Hi,
I too make my own food and flew from the middle east to Ireland last April. Took a night flight so before we left took the veg from the freezer and put in a tupperware for lunch the next day. Breakfast was easy just cereal and some milk, if you are using formula easy to bring with you, if you are using regular milk just buy fresh the same day and take with you in a resealable bottle if possible because you wont find milk at the airport, except in bars restaurants. I gave dd her defrosted lunch the next day and it was fine :-)
With regards to Italy, we went there for a month do please try and make your own while there, we brought our hand blender with us and bought ice cube trays to freeze it and it was so easy, obvioulsy depends if you are staying with family or hotel. Ok just noted you staying with relatives, make your own, the choice of fruit and veg in Italy is great though for some reason they all give their babies jar food or omogeniazzoto as they say. Bring your formula plus extra with you as if you are lucky enough to find the one you need it will be incredibly expensive, about 15 euro per box. While saying that I did give dd the odd jar of baby food while there, she actually had veal and loved it. You will find baby food in most supermarkets and the most popular brands are Plasmon and Mellin. You wont find too much baby stuff in the chemist/pharmacy but in a shop called the Sanitaria. Have a brilliant trip, the Italians love kids as I am sure you know and please feel free to ask anything else. Think about the hand blender :-) Dh by the way is Italian as I presume yours is too :-)
HTH
Fiona
Mom to Leah 23/09/04
