Help--packing safe foods while attending marathon

[capsgirl08]

We are flying to Atlanta for my DH to run in a marathon next weekend. I am nervous for lots of reasons (don't know the area, we're from TX, etc.)

DS is IgE allergic to dairy, eggs, and all nuts. I am pregnant and nursing, so I'm avoiding these as well.

I am not big on spending all day out of the home for the very reason that packing filling foods that don't spoil (I'm thinking meat) seems tough.

Do any of you have experience or ideas on how to go about this? DS (2.5yrs) just seems to get so hyped up on sugar if I only pack fruits and safe cracker type snacks...(and I need some good protein for myself and baby, too)...

What kind of food storage system do you use if you have successfully packed meat foods for 6-8+ hours outdoors?

Thank you so much in advance. Flying over there used to seem so stressful, but that's nothing compared to trying to figure this out...

[mbbinsc]

We deal with the same IgE allergies with DD (along with shellfish). I have small thin ice packs (left over from a Medula pump that I use to carry a cooler bag with safe sandwiches for her). Have you scoped out the area? We spent a weekend in Atlanta this summer. We rode the subway to downtown. There may be a Whole Foods somewhere near the route or your hotel.

[capsgirl08]

Thank you. How long do those ice packs last, though? No, I haven't scoped out the nearby area, though I do think there would be a WF close to where we'll be staying. Not too concerned about foods when we're staying at our hotel --- just concerned about the time out in the sun with not access to a store or safe foods, other than what we pack.

Anyone else? We are leaving in two days...I was thinking sunbutter and safe crackers, along with some carrot sticks...I just need good snack ideas for DS and pregnant me that don't get us hyped up on sugar. Never had to pack for this long away from kitchen/fridge/store access. Thank you!

[scsigrl]

Rice cakes
Fruit (whole and bring something to cut it with if needed)
Veggies (carrots, celery)
Fruit leather
Dry cereal
Sunbutter pouches
Safe pretzels


If you have ice packs, you can bring whatever you want. 6-8 hours isn't that long. Good luck.

[mbbinsc]

I put ice packs in the cooler bag yesterday around 12:30 and emptied it around 6:30. We were outside here in SC (though I did seek shade). The packs were stilll cold. Just be sure your hotel refrigerator has an ice compartment. We got stuck in a hotel for a wedding that did not and it made things a little harder.

[MariaMadly]

Our natural food coop sells a beef jerky; once you open it, I'd refrigerate, but it travels and keeps at room temperature sealed. Maybe you can find something similar. I cringe at the amount of packaging it takes, but it's safe here for our boys (17 and 21), and goes on trips and in care packages all the time.

[capsgirl08]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. It is a lot simpler than I'm making it --- I think the pregnant hormones plus the anxiety around not knowing where stuff is, as well as being nervous for my husband (first marathon, hasn't been able to run much and not anything close to even 20 miles) is making me extra nervous, on top of the usual in-law crud I get about DS's food allergies and our AP style...

Got the ice packs, and I'm just counting on having some fresh fruits, veggies, and rice cakes with sunbutter. Love the beef jerky idea...I'll keep my eyes open when we get to a Whole Foods in Atlanta.

Thanks, again. These boards are the best.

[capsgirl08]

I just wanted to post a quick update and thank you for helping ease my fears about packing food. It went very well, and as there were only three separate times, all spread out throughout the day, when we could see him run, it was very easy to pack for the shorter trips outdoors.

The flight home, on the other hand, was quite frustrating. Regardless of how early we ask for no peanuts to be served to the 3 rows before and after us (the airline's compromise to no a no peanut flight), NO ONE we spoke with in the check-in process had a clue as to what we were talking about. The gate attendant in particular gave us attitude and asked, "Well, if it's such a big deal, why do you fly in the first place?" When I finally got to our seats, there were crumbled peanuts in DS's chair and tray, haha!

I broke down in tears ---hormonal, lost my boarding passes, in laws dropping us off late and made us miss pre-boarding to wipe down tables, and again, no one knew a darn thing about not serving peanuts. I caused a scene and spoke to the head attendant who later announced that the entire flight would in fact be peanut free due to a passenger having a severe allergy. I don't know that it prevented other passengers from opening up their roasted peanuts, but it did feel better, and it has instilled in me a greater desire to just plain educate people on the basics and realities of food allergies.

Well, that was our trip. DS lived on junkier foods than usual (as in safe crackers and safe cookies), but we're back home and back to bone broth, etc. Thanks for the support.