Keep the routine recognisable
Write down the meals you expect to prepare and approximately when your child usually eats. The purpose is to preserve useful anchors, not to reproduce every minute of life at home. Plan outings so that at least one easy meal can happen without a long return journey. If the family wants a later restaurant dinner, decide how the toddler's earlier meal will fit. Avoid making the first evening depend on finding a particular product in an unfamiliar shop after arrival.
Confirm the practical equipment
Ask whether an appropriate high chair is reserved for your booking, where it will stand and whether its instructions are available. Check the manufacturer's suitability information and inspect the chair on arrival, including its harness. RoSPA recommends using a properly fitted harness in a high chair. A photograph showing a chair in an older review is not confirmation that it will be supplied. Also establish what equipment you need for your child's usual meals, rather than assuming that a microwave or blender is part of every holiday kitchen.
Keep preparation manageable
Choose familiar meal ideas that use a small number of ingredients and the equipment you have verified. Buy modest quantities until you have checked the fridge and cupboard space. Follow the same food labels, storage instructions and dietary guidance you use at home; travelling does not make an uncertain product suitable. Arrange a clear preparation area away from the edge of the worktop, and store adult cooking equipment appropriately. If a particular food requirement is essential, resolve it before departure rather than relying on a host's general reassurance.
Share the meal work
One adult can handle a simple meal while another unpacks the outing bag or prepares the table. Keep the child's cup and utensils in a predictable place so every meal does not begin with a search. Leave enough time to clear up before heading out again. On days with an early start, use a meal plan that can be prepared calmly within the available time. The advantage of self-catering is having options, not creating an expectation that every meal must be cooked from scratch.
