Getting milk on flights and milk storage while driving

[csnoop]

Our family is traveling again next month. We will be flying on Southwest to the South from Oakland, CA. Then we will drive through several cities and eventually end up in Dallas. Then we fly out from Dallas back to Oakland. Last month, we flew Southwest as well, down to San Diego. We flew out of San Francisco that time and didn't purchase any milk at the airport. DD (14 months old) was not happy w/o her milk. She did eventually fall asleep in DH's arms. The flight was not very long so it wasn't so bad. But we couldn't find any vendor at the San Diego airport that sold milk?!?

This time, our flight is 5+ hrs. I couldn't imagine not giving her milk for that long. When I asked the Southwest attendant last time, she told me that they don't have milk onboard.

So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestion about how to obtain milk for our flights. I don't know if any vendor sells it at the Oakland airport. Should I call the airport? Should I call Southwest to request it? I don't even know if you can request this.

On top of that, since we are doing many hours of driving (4+ hrs), what are your strategies for keeping milk good during the trip? How long does milk last when it's not in the fridge?

CC

[bubbaray]

I would purchase milk at the airport after you are through security. If there is a Starbucks, they will sell you a kids milk and you can just pour it into a sippy cup for use on the plane.

For driving, we have a small cooler that we keep sippy cups of milk in. I use the Playtex Insulator sippy cups and they keep milk cold for at least 2 hours. I've also had good results with the Munchkin insulated cups.

http://www.igloo-store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=IGL+PM+PAL+BCA&HDR=personplaymate

It comes in different colors, if pink isn't your thing. It fits on the floor between the driver and passenger in the front row of my Ody. I just throw a couple of cooler packs in too and everything stays nice and cold -- definitely for a 5hr trip.

[egoldber]

I would just take milk through secuirty. Declare it and tell them it's for your toddler. They should be fine with it.

If you fly through San Diego again, there is a Starbucks after security.

[hbridge]

We flew SW with our milk obsessed child and it was a nightmare since DC didn't have milk. My plan had been to purchase milk and ice once through security and have it ready for the descent and landing. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the other side of security except vending machines.

However, on the return trip the plan worked beautifully. I had a cooler bag with two empty sippy cups in it. Once we were through security, I purchased a cup of ice and milk. The ice went in one cup and the milk in the other. This milk was ONLY for landing and we didn't have any trouble with DC's ears.

Hope you can make it work...

[jerigirl]

You could get the Horizon milk boxes that don't have to be refrigerated.

[trales]

You can take an unlimited amount through security now.

[mmsmom]

I have flown many times in the past year w/ my DS who is now 22 mos. & have never had a problem bringing milk from home & getting through security. I usually have one or two sippys with milk in them (depending on length of flight) and also bring Horizon or Earth's Best milk boxes (can get at Whole Foods or regular grocery store) that do not need to be refrigerated. At security, I take the sippys and boxes out of my diaper bag and put them in the tray along w/ my quart ziploc, shoes, etc. Sometimes the security people will just ask if it is milk, but usually they don't say anything. Just make sure you bring enough to account for any delays... I was once stuck on a plane for a long time & ran out but luckily the flight attendant was able to scrounge up some milk they were using for coffee.

[csnoop]

Thanks everyone for your tips. I was reading on the TSA website which doesn't include milk as one of the liquids you can bring witih you. It lists juice, breast milk and formula. But I will definitely bring some milk in DD's sippy and see what happens at security.

I will definitely be purchasing some Horizon milk boxes. From their website, it appears that they only have reduced fat milk, not whole milk.

CC