Traveling W/ Regular Milk

You can pack the sippy cup in a lunch box with a reusable ice pak you keep in the freezer. Sometimes on a very hot day I would also put a couple ice cubes in the sippy cup.

they have sippy cups that are insulated and from the experience I've had with them the milk can stay cold anywhere from 6-12hrs depending on which one you buy. I wouldn't mess with the expensive stuff at the gas station. Buy one of these cups, or just get her used to having juice or water when on the go.

She doesn't have to drink cow's milk. There is actually formula designed for toddlers. When you're traveling and not able to purchase milk as you travel you could use the formula.

You can also keep food, including milk, safe by keeping it in an insulated container with ice or a frozen container made for that use.

Hi Rose,
Just get a small cooler and put a pack of ice in it and keep it closed. That time frame that you are talking about would not affect the milk, but in case you get stuck in traffic or anything else happens, at least you have a cooler in your car. You can also buy milk at the mall, some of the stands or fast food places sell regular milk. And you can always call your sister and see if she has milk, or buy a small container on your way there.
Hope this helps.

Thermos makes sippy cups and no spill straw cups that work great for keeping milk cold for hours even in the summer. After using them for my son for a year I even bought one for myself and keep water in it all the time.

Rose, you can just pack bottles or sippy cups with an ice pack for outings. If you are going to your sister's, you can always ask her to pick up milk for you, and you can probably get milk at the food court at the mall. I wouldn't worry about a bottle being out for a 30 minute ride, esp if it's not hot out, it takes me 20 minutes to get home from grocery shopping with jugs of milk. Most people just toss bottles in an insulated bag with a cold pack.

Dear Rose, I know they sell bottle carriers that keep cold milk cold or you can get an insulated lunch bag and use a freezer pack. The baby's milk will be fine. Grandma Mary

I am assuming that since your child is going to be one that she is eating solid food by now and not getting all of her nutrients from milk. You could always carry a sippy cup with water with you if she gets thirsty and you could give her a cup of milk when you arrive home. You also could bring an empty sippy cup to your sister's house and use milk that she has.

If you feel she really needs to have milk Horizon makes Organic Milk boxes that do not need to be refrigerated. I keep some in the fridge anyway and just pop one in my bag if I feel like we might not have access to milk. Starbucks sells them as well.

Lots of options. We either use Pediasure, or the boxes of prepacked milk like was already suggested. Some juice wouldn't hurt either and then you don't have to worry about trying to keep milk cold.

I have 2 suggestions...

#1 -- There's a product you can buy at Target that's basically like a VERY effective insulated bag. The bag is lined by ice packs, so you just freeze the entire bag overnight, and then it will keep the milk fresh for up to 12 hours. I have used it SEVERAL times for both baby bottles and milk for my older son. I will be using it again on an upcoming flight so I don't have to worry about mixing formula for my baby during the flight.

#2 -- There's a cow milk organic and pasteurized milk that is made by Horizon (I think) in the baby food aisle of Target and it does not need to be refrigerated. When we travel I buy a pack to take along for the road/flight. My son likes them just as much as regular milk. I am not sure if they have whole milk, but they at least have 2%

It will take several hours for milk to spoil. If you're just running to the mall, you will be fine. We do it all the time (and have for years) and have had no problems with the kids. We've been doing this since they were 1 year old and made the transition. I actually think it's easier with milk than with formula that has to be consumed or thrown away within the hour.

There are many cheap sippy cups that have insulation in them, and you can always prefill them and put them in the refrigerator to make sure they're extra cold before you leave.

A small cooler (like a lunch bag) also works well, but honestly, I don't think you need to worry about it for such short periods of time. Homogenized milk is very stable and can be out of the fridge for an hour or two without spoiling.

I have to admit for long journeys my 20 month old still will get formula. I will pack a bottle of milk to start and if we aren't there by the time she is still hungry I give her a bottle of formula. I'm looking forward to seeing if you get any better suggestions on how to travel with regular milk.

I don't travel with milk, per se. If my little one acts thirsty, I will just stop at a gas station and buy one of those little individual bottles of milk and pour it in a sippy cup.