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Upcoming Trip and Food Challenge

May 28th, 2011 at 09:27 pm

Well, I leave by Greyhound bus on a trip to St. Louis for a conference. So that I don't sidetracked into eating lots of junk food and spending lots of money, I am taking all my own snacks. It's a 6 hour bus ride and it leaves at 5:00am, so food is essential. Because of my food allergies, I can't depend on finding food I can eat at the places a bus is likely to stop. So, I have packed Larabars, single serving raisin packets, and single serving nuts. I am also taking a bottle of water and 2 sandwiches.

My bus ticket and conference registration are already paid for. I already have money allocated for the hotel bill and any other food I will buy. I'm so excited!

I don't leave for the trip until Thursday, so I still have to make some food to eat from now until then.

1) Salmon and gluten free pasta salad with salt, pepper, and garlic (3 meals)

2) Spaghetti sauce with rice (1 meal)

3) Stir fry with chicken, peppers, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and hot chili sauce (3 meals)

4) Oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, almond milk, and honey (4 meals)

5) Beans and rice - I am not sure how many meals I will get out of this. I have never made it before and have to look up a recipe.

6) Breakfast at the hotel during my conference - The hotel serves free breakfast, but some of it I won't be able to eat. I will probably be able to eat some fruit and hot tea, but I will have to buy my own cereal and almond milk at the store. (3 meals)

7) Dinners at the hotel during my conference - The hotel also serves free dinners, out of which I will probably be able to eat a salad, baked potato, and some kind of drink. I will probably have to buy some gluten free lunchmeat at the nearby grocery store. (3 meals)

The fact that the hotel serves both breakfast and lunch is an extremely major deal, because my college gives us a per diem (a meal allowance) for attending conferences. Since I don't have to pay for many of my meals, they will reimburse more of my other costs, like conference registration and bus ticket. I am keeping track of all costs on a printed spreadsheet and, of course, keeping all receipts.

7) I will be eating out for any meals not accounted for above. This will probably include my lunches while at the conference. I don't know what they are serving, or even if anything will be available. I have money for that, though, so it's not a problem.

5 Responses to “Upcoming Trip and Food Challenge”

  1. mom-from-missouri Says:
    1306643174

    You mentioned you were taking nuts....check first--some buses, trains and airlines are now nut free due to allergies.

    I wasn't aware trains and buses were, till a friend of mine told me when she boarded a train recently they were told no nuts-then another person piped up and said it was the same way on her last bus trip.

    We recently came back from vacation, and stayed at a super 8 outside of Dallas that was a "nut free hotel". of course, my husband told me that meant I couldn't stay there, being the nut I am....

  2. crazyliblady Says:
    1306674944

    Thanks for the heads up about the nuts. I will take along a piece of fruit or two just in case and eat my sandwiches on the way to the bus.

    A nut free hotel, huh? And your husband says you can't stay there? What does it say about him, then, that he is married to you? LOL

  3. CB in the City Says:
    1306675445

    I used to make a little money at conferences because I stayed well under my per diem -- at this job I don't get a per diem, just reimbursement for expenses -- so I have much less incentive to keep it low!

  4. crazyliblady Says:
    1306694112

    I had to go out to pick up a few things -- ziploc freezer bags and shampoo -- and had a bright idea. I could not find non-nut Larabars, so I guess they all have nuts in them. I had also planned on eating 2 almond butter sandwiches. Ughhh! So, I picked up some gluten free lunchmeat that I can make 2 sandwiches with. I will take along my lunchbox so they will stay cold until I eat them.

  5. Jerry Says:
    1307137481

    We just took a long bus trip last weekend (9 hours each way, between two buses) and you are right, the only insurance of having access to decent snacks is to bring your own stuff with you. It also leads to the satisfaction of knowing that you will actually enjoy what you have to eat! Enjoy that conference...
    Jerry

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