45p

A FIRST-TIME mum dreading flying with her baby daughter has shared how she got through it without any tears

Lala, from Germany, took to social media to share her genius parenting hack just in time for any summer holidays you have planned.

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And the best part is that the travel hack costs just 45p.

In the clip, Lala and her partner could be seen boarding the plane with their baby asleep in her mum’s arms.

She said: “This was her very first flight and we timed it perfectly with her nap. She slept right through takeoff but eventually she woke up.”

So how did the parents keep her entertained for the three hour flight? Lettuce.

Lala said they often give their tot lettuce when they’re trying to eat in peace, so decided to try it on the plane.

“It always keeps her occupied for so long. And I thought, if it works at home, why would it not work on a plane?” she explained.

Like most kids, her daughter was obsessed with tearing things up and trying to put them in her mouth.

“Like bread, paper, tissue, anything. But bread is way too messy, like there are crumbs everywhere,” she explained. And with paper or tissue, we always have to keep an eye on her that she doesn’t eat it. But lettuce?

“Lettuce is genius. It has a really fun texture and it’s not messy at all. And it’s safe if she decides to munch on it. Not just safe, but it’s actually a really refreshing and healthy snack for her.”

“This kept her occupied almost the entire flight.”

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While Lala’s easy travel hack was worth giving a go, it’s worth noting that some airlines may not let you bring it on, depending on what country you are flying to.

Others may not let you bring it into the country when you land so you’ll have to chuck it away.

But that won’t matter too much as the hack costs just 45p as two heads of lettuce cost 90p from Waitrose.

The clip quickly went viral on her TikTok account @lalaleluu with over 1.7 million views and 267k likes.

Plenty of parents took to the comments thanking her for the advice.

One person wrote: “Wow this is genius. About to take my baby on her first flight alone and I might try this.”

Another commented: “I have a 14 hour flight with my baby next month. I’ll just bring a whole field.”

“You, Lala, have just unlocked a whole new toy for all of us mums out there thank you,” penned a third.

Meanwhile a fourth said: “This is some next level parenting!! Bravo!!”

“Genius idea,” claimed a fifth

Someone else added: “This is such a good idea!!”

OOH la la.

When it comes to pastries, it seems many people are opting for a taste of France, as pains au chocolat fly off the shelves in supermarkets.

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Buttery, flaking and traditionally filled with two tunnels of dark cocoa, chocolate croissants have enjoyed an eight per cent rise in sales.

But whether you enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, or simply with a cup of coffee as a treat, which own-brand versions give you the best taste for your dough?

Laura Stott tastes a selection and rates them.

Pains Au Chocolat (4) Morrisons, £1.80 (45p each)

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AN all-butter packet of pains au choc for this price means you are getting super quality for your money – and they did not disappoint on flavour.

The high-grade ingredients are similar to those in costlier packets.

Made in the traditional French style, these pastries look inviting, with thick wodges of dark chocolate running through the middle that ooze out of each end.

The outer layers are lovely, flaky and dark golden.

The dough crumbles as you bite in to enjoy the rich and yummy taste.

There is loads of choccie in every mouthful, which is incredibly satisfying.

Good warmed up, or tasty munched cold.

You might even fool yourself that you bought them at a bakery in France.

Rating: 5/5

Pains Au Chocolat (6) Sainsbury’s, £1.60 (27p each)

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THE pastries in this multi-pack are individually wrapped, which makes them ideal for popping into bags to eat on the go.

Enjoy them for brekkie on your commute or just saving a bit of cash when you pop out for coffee.

The flavour is good, especially for the price.

Made with proper butter and 14 per cent chocolate, they looked a bit squashed and sad but tasted better than I expected.

The pastry is quite dense and very filling owing to a heavier texture.

But it’s not too stodgy, and on the plus side this did make them more substantial.

A nice soft dough means these also tasted good even when eaten cold.

Ideal for tucking into with a cup of coffee while sitting in the sunshine.

Rating: 3/5

Finest Pains Au Chocolat (4) Tesco, £2.40 (60p each)

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TRES bon, Tesco.

These tasty treats had the best dark chocolate inside of all those I tried.

With 18 per cent per pastry, it’s a decadent and delicious dark filling that would be good enough to eat on its own if it came as a bar.

Encase it in crumbling, flaky, all-butter pastry and it tastes even better.

Nice, fluffy dough with lots of pastry layers and not dry at all.

These are so moist and rich they taste fine if munched straight from the packet.

But I’d still warm them for a few minutes in the oven or air fryer to get the gorgeous aroma and golden crispiness.

Very generous pastries.

Divine with a cup of coffee, and the perfect way to start a lazy weekend.

Rating: 4/5

Bon Appetit Pains Au Chocolat (8) Aldi, £1.49 (19p each)

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THE packet says these were baked in France – and while they might have lost a bit of their je ne sais quoi on the journey across the Channel, they don’t taste bad at all for a supermarket effort.

The chocolate is very good, considering what great value for money they offer with eight per pack.

You get 12 per cent cocoa, which has an intense flavour.

The two smooth runs of dark choc are evenly distributed through each croissant, so there is plenty to keep you happy.

Lovely once warmed up, and the aroma is very appetising.

The pastry, while golden and crumbly, tasted extremely sweet, and there is no butter listed in the ingredients, which does affect the texture.

Rather oily when heated, too.

Perfect for snacking, or as an anytime treat, and super value for money.

Rating: 4/5

Pains Au Chocolat (4) M&S or ocado.com, £3 (75p each)

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WITH only four in the packet, they might be a bit pricier per croissant.

But these are absolute whoppers, easily the biggest and bounciest pastries of those I tried.

They are delicious, made with all-butter pastry that gives them a flaking, rich outer.

It crumbles all over your chin when you bite in.

The genuine French dark chocolate inside is top notch.

It is thick and chunky and there is plenty of it packed into the middle, so you get the taste on every bite and don’t feel short-changed.

Warm these up and they taste so good you could have bought them from a Paris boulangerie. A shame they are so expensive.

Rating: 3/5

Rowan Hill Pains Au Chocolat (8) Lidl, £1.29 (16p each)

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WHILE unbeatable on price, these were not the most enjoyable pastries I tried.

The ingredients say each one contains 12 per cent chocolate, but the filling seems very mean.

You do get two strips layered though the pastry but these were very thin.

I found the pastry dry, chewy and unpleasantly soft, with an odd vanilla scent and flavour.

Tasted more like a soft bread roll than a traditional French treat.

They are a bargain, and being individually wrapped makes them useful for a grab-and-go eat.

But I’d rather spend a few pence more for a better pain, or just have a piece of chocolate with my cuppa.

Rating: 1/5

Bakery Pains Au Chocolat (4) Co-Op, £2.35 (59p each)

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THESE are somewhat smaller croissants and their ratios overall seem rather unbalanced.

Despite being more compact, they were generous on the chocolate filling, with double portions of tasty cocoa that’s bitter and authentically French tasting, not overly sweet.

Very thick pieces, too, which were satisfying to scoff.

The chocolate adds good moisture to the pastry, which is needed as, despite containing 17 per cent butter, the dough outers were pale and tasted rather dry.

Also, the bottoms were thick and bread-like.

Better once warmed up but be careful not to burn your mouth as there’s so much liquid filling inside they get oozy.

Rating: 2/5

Bakery Pains Au Chocolat (8) Asda, £1.98 (25p each)

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SUPER value for money, and the pains au choc in this packet looked and smelled deliciously fresh.

Like the Sainsbury’s croissants, these offerings from Asda have a denser-tasting pastry outer, probably due to the inclusion of some rye flour, which also gives them a darker colour.

Made with butter so they taste nice and rich, this also gives the flakes a lovely softness when you bite in, which I really enjoyed.

A nice hint of sweetness that’s not overdone. Lovely chocolate, and plenty of it.

A little flat to look at and not the biggest pains on the block, but they puffed up beautifully in the oven, so you don’t feel disappointed.

Very tasty and a super price. Would pair well with a hot chocolate.

Rating: 4/5

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