Ah, summer. You've planned the perfect family holiday. Sun cream packed, travel cot assembled, toddler outfit game strong. You picture lazy lunches, new flavours, perhaps even a child who eats their vegetables without negotiating.

Reality, however, tends to arrive with a meltdown at a motorway services.

Here's what nobody tells you about summer with toddlers: the heat, the disrupted routine, the sheer relentless novelty of it all plays absolute havoc with mealtimes. The child who reliably ate their pasta on a Tuesday evening at home? In a holiday cottage with a two-ring hob? An entirely different creature.

As a dad of two toddlers, founder of More Toddler Meals and former Army Officer, I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to feed small children well when you're far from your own kitchen. Here's what's actually worked for us.

1. Don't lower your standards just because you're away from home

It's tempting, when you're tired and the holiday supermarket options are limited, to reach for whatever is quick and familiar. And yes, sometimes that's fine. But the meals your toddler eats in their first few years genuinely shape the eater they'll become; the textures they accept, the flavours they enjoy, the breadth of what ends up on their plate at age five.

Summer doesn't have to mean a nutritional holiday. With a little forward planning, it can actually be a brilliant window for adventurous eating. New places, a relaxed pace and a picnic blanket are a surprisingly powerful combination for getting a toddler to try something new. The unfamiliar surroundings lower their guard in a way the family kitchen rarely does.

The key is deciding in advance that you're not going to let convenience become the enemy of quality and having the right things with you so that decision is easy to stick to. More Toddler Meals were designed specifically for this: nutritious, wholesome meals that just need water added, so you're never more than a few minutes away from something genuinely good.

2. Why texture matters for toddler eating development

One thing I feel strongly about: toddlers need something to actually bite into. An over-reliance on smooth pouches, convenient though they are, can genuinely slow down early chewing development. Chunky, textured food builds the oral motor skills and food confidence that purée simply doesn't.

At home this comes naturally when you're cooking from scratch. Away, it takes more intention. When you're choosing what to pack or buy, look for options that offer real texture. Soft chunks of cooked vegetable, pasta shapes, pieces of cheese, small sandwiches on thicker bread ; all of these give little jaws something to work with.

Children who eat a variety of textures from an early age tend to be more adventurous eaters at three, four and five. It's one of the reasons More Toddler Meals are made with real, chunky ingredients rather than blended smooth.

3. Keep savoury food as the anchor of the day

Summer brings an abundance of naturally sweet things: ice creams, fruit, yoghurt pouches, and while there's nothing wrong with any of those, a strong preference for sweetness built up early can make savoury foods a harder sell for years to come.

Aim for a proper savoury meal as the anchor of the day, even on holiday. It doesn't need to be elaborate: a hearty pasta, a vegetable-packed stew, a grain dish with a protein. Something with depth of flavour that isn't leading with sweetness.

This is a simple habit that pays dividends long after the tan has faded. Keep the ice cream; just don't let it replace lunch.

4. What to pack for toddler meals on holiday

There's an old military principle: proper planning prevents poor performance. It absolutely applies to toddler mealtimes on the road.

Here's the summer adventure food checklist we've refined over two children and a lot of trips:

• Flask of hot water - more useful than you think, even in July, for warming food quickly
• Snacks beyond rice cakes - fruit, cheese portions, savoury bites, mini oatcakes
• A proper meal that doesn't need refrigeration - freeze-dried toddler meals are ideal here; add water, wait a few minutes, done
• Water bottles - hydration drops off fast in the heat, and a dehydrated toddler is not a happy toddler
• Spoon, bowl, wipes - always the wipes

One thing worth emphasising: fresh air and excitement dramatically increase toddler appetites. Pack more than you think you'll need. Rationing oat bars on a beach is nobody's idea of a good holiday.

If you're travelling light or going somewhere remote, having a few More Toddler Meals in your bag means you always have a nutritious, balanced option that weighs almost nothing and takes up barely any space.

5. Use the setting to your advantage

A toddler who flatly refuses pasta at the kitchen table will sometimes eat the exact same thing enthusiastically from a plastic pot on a picnic blanket. The novelty of eating outside, in a different place, with different sounds around them, is genuinely powerful.

Use it. A foreign supermarket, a farmers' market, a new café. Frame eating as part of the adventure and you'll often be surprised at what they'll try. Toddlers are explorers by nature. When mealtimes feel like exploration rather than obligation, everything gets easier.

This is also a good moment to introduce foods you'd usually avoid at home for mess reasons. Outside, on a blanket, where do the crumbs go? Into the grass. Magnificent.

Final thoughts: good food travels

Feeding your toddler well over the summer isn't about perfect picnics or colour-coordinated lunchboxes. It's about:

• Planning ahead so you're not making desperate decisions when everyone is tired and hungry
• Keeping texture and variety in the mix even when you're away from your own kitchen
• Not letting convenience become the enemy of quality especially when the right convenient option actually is nutritious

Some days will feel effortlessly wholesome. Others will end with emergency snacks in the car and the quiet acceptance that you did your best. Both are completely fine.

The meals your toddler eats this summer won't just fuel their adventures, they'll help shape the eater they become. That's worth a bit of forward planning, wherever you end up.

More Toddler Meals are freeze-dried toddler meals that just need water added to be munch-ready in minutes. Nutritious, wholesome and genuinely travel-friendly. Rated Excellent on Trustpilot and available on Ocado and moretoddlermeals.co.uk.

Frequently asked questions about feeding toddlers on holiday

What are the best toddler meals for travelling? The most practical toddler meals for travel are ones that don't need refrigeration, are quick to prepare and offer real nutritional value. Freeze-dried meals, like those from More Toddler Meals, tick all three boxes: they're lightweight, ready in minutes with just hot water, and made with wholesome ingredients.

How do I keep my toddler eating well on holiday? The most effective approach is to maintain the same standards you'd have at home, but with more flexible tools. Pack a proper savoury meal option for each day, keep healthy snacks to hand, and use the novelty of new settings to encourage adventurous eating. Eating outside on a picnic blanket is often all the persuasion a toddler needs.

Can toddlers eat the same food when travelling as at home? Yes with some preparation. The challenge is logistics rather than the food itself. Meals that are easy to transport, don't require refrigeration, and can be ready quickly are the most practical. Many families find freeze-dried toddler meals ideal for this reason.

Why does my toddler eat differently on holiday? Heat, disrupted routines and the excitement of new environments all affect toddler appetite and behaviour at mealtimes. This isn't unusual. Keeping some structure around mealtime helps, as does leaning into the novelty rather than fighting it.

What snacks should I pack for a toddler on holiday? Go beyond rice cakes. Aim for a mix of fruit, cheese, savoury bites and something more substantial like a mini sandwich or oatcake with a topping. In the heat, keep hydration front of mind as well. Water bottles are as important as any snack.