Derval O'Rourke: My top tips for travelling with kids plus a granola bar recipe to bring along

Derval O'Rourke - family travel

There seems to be a funny phenomenon lately in my family where whenever we go on holiday, be it a night away or something longer, one of my kids will feel sick or someone will have a meltdown. Going on holidays or taking any kind of mini-break is supposed to help you reset and relax but it can sometimes feel the opposite. This week I will be sharing with you some of my favourite travel tips whether you are planning a short staycation or a longer trip abroad as well as a delicious recipe for Chewy Granola Bars, the perfect travel snack.

Over the last couple of years, I have found a few different elements that have helped us have an overall smoother holiday experience. From my experience, a good thing to get a handle on is figuring out whether your child is suffering from motion-induced travel sickness. Motion-induced sickness happens when there is a major difference between what our eyes are looking at and what our inner ears sense. Typically this happens when you are in a fast-moving vehicle like a car, bus or train where your eyes recognise that you are travelling very quickly, but the inner ear senses that you’re sitting down and therefore confusion happens causing motion sickness. It’s a good idea to chat to a doctor if there is something you are specifically worried about before a big trip.

Every child is different and you know your child best, so having a think about what makes them feel content and happy is worth doing. What will entertain them and what will they need to keep them somewhat relaxed? 

Here are some of my top tips for travelling with kids:

If we are travelling anywhere by car, I always try to map out a couple of places to take a break and let the kids stretch their legs and get some fresh air. Now this rule is generally reserved for car journeys that take over an hour, but it is something that is always better to do than not. If I’m travelling in Ireland I look for playgrounds on route, ideally with a nice coffee shop near them.

I have learned that a great way to help with motion sickness is to listen to music, or an audiobook instead of using a screen. This is particularly helpful while in a car, rather than on a plane. There are loads of audiobooks and podcasts for kids available.

Water bottles at the ready. I try to bring our water bottles with us as I can generally refill these anywhere I go ie. airport, cafe, restaurants. This saves having to buy larger bottles and lugging them around the place with us. Making sure the kids are drinking enough water is also very important as children don’t often drink unless physically thirsty – dehydration can be a risk when travelling.

Having some tasty snacks is also great as my kids tend to be hungrier while travelling! Preparing food before travelling ensures that I will never be caught with a hangry toddler, which if you have kids you know how that can be. I pack lunch and then let them pick a treat en route to wherever we are going.

If you are travelling by plane there can often be changes in the pressure in the cabin during takeoff and landing which can often lead to ear pain in young kids. I find that having them blow their nose, or massaging their ears/temples can be a great way to ease this pain. Whatever will work to help them get through that.

No matter where you go there should be out-of-hours doctors available.

Nothing is more stressful than being away from home and not knowing where you can take your sick child. I’ve a fantastic GP who has often chatted to me on the phone when I’ve been away with the kids and worried about them.

In my little ‘go bag’ I always keep a few essentials like a thermometer, antihistamines, antibacterial gel or wipes, cough medicine, fever reducer and bandages. These are always handy things to have on you or in the car as you never know when or what you might need. This can also be great if you are travelling somewhere with a different primary language as it can be difficult to find what you are looking for or brands that you are familiar with.

Children, travel and life are unpredictable. Taking a little time before you head off on an adventure to be as prepared as possible is really helpful in the long run.

Wellness Tip: Keep an eye on your posture throughout the day. If you spend time on a computer make sure you aren’t slouching over the keyboard! Keeping your shoulders back and your back straight can help alleviate back pain!

Fitness Tip: When watching tv at night, instead of lounging on the couch, try to sit or stand and do some stretching! This is a great way to sneak in some extra activity!

Chewy Granola Bars

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

These are super cost effective and a great thing to have prepared before a travel day!

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 120g jumbo porridge oats

• 50g desiccated coconut

• 50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 3 tbsp water

• 3 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 2 medjool dates, chopped

• 30g dried mango, chopped

• Salt

Method

1. Line a 33cm x 23cm (13 inch x 9 inch) metal baking tin with parchment paper so that the paper overlaps the sides.

2. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2.

3. Spread the oats, coconut and pecans on a baking tin and bake for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the chia seeds and water to make a gel and set aside.

4. Melt the honey, coconut oil and vanilla extract in a large pan over a low heat.

5. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Stir the chia gel into the honey mixture, one tablespoon at a time. (Ensure that each spoonful dissolves fully before adding the next.)

6. Add the egg and stir until smooth. Stir in the dates, mango and a pinch of salt and mix well.

7. Tip the toasted porridge mix into the pan and stir until combined.

8. Increase the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

9. Scrape the granola mix into the prepared baking tin and spread out evenly, pressing down with the back of a spoon.

10. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and firm. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 30 minutes.

11. To remove from the tin, take hold of the parchment paper and simply lift out the granola slab.

12. Cut the slab into bars and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.