5 Inexpensive Tools For Kids’ Travel Food

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Beth Henry

Are you traveling by plane or car for the upcoming holidays? Here are some great tools that will help with the food and drinks for your little ones. Each of these items is under $10. #1 is my favorite.

1) Banana Savers– Bananas would be such a perfect travel food if only they didn’t turn black and mushy with the slightest pressure. Have you ever put a banana in your purse or diaper bag? Even if you’re very careful it quickly becomes mush. Solution: Banana Savers! I have even put a banana in this and packed it in my checked bag. It stays bruise-free and perfect for eating! The container is large so bananas of almost any size and shape fit. The clasp breaks fairly easily, but  wrapping a rubber band around it keeps it closed.

Banana Savers

2) Feeding Spoon. If you’re in the stage of cereal feeding, this spoon works so well for travel! Just pack a small amount of powdered cereal mixed with powdered formula. Just add water when you’re baby is ready to eat. You sqeeze the cereal into the spoon one bite at a time. This is an item we used often for Ella at that age.

Boon Feeding Spoon

3) Take ‘n’ Toss Straw Cup. I love these cups. We still use them even though Ella is old enough to use a regular cup. They are BPA free and even though you can toss them, you can also re-use them. The Disney characters available just add to their charm.

The First Years Disney Take and Toss Straw Cup

4)Take and Toss Utensils. Of course you can get by without these, but I find it nice to have the right sized utensils for my little one. These are BPA free and inexpensive. Like the cups, they are inexpensive enough to toss, but you can wash and re-use them. We used the same set for 3 years!

The First Years Take and Toss Flatware Travel Set

5) Juice Box Buddies. It is so frustrating for both parent and child to have a juice box or pouch accidently squeezed and spilled everywhere. Solution: Mommy’s Helper Juice Box Buddies! Just put the juice box/pouch in the holder and no more spills! The handles make it so easy for any child to manage.

Mommy’s Helper Juice Box Buddies

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Traveling with more than one child

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Beth Henry

I only have one child so my advice for traveling with several is based on my observations as a flight attendant. My sister, however, has 3 kids: ages 13, 9, and 3 so she has a lot of experience. Here are a few tips she shared with me about traveling with more than one child:

E. and her cousins who also love to travel.

Booking tickets

  • If two adults are traveling with 2 or more children, try to book the window and aisle seats in rows directly across from each other. There’s a slight chance that nobody will buy the middle seat and you’ll have more room for your family. If someone does arrive to take the middle seat, you can always offer to let them take the window or aisle so you can sit next to your child.
  • (With many seats blocked for frequent fliers with status,  it’s often hard to find seats together when booking your tickets. Agent friends recommend selecting ANY available seats, even if they are not together. Grab the best seats available: aisle and window whenever possible. If they are spread throughout the aircraft it at least gives the agents something good to work with when you get to the airport.)

Before leaving home/Arriving at Airport

  • Do everything you can ahead of time. Print your boarding passes at home and bring snacks from home. If there’s anything you can do to eliminate having to stand in a line at the airport, do it.
  • If you’re checking bags, it’s usually quicker to have a skycap help you instead of waiting in ticket counter line inside the airport. You’ll need to tip him or her a few bucks, but you’ll be on your way much more quickly. 
  • Airport food can be very expensive and adds up quickly when you’re feeding a party of four or five. If you have a layover at a mealtime, come prepared with snacks like nuts and fruit and see if you can get by with buying one or two meals for everyone to share.

Getting through security checkpoints

  • The security person who checks your ID and passes will ask your children their names. Prepare them for this ahead of time. If your child answers to a nickname, tell them to say, “My name is Elisabeth, but I go by Lily.” For my kids, this is easier than remembering to tell their given name, and it can eliminate that, “Ummm, it’s…..” response which I’m always sure marks us as suspicious travelers. 😉;)
  • When going through security, don’t feel rushed. Take the time that you need and keep your sense of humor. If you act stressed out, your kids will pick up on it.
  • Children under the age of 12 no longer need to remove their shoes before going through security, so that’s one less hassle.
  • Tell older children to remove their own liquid baggies and place them (as well as other small belongings) in a bucket.
  •  If you are the only adult in your party, send the oldest child through the scanner first and go through last yourself.

On the aircraft

  • If you’re planning to put a child’s bags in the overhead bin, make sure you remove some entertainment items (handheld game, pad of paper, book) and put them in your purse before boarding. You don’t want to be trying to remove them from suitcases while people are waiting behind you on the plane. Do everything you can ahead of time so that boarding is quick and easy.
  • Before the flight attendant begins serving drinks, go over the beverage choices with your kids so they already know what to request when their turn comes.
  • Bring gum for older children to chew upon descent (chewing and swallowing helps with pressure changes). Gummy fruit snacks might work for younger children.
  • Talk to your children about turbulence and tell them it’s like a little roller coaster at the fair. 🙂:)
 

In the airport

  • Many airports have family restrooms available. Seek them out if you’re the only adult traveling with more than one child. It’s much easier to use a family restroom than to have children wait for you outside a stall or outside the bathroom itself.

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    Review of Go-Go Babyz Handle Pouch

    Posted on December 5, 2011 by Beth Henry

    I am a huge fan of Go-Go Babyz Products. We have used their Travelmate wheels since Ella’s first flight and I can’t imagine taking the car seat throught the airport without using the Travelmate.

    Go-Go Babyz has been adding innovative travel products to their line over the last several years and I am so excited to tell you about this Handle Pouch.

    *I am not being paid for this review. I am not affiliated with Go-Go Babyz. I often recommend Go-Go Babyz products because I find them so useful for air travel and I enjoy supporting and promoting small U.S. businesses with great ideas. This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. When you make a purchase using these links, I receive a small commission, which helps offset the cost of running this website. Thank you for your support!

    When I first received the Handle Pouch I thought it looked ideal for quick access to diapers and wipes but since Ella is out of diapers I wasn’t quite sure how I would use the handle pouch. At first I just packed toilet seat covers, wipes, hand sanitizer, camera, a granola bar, fruit snacks, and my keys. I thought it worked well but it was really just adding another bag to what I already had. I did realize I had plenty of space in the bag. I decided to use it as a replacement for my purse.

    I wasn’t expecting to love this, but it fit so much and everything was visible at a glance and easily accessible! The thing is like Mary Poppin’s bag! It seemed like it could fit anything! In addition to what I put in the first time, I packed: Flip video camera, Blackberry, iPod touch, wallet, 2 passports, Bandaids, gum, pen, Kleenex, powder, lipstick, pocket calendar, Tic Tacs, nail clippers, eye drops, my sunglasses and Ella’s sunglasses, and  I could even fit my husband’s wallet if he asked me to carry it.

    What I liked best about using the Handle Pouch is that I had quick and easy access to things like my camera, toilet seat covers, wipes, and ID. When they were in my backpack it was always a hassle to dig through everything else I was carrying to get to these items. The Handle Pouch is designed to attach easily to any luggage handle with a velcro strap.

    I love this little bag so much that I have now been back from my trip for 3 days and I have yet to transfer my things back to my purse. This is a very functional item. If you want to be organized when you travel I highly recommend getting a Go-Go Babyz Handle Pouch for yourself.

    Everything you see below is neatly tucked in above.
    Passports go in small pocket in back.

    You can buy the Go-Go Babyz Handle Pouch online at gogobabyz.com and at Amazon.

    Just a happy photo of Ella to thank you for reading the whole blog post. 😉

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    Categories: Reviews, Travel Products | 3 Comments

    Getting the Kids to Sleep

    Posted on November 13, 2011 by Beth Henry

    Our biggest challenge when traveling is getting enough sleep. There are so many things that interrupt the sleep schedule. Start with flying at odd hours. Add to that schedules that interrupt regular sleeping hours combined with strange sleep environments.Sleeping is difficult for everyone, not just the kids. Ella is extra-sensitve to her sleep environment. I have never seen any child who has as much difficulty sleeping as she does. I think the bottom line is she just wants to have all the fun she can. She pushes through exhaustion in order to have fun.

    There are a few things that have helped E feel more comfortable in strange environments:

    After she turned 2 we got this AeroBed Sleep Tight Inflatable Bed for Kids. It has a cozy fleece cover/sheet which is the only texture that  makes her comfortable. Although she can’t have her own bed at least she can have the consistency of her own travel bed.  I have fallen asleep in it too when trying to help her fall asleep. It’s very comfortable. I’ve learned from past experience in buying full size air mattresses that the extra cost of the AeroBed brand is worth it. I bought other similar mattresses at half the cost but they were not at all comfortable. On an AeroBed you can really get a good night’s sleep. Setup is quick and easy with the included pump. Just plug it in and it’s ready within a minute or two.

    AeroBed Sleep Tight Inflatable Bed For Kids

    Something that has been a HUGE help in getting Ella to sleep both at home and when traveling is a sound machine. The Brookstone one we have is nice because it operates both on A/C power and on batteries. Power outages do not interrupt our sleep! It also has a locking feature so it doesn’t run the batteries down in transit. You can even record your own custom sound on this one.

    Brookstone Travel Clock Sound Therapy Machine

    Here is one that is really cute and has great reviews:

    Cloud B Gentle Giraffe On the Go Travel Sound Machine

    The third item that has until recently been a necessity for Ella is blackout shades. They are easy to pack and I just throw in a handful of clothespins for easy installation wherever we are. Thankfully she will now stay asleep past dawn if she is really tired, but from ages one to three-and-a-half she simply would not sleep if it wasn’t dark. I hope you don’t struggle with this problem, but if you do, blackout shades are a life saver.

    Eclipse Blackout Panel

    Of course a pillow and blanket from home are a tremendous help. I love Pillow Pets for their cuteness, but they really are too big to serve as a comfortable pillow and aren’t very convenient for traveling. We pack Ella’s regular toddler pillow in with the AeroBed and bring Lilly the Ladybug with us on the plane. A full-size blanket zips right inside to create a pillow/pet. There is a collar around the neck and we use a Mini Carabiner to attach it to our backpack so it doesn’t take up valuable packing space.

    Lilly the Ladybug 3-in-one Zoobie Pet

     

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    How to pack for Toddlers on the Plane

    Posted on November 4, 2011 by Beth Henry

    toddler on plane

     

    Expect to actively entertain your toddler during the flight. Toddlers have short attention spans and need near-constant engagement to stay happy. If you’re lucky your child will sleep for part of the trip. I wasn’t lucky, Ella very rarely slept. (Well, I was lucky because she was always very good. But she refused to sleep.) As I advised with packing for infants, packing minimally is not really the best thing. Pack everything you might need but keep it as small and light as possible. Try to keep everything easily accessible so you don’t have to search for things when your child is getting impatient.

    Most airlines’ inflight policies state that when using devices with audio (DVD players, iPod touch) you are required to use headsets or turn off the volume. Please remember that not everyone wants to listen to toddler shows. Get headsets for your toddler. If he refuses to wear them let him watch the shows with no volume. When he’s interested enough in hearing it he will wear the headsets. When Ella first started wearing the headsets she would wear them for about 10 minutes at a time. Then on to the next activity!

    What to pack in the backpack:

    toddler bag pack
    Toddler change of clothes; Adult change of clothes; 6-10 OVERNIGHT diapers; diaper wipes; changing pad; antibacterial wipes; tissues; quart-size Ziploc bag with: Play-Doh, fever reducing medicine, prescription meds (if needed), hand sanitizer; Orajel swabs; Thermometer; Water Wow Doodle book; Crayola Color Wonder book and markers; stickers; small stuffed animal; Littlest Pet Shop toys; Blanket; Adult sweater; toddler sweater; 4-6 plastic grocery bags (for trash, etc.); iPod touch or DVD player; Headphones for toddler; iPod and ear buds for me; power adapter or back up battery; charger for phone;
    (not pictured: purse or billfold–don’t forget them!)

     

    Overnight diapers are a must. Sometimes you are unable to change a diaper when you would like to due to turbulence and the seatbelt sign. Whenever I was unable to change Ella’s diaper in the last hour of the flight her diaper leaked on descent. It must be the change in air pressure. An overnight diaper usually solves the leaking problem. Another idea is to put a plastic diaper cover over the diaper.

    What to pack in the lunchbox:

    Toddler lunch box
    Two milk boxes; two juice boxes; cookies; Luna or Balance Bars; lollipops; fruit strips; fruit snacks; M&M’s; applesauce; Grammy Sammy; Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches; Cheese sticks; plate; toddler utensils; bib; antibacterial wipes; diaper wipes

     

    The trade off for the convenience of bringing your own milk/juice boxes from home is having to separate those at security and step aside for additional screening on them. I felt it was usually worth it. Otherwise bring a sippy cup to fill with beverages you purchase in the airport. Many airlines do not cater milk on their flights that depart after 10am so plan to provide your own.

    If you follow these lists you should have practically everything you need. I usually bring even more food and small toys but probably only end up using half of them. It’s always better to pack more than you need than to be in need of something. Again, just keep items small so you can manage your bags and your potentially squirmy toddler.

    (This post was written by me and  first published at The Third Boob. Special thanks to them for allowing me to include it here.)

     

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    Categories: Flying with Toddlers | 31 Comments

    Backpack harness–useful or mean?

    Posted on October 24, 2011 by Beth Henry

    Before I had experience with toddlers I looked at the use of child backpack harnesses as rude, treating your child like an animal. Then I had a family member who before age 2 became a FAST runner. She loved to dart off and could disappear in a second. Then I understood. The harness/leash is simply a method of keeping your child safe.

    (The affliliate links below are for your convenience. I may receive a small commission when you make a purchase through these links.  This helps go toward the cost of operating this blog. I appreciate your support!)

    I took a facebook/twitter poll on what people thought of using a backpack harness. Here are the results:

    46%  It’s a good option to keep my child near and safe.
    30%  I thought it was bad until my child became a runner.
    12%  I’d rather be embarrassed than lose one. (Fan write-in)
    12%  It’s inhumane, the child is not a dog!
    0 votes: I’d be too embarrassed to use one.

    Only 12%  chose “the child is not a dog!” and 88% agreed that it is a good way to keep the child safe. I bought a backpack harness for Ella shortly after she started walking but never had to use it. I lucked out and she was very good at staying nearby. Not every child stays close, so if you have a runner don’t feel guilty for using a backpack harness. Keep your child safe.

    Reader C.G. from Alabama said she used a harness when walking with her toddler daughter around the neighborhood. There was heavy traffic near the house and it was unsafe to let her daughter walk freely yet her daughter refused to hold hands. Perfect solution! Her daughter was happy with her freedom and C.G. knew she could keep her child safe from harm.

    Here are a few very cute options that should make your toddler safe and happily unaware its purpose is really safety:


    How about this one? I haven’t tried this item, but I love the multi-purpose uses for it! Great for families on-the-go!

    The bottom line is, your child’s safety is far more important than what strangers think. Do what you need to in order to keep your child safe, especially in busy public areas like the airport.

     

     

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    Infants on the Plane

    Posted on October 23, 2011 by Beth Henry

    The first thing people tell you about flying with an infant is to make sure they are sucking a pacifier or bottle on ascent and descent. This is not necessary. My doctor informed me that a newborn’s ears have less fluid than an older baby so there shouldn’t be a problem with pressure equalization. If your baby is uncomfortable, he will let you know. If he is sleeping soundly, there is no need to wake him in order to have him take a bottle. In the words of Dr. Marc Weissbluth, “Never wake a sleeping baby (except to preserve a schedule).” If the baby has congestion the pressure may cause some discomfort, but you can wait until he squirms to let you know before you force a bottle on him.

    If your baby’s ears DO bother her and she is crying, do what you can to soothe her, but know that letting her open her mouth up to cry may be just what she needs to equalize the pressure. Most of the time other passengers understand as long as they see you are not ignoring the baby. You are more likely to get sympathy than harsh looks.
    Have you ever used the toilet while holding your baby? You may need to practice this before your flight. But know that it’s okay to ask another passenger or the flight attendant to hold your baby so you can go to the bathroom.

    As I’ve said before, infants normally sleep well in flight. The engine noise seems to lull them to sleep. Many advise booking your flight to coincide with the baby’s nap schedule. This worked for us until Ella was about 10 months old. After that she fought to stay awake. Luckily for most parents her behaviour is not the norm.

     

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    Traveling with toddlers–getting through security

    Posted on October 22, 2011 by Beth Henry

    (This post was written by me and  first published as a guest blog on The Third Boob. It is  included here with permission.)

    Traveling with toddlers can be a challenge. They want to explore and be independent and they don’t understand all the sights and sounds around them. It might be useful to have some practice “flights” at home. Walk through a doorway pretending it’s the security checkpoint; set up some chairs to be the airplane. Talk through as many details as you can think of. When my niece was 2.5 and getting ready to take her first flight she said, “I won’t be scared…I’ll just hold on really tight.” It turns out she thought she would be holding onto the wing.

    Try to describe the details of everything you’re doing while at the airport. Taking the time to do this may prevent a tantrum. You’ll feel rushed and frazzled no matter how experienced you are with flying (toddlers will do this to you); but showing calm patience to your child will keep things much more sane. If your child has a special toy or blanket that he likes to carry with him, be sure to let him know that it gets to go for a ride through the scanner and you’ll pick it up on the other side.  Let him feel he has control by allowing him to place the item in the bucket by himself.

    Good news! The TSA has recently updated it’s shoe policy and children 12 and under no longer have to remove their shoes. This is one less step for you and every bit helps! When walking through the checkpoint most airports allow you to carry your toddler. If permitted, do this. The “door” can be intimidating to a toddler who isn’t familiar with all the machines and gadgets.

    When traveling with a toddler I bring a backpack and a cooler. Essentials in the backpack, snacks in the cooler. Check your luggage even if there is a fee. You need your hands free to attend to your child.

    Although it’s one more step at security, I liked bringing 2 milk boxes and 2 juice boxes. It may be simpler to just bring a sippy cup and buy milk or juice once inside security. Many airlines do not cater milk after 10am, so don’t rely on them having milk on the plane. If you bring liquids you’ll need to put them in a separate bin and will be asked to step aside with the TSA agent as they scan the milk/juice boxes by hand.

    We love our Go-Go Babyz Kidz Travelmate and it allows you to easily get the car seat to the aircraft for the safest way for your toddler to travel on the plane. Otherwise, consider and umbrella stroller. If you have to make a run for a connection flight you need something to help get your toddler there in a hurry. Wheels of some sort also help when your toddler falls asleep at the end of the flight and has to be carried a mile to baggage claim. Many airlines are now restricting the size of stroller you are permitted to gate check. Don’t bring your deluxe stroller to the gate.

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    Categories: Flying with Toddlers | 3 Comments

    Packing for Onboard the Plane–Infants

    Posted on October 13, 2011 by Beth Henry
    Ella as a happy 3 month old frequent flier

    The packing can be the hardest part, so here is my advice on how/what to pack:

    Many people advise to pack minimally. I don’t agree. You should *concisely* pack everything you need for worst case scenarios like lengthy delays, unplanned overnights, spit up, and diaper blowouts. Illnesses creep up at the least convenient times. On one flight I was working a child vomited on his mom. She was soaked and had no change of clothes. It was just the start of a 7 hour flight. I have learned it’s best to always have at least one complete change of clothes for everyone traveling, down to socks and underwear. Bring at least 2 spare outfits for baby. Always bring some kind of fever reducer just in case.

    I pack the following in the diaper bag:

    • Small blanket
    • 6 diapers
    • Travel size diaper wipes case
    • At least 3 small trash bags (for dirty diapers, soiled clothes, or trash–I reuse grocery sacks)
    • 3 burp cloths
    • 3 bibs if your baby is a drooler
    • 2-3 NOISELESS toys (No need to annoy other passengers with anything more than baby crying.)
    Bright Starts Buzzin Around Bee
    • Pacifier (multiple ones if baby loves paci)
    • Teething tablets
    • 1 change of clothes for baby including socks
    • Baby sweater
    • Snack for me such as Luna Bar, Mixed Nuts
    • Your purse or wallet (With experience you’ll be able to blend this with your diaper bag always.)
    • Nursing cover (if nursing)
    • 3 empty 4 oz. bottles (if bottle feeding)
    • Formula (if using)
      Both Enfamil and Similac have formula packets. I love these for traveling!

    Then I pack my backpack:

    • 1 change of clothes for me (including underwear and socks–put in Gallon size Ziploc bag)
    • Sweater for me
    • Additional change of clothes for baby (pack in ziploc bag)
    • Additional diapers and wipes (I like to bring 8-12 diapers for a 10 hour travel day.)
    • Small magazine for me (Don’t bother with a heavy book. Even if baby sleeps you’ll find it difficult to focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time.)
    • Any prescription medicines for me or baby
    • Glasses/Contacts/Phone Charger/Other Essentials
    • Ear bud headphones
    • Additional snacks for me (maybe an apple and peanut butter and jelly)
    • Quart size Ziploc bag with baby medicines (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Teething gel), hand sanitizer, any other liquids you need such as contact solution/lotion/etc.
    • Thermometer
    Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer–so easy to use and very accurate!

    In the airport you can buy water. If you’re nursing you’re going to be REALLY thirsty on the airplane. Plan on at least 1 liter up to 6 hours. Buy more water if you’ll be using it for the baby’s formula. You CAN bring water for bottles/mixed formula/breast milk through security, but if you’re able to just buy the water in the airport it will be a much simpler process getting through security.

    *Buy at least 1 liter of water for the airplane trip

    You could fit all these items in just a backpack, but I find it tends to get too heavy and things become difficult to find. For me it helps keep things organized when using 2 bags. The list looks long, but almost everything is small and will fit easily in 2 easy-to-manage bags. Once it’s all organized and packed you’ll know where everything is and you won’t have the stress of needing something you don’t have while away from home.

    (This post was first published at The Third Boob. Special thanks to them for asking me to write it and also for allowing me to use the post here. If you haven’t checked out the third boob…and other adventures in mommyhood, go now! They are a great resource!)

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    Categories: Flying with Infants | 11 Comments

    Tips for Flying with the Breast Pump

    Posted on October 12, 2011 by Beth Henry

    Tips for Flying with Breast Pump

    My daughter Ella was never that excited about eating. I had to supplement nursing with formula from week 2 but I tried to give her as much breast milk as possible. That means I pumped along with nursing for 10.5 months. I went back to work as a flight attendant when she was 8 months old, so I became very experienced with pumping wherever possible. Flying with the breast pump takes some planning, but is very doable. Here are the products I liked best and a few tips for pumping when traveling.

    Disclosure: Although I am mentioning several specific products here, this is not a sponsored post. These products are just the ones that I used personally and liked. For your convenience, I have included links to my Amazon store for you to easily find these products. If you use these links, I may receive a small commission on the sale. Your cost is the same and I appreciate your support!

    If I was traveling with Ella by myself, I simply did not pump in flight. I would try to pump right before I left the house and then as soon as we got to our destination. (She refused to nurse in public, so this was challenging, but we managed.) If I was working or if my husband was with me, I locked myself in the lavatory, hung the pump on the clothes hook on the door, then set up. I used the Medela Easy Expression Bustier, attached the Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags with Masking Tape, then sat down on the the toilet lid and pumped. Clean up was simple with Medela Quick Clean Accessories Wipes. I marked the bags with date and amount of milk using a Sharpie, then put them in my cooler with blue ice. I did not carry bottles with me, just pumped directly into the bags.

    I used the Medela Pump In Style Advanced Backpack. I loved this, but had I known I would be pumping regularly for nearly a year, I would have purchased the Medela Freestyle Breast Pump. So transportable!
    It looks ridiculous, but what a help this bustier is! If you’re wearing a button-down shirt you don’t even have to remove your shirt. Hook it up and you have your hands free to check out my blog on your smartphone while you pump. 🙂

    Some people have difficulty when away from baby getting their milk to drop. Have a photo of baby in your Pumping Kit and a small lovey or something with her scent on it. That seems to help some people. You could try recording some of her coos and cries on your Smartphone and playing those back.

    Using the set-up I have mentioned I have even (out of extreme necessity) pumped in “public” on a rather empty train! I just used the nursing cover and hovered in the corner. No one noticed. I’ve also used a comfortable chair in a restroom (not in a stall). People walked by and even conversed with me and had no idea I was pumping. Actually a time or two I did have to resort to pumping in the bathroom stall. Not ideal, but you do what you have to.

    Storing the milk

    I brought along a pack of blue ice. It was always a bonus if my hotel room had a fridge and freezer in the room. If not provided they are available on request. Many hotels charge for a fridge in the room, but not when there is medical necessity. Ask for the manager if the front desk doesn’t consider breast milk storage a medical necessity. At times the hotel may be happy to provide a fridge but they ran out of them. Ask to use their private fridge to store the milk. I was never denied this request. Try to have a brown paper bag with you to put the milk in. It’s kind of embarrassing for people not often exposed to this sort of thing. Put the milk in the freezer if there is room so it will stay cold longer. Refreeze the blue ice to keep the milk cold the next day.

    Here is a good guideline on safe storage temperatures:

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