of our flight, and our return flight, she'll put up the request herself in the system. And did she keep to her promise? Yes, she did.
Also worth noting is that A even ate some of the chicken teriyaki rice I was having under my adult meal. The fussy one approves and I was just happy he liked it.
- Emirates
SIN-DBX-AMS, Return Economy, 16+ hrs flight with transits in Dubai Airport, with a 1 year, 6 month old toddler.
1. The emirates crew were just too helpful and quick in terms of meal services. While there were no room in the online system for specific diets under toddlers/ kids (and I think they should have some, as kids are people too, they also have religious beliefs and allergies), the crew very quickly changed A's designated meal to whichever fits our requirement on air. Thank goodness there was rice. Although we only got lucky on one leg out of the four. While we did bring some food in case A will not eat anything being served, the overall travel time was too long I don't think any food can last/stay fresh that long, given the temperature changes.
On our flight back to Singapore, we thought we struck out lucky when I found some microwavable rice in the mini mart, only to find out that it cannot be heated onboard, and that we can't have it heated anywhere while on transit. I remembered it turning out to be a bit of a nightmare. A ended up eating french fries during transit, probably the only thing he ate the entire flight. The guilt trip haunted me for days.
So far with my son, on the non-budget airline category (because we've already flown Cebu Pacific for Christmas Holidays when A was a year old) we have tried Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Air and Emirates and here are a few notes on their selections.
(to be constantly updated)
- Singapore Airlines
1. SIN-MNL-SIN, Economy, 3+ hrs flight with a 6 month old infant
Baby Meal: Is the usual bottled baby food, mostly flavored apple sauce and if you're lucky (like on A's first time), wider variations such as turkey with squash and corn, or pear.
*Now the problem with that is--our son does not eat bottled baby food. Having said this, I think it is still our responsibility, as parents to an infant who is less than a year old, to bring our own meal.
2. SIN-MNL-SIN, Economy, 3+hrs flight with a 1 year old toddler (1.4 yr old)
*Since I know that A won't take any of those bottled meals, I called in advance, requesting for a child's meal that is dairy-free and egg free. Result?
Post-weaning, no dairy, no egg meal: Steamed salmon, with mashed potatoes, mixed with mashed salmon on the side.
*Although I appreciate that they've given us a nutritious and fancy meal (wow, salmon), I don't think it was clear that they understood the requirement. A toddler eating baked salmon? Come on. The last time A eat salmon with gusto was when we were still experimenting with food, around six months. Of course he didn't eat it. I was hoping to see something like nuggets and fries. Or steamed carrots and peas. Or anything crispy or munchy. That's the safest, I believe. Probably not the healthiest-- but with 'not eating at all' as an option in toddlerhood, we'll be more than happy to take it.
- Cathay Pacific
SIN-HKG-HND-HKG-SIN, Economy, 8+hrs flight with stopover in HKG with an almost-one year old
1. Cathay Pacific in my opinion handled our requirements best. The first leg of the flight went like this: while we requested for a no-egg/no dairy meal for kids, the customer service officer I've spoken with over the phone (their phone people are not the best though) did not relay this specific requirement so we ended up with a meal oozing with cheese and all those allergic aspirations that come with it. We informed the stewardess about this, she apologised and noted that for the next leg of our flight, and our return flight, she'll put up the request herself in the system. And did she keep to her promise? Yes, she did.
Also worth noting is that A even ate some of the chicken teriyaki rice I was having under my adult meal. The fussy one approves and I was just happy he liked it.
- Emirates
SIN-DBX-AMS, Return Economy, 16+ hrs flight with transits in Dubai Airport, with a 1 year, 6 month old toddler.
1. The emirates crew were just too helpful and quick in terms of meal services. While there were no room in the online system for specific diets under toddlers/ kids (and I think they should have some, as kids are people too, they also have religious beliefs and allergies), the crew very quickly changed A's designated meal to whichever fits our requirement on air. Thank goodness there was rice. Although we only got lucky on one leg out of the four. While we did bring some food in case A will not eat anything being served, the overall travel time was too long I don't think any food can last/stay fresh that long, given the temperature changes.
On our flight back to Singapore, we thought we struck out lucky when I found some microwavable rice in the mini mart, only to find out that it cannot be heated onboard, and that we can't have it heated anywhere while on transit. I remembered it turning out to be a bit of a nightmare. A ended up eating french fries during transit, probably the only thing he ate the entire flight. The guilt trip haunted me for days.
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