How to keep baby food warm when out

Best Travel Baby Food Warmers

If your baby is new to solid foods, it’s likely your baby is used to having warm food. But what about when you travel? If having the ability to provide warm food for your baby while traveling, a good option is a portable baby food warmer.

Managing baby food while traveling can be a little more challenging, since you need a place to stop and feed your baby. Rather than returning to your hotel room or vacation rental, a baby food warmer for traveling can make feeding your baby on-the-go even easier, especially for those babies who can be a little finnicky about food temperature.

The best part is that many of these travel baby food warmers work are also travel bottle warmers as well! So you don’t even need to buy a separate baby travel product!

Here’s our list of the best baby bottle and food warmers recommendations to make buying yours a piece of cake.

Best Portable Baby Food Warmers

Types of Portable Baby Food Warmers
- Using Hot Water to Warm Baby Food
- Electric Portable Baby Food Warmer
What to Look for in a Portable Baby Food Warmer
- 1. Size for Travel
- 2. Cleaning
- 3. Compatibility for Baby Food Jars or Pouches
- 4. Length of Warming Time
- 5. Temperature Retention Rate
- 6. Power Outlet
Best Travel Baby Food Warmers
1. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Portable Travel Baby Food Warmer
2. BEABA Fast Baby Food Warmer
3. Kiinde Kozii Voyager, Compact Travel Food Warmer
4. Papablic Mini Portable Travel Baby Food Warmer
5. bblüv - Platö - Warming Feeding Plate
6. DaCool Insulated Food Jar
7. Chicco Two-in-One Bottle & Baby Food Warmer
More Baby Travel Gear
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Types of Portable Baby Food Warmers

Using Hot Water to Warm Baby Food

If you don’t like to bother with cables and electricity, using hot water to heat your baby travel food warmer is considered the simplest way. Many parents prefer this type since it allows them to prepare their baby’s food or bottle ahead of time.

Although getting the perfect temperature each time can be a bit of a hassle, water baths guarantee that food is heated uniformly, preserving its natural characteristics.

All you need to do is fill your portable food warmer with warm water and place your baby’s food in it for under 15 minutes. Always ensure that the container is sealed properly to avoid leakage.

Electric Portable Baby Food Warmer

Electric or battery-operated baby food warmers are convenient when facilities for a hot water bath are unavailable. These portable travel baby food warmers are compact and favored by parents who value efficiency and function.

While some may be a bit large to travel with, they are great when you have extra space lik eon your next road trip with a baby.

What to Look for in a Portable Baby Food Warmer

1. Size for Travel

Look for a baby food warmer for travel that’s compact enough to fit your travel style. If you pack as lightly as possible, you’ll want one that is compact enough to fit in your backpack diaper bag.

2. Cleaning

When it comes to babies, hygiene is of utmost concern. Finding hygienic and hassle-free food warmers that are built of washable/wipeable and leakproof components is a must for busy parents. All the warmers mentioned on this list are easy to care for and most are even dishwasher-friendly!

3. Compatibility for Baby Food Jars or Pouches

We prefer items that have multiple uses, like a baby bottle warmer that can also be used as a baby food warmer for travel.

Find a versatile warmer that is ideal for warming baby bottles and for baby food jars and pouches. Most of the warmers on this list even come with their own containers, preventing extra utensils and bowls from piling up.

4. Length of Warming Time

Time is of the essence when you are on-the-go. No matter how well-planned your trip, traveling with a child will always have its hiccups. Save yourself the trouble by choosing the right bottle and food warmer for you and your little one.

All the bottle and food warmers on this list are efficient and user-friendly, with the majority of them taking between 10-15 minutes to heat. Some even take as little as five minutes!

5. Temperature Retention Rate

You can even avoid reheating your baby’s food again by keeping it warm in a travel baby food warmer.

6. Power Outlet

The best travel baby food warmers can be juiced up with a compatible power bank or automobile USB cord. A baby food warmer that is compatible with a wide range of outlets makes heating your baby’s food as simple as recharging your phone. You’ll never have to worry about frantically searching for a source again.

Note: Remember to dispose of the warmer at the first sign of damage or leak and always inspect the warmer before each use.

Best Travel Baby Food Warmers

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How to store and heat baby food on the move

how to guides

First published on Monday 1 August 2016 00:00 BST Last modified on Monday 19 April 2021, 13:32 BST

Lucy Dimbylow

Writer

This page contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small amount of money if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our articles and reviews are written independently by the Netmums editorial team.

Once you’re into the swing of parenthood, getting out and about with your baby is relatively easy.

But when you start weaning, you face a whole new challenge: feeding your baby when you’re away from home.

Working out how to keep food fresh on the go, and how to heat it up when it’s dinnertime can be tricky, so read on for the must-know guidelines on travelling with baby food.

Keeping baby food fresh on days out

Many parents, even if they usually cook homemade food for their baby, prefer to use jars or pouches of readymade baby food for days out.

Neatly sealed in sterile containers, they can be kept at room temperature so you don’t need to worry about how to keep them fresh.

If, however, you want to take homemade food out and about, you’ll need an insulated cool bag and some freezer blocks to keep the food at the right temperature.

You can either buy a bag specially designed for transporting baby food, or just use a normal insulated lunch bag, widely available from supermarkets.

1. Baby Polar Gear Little One's Lunch Bag

See more at Amazon

*Insulated cool bag with re-freezable ice pack

*Adjustable shoulder strap with clip to attach to prams

*Also available in blue

This roomy cool bag comes with an ice pack included and has been specifically designed with babies and young children in mind. With a handy pocket on the front, and an adjustable shoulder strap it can be attached to a pram or buggy handle.

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2. Babymoov Airtight Containers (six-pack)

See more at Amazon

*Stackable for storage

*Ideal for travel and days out

*Dishwasher, microwave and steriliser-safe

These air-tight storage pots by Babymoov can be popped into the dishwasher or microwave and come in a handy pack of six. Ideal for travel, they can be stacked for easier storage. They are just what you need to transport your baby's food on days out.

3. Disposable Weaning Bibs (20-pack)

See more at Amazon

*Perfect for meals out and about

*Waterproof backing and crumbcatcher

*Adjustable neck with sticky tabs fastening

Using disposable bibs for days out can be a great idea. We like these brightly coloured ones from Tommee Tippee that come in a pack of 20. They have an adjustable neck that fastens with sticky tabs and waterproof backing and a crumb catcher to keep mess contained.

4. TUM TUM Children's Food Flask

See more at Amazon

*Can be used to keep food hot or cold

*Comes in three attractive designs

*Bpa-free and dishwasher-safe

This flask will keep your baby's food hot for up to five hours, but don’t forget to allow time for it to cool before you feed it to them. It's available in three funky designs and can keep food hot for around five hours.

You’ll also need to remember to pack any snacks your child might need.

Pre-packed snacks like boxes of raisins, cereal bars and packets of rice cakes are ideal for days out, but if you want to take your own snacks, pack them in lidded containers or a special non-spill snack pot: these have flexible lids with an opening that allows your baby to get the snacks out but not tip them everywhere.

Don’t forget to put in cutlery, your baby’s sippy cup and bibs, too; disposable bibs are handy for meals on the move.

How do you keep baby food warm while traveling?

If you don’t think you’ll be able to microwave food on the move, you’ll need to heat it before you leave home.

Heat until it’s piping hot in the microwave, in the container that you want to transport it in (as transferring hot food to a cold pot will immediately start to cool it down).

Put a lid securely on the pot, and then put it inside an insulated lunch bag.

This should keep the food at the temperature required to prevent bacteria growth (60C) for two to four hours.

Don’t put cold food in the same bag as pre-heated food, as neither will stay at the correct temperature.

Before feeding your baby, taste the food yourself to make sure that it’s cooled down to a safe temperature.

The alternative is to invest in a small Thermos flask or travel mug, and put your homemade baby food directly into this.

How do you store baby food on the go?

Getting out and about with a weaning baby might seem like a lot of hassle, but like all parenting routines, the more you practise, the easier it will become.

And with an insulated bag, some freezer blocks and some decent, leak-proof food storage, you’ll soon find that there are no limits to the places you can explore.

The easy way to cope with mealtimes when you’re out and about is to take no-cook food that your baby can eat at room temperature.

This could be a jar or pouch of shop-bought baby food, finger food like sandwiches, or if you’d prefer her to have a fresh meal, you can simply take a ripe banana or avocado and mash it with a fork when it’s time to eat.

Frozen baby food will stay frozen in a cool bag for about six hours, and refrigerated food will also stay cool for that length of time.

Take the food out of the fridge or freezer just before you leave home and put it straight into the bag along with the freezer blocks.

If you’re not sure if you’ll be able to defrost the food on the move, it’s best to do this before you go out.

Make sure your food is stored in airtight pots with close-fitting lids to avoid leaks in your cool bag.

What temperature should baby food be?

Homemade food should be heated until it’s piping hot, so it’s not recommended that you warm it by standing it in a bowl of hot water (although you can do this for jars).

Many restaurants, service stations and family-friendly facilities like soft play centres have microwaves for customer use, or the staff can microwave food for you; if possible, phone ahead to check whether this can be done.

You can also check whether highchairs are available at the same time.

For homemade meals or foods that your baby prefers to eat warm, it’s best to heat the food when you need to use it, if possible.

This helps to reduce the risk of bacteria breeding in the food.

Do you feed baby food warm or cold?

Homemade food should be heated until it’s piping hot, so it’s not recommended that you warm it by standing it in a bowl of hot water (although you can do this for jars).

You can also check whether highchairs are available at the same time.

For homemade meals or foods that your baby prefers to eat warm, it’s best to heat the food when you need to use it, if possible.

This helps to reduce the risk of bacteria breeding in the food.

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How to keep hot without a thermos

Sometimes you need to keep food or drinks hot for several hours and you don't have a thermos to hand. In this case, unsinkable ingenuity comes to the rescue. Remember how grandmothers in the markets, who used to sell pies from iron containers or baskets, wrapped their “products”? Here are some of the methods we use. After all, I really want the child to have time to have a hot snack during the break, or the builder husband could warm himself with a cup of hot broth during his lunch break. nine0003

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If you put pasta and gravy in a small enameled or nickel-plated saucepan and go to a loved one who is in the hospital, then naturally you want to get there as quickly as possible so that he can eat still warm food. And to get to the hospital several stops with transfers, and then another half an hour on foot. During this time, pasta runs the risk of turning into an unappetizing cold mass. nine0003

But do not despair - arm yourself with old newspapers, a plastic bag and a terry towel. It is worth noting that for optimal results, the food in the saucepan should be as hot as possible. You should wrap the container with newsprint in several layers, then wrap it with a towel and fix everything on top with a plastic bag. With this method, the food will be warm even after 2-3 hours on the road.

Some more popular home insulation methods:

Use the foil in several layers around the food or drink container. Special paper for baking is also suitable for this purpose.
Use foam rubber and foam plastic for thermal insulation, crushing the latter into crumbs and placing it in a plastic bag.
Cotton or mineral type cotton to be wrapped around food containers.

If you don't have a thermos, but have a thermal bag, it will greatly facilitate the process of delivering hot food to its destination. It is worth noting that such bags are designed not only for transporting cold, but also hot food. nine0005

Of course, all these methods will help to maintain the temperature within the required limits for only two, well, a maximum of three hours. But even this will be enough in some cases. Otherwise, you can not do without buying a special food thermos.

Stanley's brand of hot food storage products will solve the problem of quality lunches and dinners in full. This line also includes special food containers, which, without additional insulation, are able to maintain the required temperature of the contents for two hours, which in some cases is quite enough. These products are completely sealed, have a stainless steel case. The containers can be washed in the dishwasher. nine0003

5% discount For readers of our blog
5% discount for the entire
range Your promo code:BLOGSee all thermoses

Volumetric food thermoses are made of stainless steel, have high-quality vacuum insulation and are able to keep food hot for twelve hours. The convenient wide mouth of a product allows to receive fast access to contents. All containers for food or drinks have a guarantee of operation for a whole century. This means that if your thermos has ceased to perform its functions qualitatively, then you can send it to the manufacturer for free repair or replacement, even if you inherited this device from your great-grandmother. After all, the STANLEY company since 19For 13 years, it has been conquering the thermos market with its high-quality products. Choose the best options for thermoses for food on our website and solve issues with the transportation and storage of hot food for life.

How to keep food hot at home and on the road

November 16, 2018 Tips

You can use a thermos or a water bath, but there are more interesting ways.

Home

Oven at low temperature for meat and large dishes

Preheat the oven to 90 °C and place food in it. Check the food temperature with a thermometer after 20 minutes. It should not fall below 60 °C. Raise the oven temperature slightly if necessary. So you can store the dish for up to two hours.

Water bath for dishes in pots and pans

Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and place over low heat. Ideally, the water temperature should be around 70°C. Place the pot or pan of food in the center of the water bath. Do not add heat and gradually add boiled liquid. Stir the food from time to time so that it does not burn. nine0003

Slow cooker for soups and stews

Preheat the slow cooker, put hot food into it and switch to the lowest temperature. This option is best suited for soups, stews, sauces and mashed potatoes. But keep in mind that the food in it will continue to cook, albeit very slowly. If you leave it for a long time, the texture of the dishes may change slightly. After turning off the food in the slow cooker, it will not cool down for about two hours.

Hot plates

Microwave them

Place a stack of plates in the microwave and heat at normal temperature for 30 seconds per plate. To avoid burning yourself, use an oven mitt when you take them out.

Place them in the oven at a low temperature

Preheat the oven to 65-90°C and place the plates inside for a couple of minutes. A mini-oven is also suitable for this. Do not forget that not all dishes can be used in the oven. Feel free to place ceramic and heat-resistant glass plates in it. Take them out with oven mitts and let them cool down a bit before serving. nine0003

On the go

Single serving thermos

Especially useful for liquid foods such as soup. Pour it into the thermos while it is very hot and close the lid immediately. Check how long you can keep food in your thermos. This information is indicated on the packaging. It is usually recommended to eat the contents within four hours.

Insulated bag for large meals

Similar bags are used for pizza delivery. They keep warm and are reusable and disposable. Cover the hot dish with a lid or foil before putting it in the bag. Keep food in it for no more than three hours. nine0003

Heated lunch box for use in the car

It can be connected to the cigarette lighter. Just check what voltage is needed for the device and what your cigarette lighter gives so that there is no short circuit. Put hot food in the lunch box and plug it in. Leave the device turned on only while you are driving, so as not to waste battery power the rest of the time.