Here to help you with what you need, what you should find at your destination and what to take with you.

Going on holiday is such an exciting time for a new family and you’ll want to relax and savour every minute with your brand new baby. Going for the self-catering option is very popular with parents, as you can please yourself when – and what – you eat and you’re never going to be worried about your child screaming all through dinner in a restaurant! 

Here’s our essential family self-catering checklist., whether you’re looking forward to a Staycation or heading overseas…

First, you should contact the owner or agent for your holiday home destination and ask the following very important questions:

• What food essentials do they have in the kitchen – cooking oil, salt, pepper and sugar, drinks, spices?
• Do they provide toilet roll, tea towels, cleaning products and bin bags?
• Do they offer a shopping service, so that you can pre-order enough food for the first couple of days?
• Are there laundry facilities and do they offer detergent and softener? You might want to take your own if you prefer an eco-friendly or baby-friendly version
• Are there facilities for kids, such as beach towels, mats and buckets and spades?
• Are there books and games and are some of these suitable for kids?
• Do they have a highchair, a crib or cot, child safety items such as stair gates, kids’ cutlery and crockery, a potty etc?
• Is there a TV and a way to play DVDs, or to use your streaming service on it? Is there good internet coverage?
• Is there a First Aid Kit and have they noted numbers for nearby doctors, pharmacies and the local hospital? Can they suggest good local shops and take-aways?

Once you have asked these questions, you’ll have a list of things you won’t need to take with you – and a list of things you need. You can then check them off your list and pack a little more lightly!

Essential documents and must-have items;

• Passports and Visas
• Booking confirmation
• Insurance documents
• Tickets and boarding passes
• Mobile phones, tablets and computers and chargers with adaptors for the country you’re going to
• Headphones
• Camera and charger, film if necessary
• Foreign currency or a travel money card
• Any regular medication (make sure you have enough in case of delays) plus pain killers suitable for adults and baby

Cooking essentials shopping list;

• Cooking oil
• Margarine or butter
• Small containers of ready ground salt and pepper, plus any other spices you use frequently
• Tea bags and coffee
• Mini cereal boxes
• Baby’s milk and food (pouches are great for travel) – make sure you have enough if you are delayed
• Kitchen roll
• Pasta or microwave rice sachets and a jar of sauce – great for the first night
• Bread, crackers and biscuits
• Milk or plant milk
• Snacks for all the family
• Favourite drinks for each family member
• A cool box for perishable items – this can double as a beach box for picnics

Household essentials;

• Toilet roll
• Cleaning items – an all-purpose eco spray and a couple of cloths, washing up gloves, tea towels, bin bags and washing up liquid
• Bin bags and re-usable shopping bags
• Soap or hand wash (or use baby bath for everyone)
• Toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and conditioner
• Sun cream and after-sun
• Re-usable plastic boxes for picnics, travel cutlery
• Deodorant
• A travel First Aid Kit
• Insect repellent 

Baby and child essentials;

• Baby’s bottles, steriliser (microwave steriliser bags are ideal for travel) bowls and spoons
• A backpack changing bag that doubles as a bag for days out
• Nappies, nappy sacks, biodegradable wipes, baby toiletries
• Baby transport – a carrier or back carrier, a lightweight stroller, a travel cot, your car seat
• Travel potty and toilet seat
• Sun cream suitable for kids (babies under six months must not use sun cream), a shady hat, long sleeved tops and trousers, swimsuit
• A pop-up UV-resistant beach tent
• A couple of favourite toys (don’t take that irreplaceable one), books and TV shows
• SnoozeShade for pushchair, car seat and travel cot
• Blackout blinds for baby’s room
• Baby sleeping bag
• A cot sheet so their bed smells of home
• Bibs and muslins
• A travel highchair

Other useful items;

• A torch
• Waterproofs and Wellies
• Matches or lighter
• Pillow slips if you’re fussy!

Taking the dog with you? Don’t forget their lead, collar, treats and food, plus a small bed.

Further Reading:

Get The Most Out of SnoozeShade on Holiday
First Holiday With Your Baby? See Our Tips To Make It a Success!
Some Great Travel Hacks For Busy Parents