Since I’m in and out of my house all day on most days, I don’t have to worry too often about packing lunch and snacks for myself. Then inevitably a day comes around where I’ll be out for most of it, away from my kitchen and I have to figure out what I’ll eat. Having food sensitivities means planning ahead, especially if you know you’ll be somewhere where you’ll potentially have zero idea what’s in any of the food served.
I do find it a bit annoying to think this way, but then I look back at the years and years I would just eat “whatever” no matter where I was, and be really sick as a result. Clearly, it makes me remember that the relatively small inconvenience is worth it!
I think we’ve already established that I’m the weirdo eating a tupperware of eggs and avocado in the car. Literally this morning, Drew handed me his plate of unfinished scrambled eggs and said “you eat this in the car for snack mommy!” Of course I laughed, but then I stuck it in a container and put it in the fridge. That kid is smart and knows what’s up 🙂
And now for my WIAW post, which is from last Sunday, the day we hit up Six Flags and were gone from 9:30-6.
First things first, when you know you’ll be out all day, have a huge breakfast that will hold you over as long as physically possible! Not that there’s any day I don’t do that, but this is where it really matters. I had a whole small white sweet potato fried in ghee, with Aidell’s andouille pork sausage, collards and two eggs. Running or not, I need a pile of carbs, fat and protein on my plate to feel satisfied all morning. I know the “pile” reference just totally sold the meal to you, whatevs 🙂
I put a lot of coconut milk in my coffee today. I almost always buy Native Forest brand organic unsweetened canned coconut milk. A little more fat = less hunger later on I’ve noticed.
With 3 kids I already had to pack like 10 snacks just to get through the morning, I didn’t want to have to pack 10 of my own either. Since Diana performed at 12, we had lunch at 1pm and I was prepared with leftovers –
I brought along a rather large hunk of a new frittata I made, with spicy beef sausage and collards. I needed a “medical” tag on my bag just to bring this sucker into Six Flags. The top picture is what it looks like when it’s new and pretty, the one above is what it looked like when I was one bite away from being done and realized I’d forgotten to take a picture.
I didn’t take a picture, but, we all drank a ton of water throughout the day since it was super hot. I wasn’t thrilled with $5 for a bottle of water, but, better that I didn’t have to pay $20 for a bunless burger. Water water water it was all afternoon.
I brought dried fruit and nuts with me for an afternoon snack. This is something I don’t normally have since it’s a bit iffy with my stomach, mostly if I eat too much of it a few days in a row, but when I’m out of the house for long periods of time I make an exception and it’s typically fine. I probably had 3 or 4 big handfuls of a mix of raw walnuts and almonds + chopped dates and figs. Also more water.
When we got home I cooked up burgers for everyone and also a few plantains for me, raw veggies for the kids. Also spinach, tomatoes, pickles, and homemade mayo to top. I snuck in a few kalamata olives after the picture.
You didn’t think I’d skip kombucha right? Had a bottle of Lavendar after dinner and it was so refreshing!
And my dessert bowl – lately I’ve been pretty attached to them! Bananas, blueberries and 85% dark chocolate. I think I had this around 9pm.
And boom, that was my day. I’m remembering how exhausted I was at the end of it and now I want to take a nap. But alas, I’m not a napper and don’t have time for one anyway 🙂
If you have food sensitivities, do you bring your own food out with you often?
How do you fuel up in the morning for a long busy day?
Do you have a favorite “dessert bowl” lately?
I don’t even have food sensitivities and I still bring my food along if I am going to be out all day! Now that there are days that I go to the gym in the morning and straight to work I pack a ton of food including breakfast, lunches, and snacks. I’m contemplating getting a bigger lunch bag:)
I probably need a lunch bag of my own – I just use my purse or an old lululemon bag (although they work well!)
I totally bring my food and snacks, if anything, just to be safe in case I don’t see something I will like to eat! Pb & J sandwiches on Ezekiel bread fit nice in my bag and if I travel, I come with lots of oatmeal packets I make myself which can be added to yogurt or heated up with water. And peanut butter packets, always.I can’t imagine the food at Great Adventure being appetizing but I must admit that Hershey Park has an awesome selection of great food that was both healthy and satisfying. Can’t wait to get back there, for the chocolate too 🙂
That’s so smart! I think since I have to pack things for the kids I try to minimize what I pack for myself food wise, but some things make sense to travel with and avoid spending extra $$ on food you don’t like or that might make you sick! Great adventure had pizza and hot dogs basically, and way overpriced!
You know I don’t go anywhere without snacks! Especially to theme/amusement parks. There is generally nothing there for me, and besides that $$$$$$$
Yes the overpriced factor is annoying as well!
You actually have to tag your food as medical to get it in? What has this world come to?
It was obnoxious and amusing at the same time! They checked my bag, asked me what was in my aluminum foil and I told them food, since I can’t eat certain things. They asked me if it was prescribed by a medical doctor! I nodded and they slapped a med tag on my bag, it was so weird!
I always always bring food with me because of Celiac. I haven’t been to an amusement park in a while but I never heard of getting a medical tag to let you bring food in. I’m going to do that next time!
They actually searched my bag and asked me what I brought. I told them food since I can’t eat certain things and they asked me if it was prescribed by a doctor. Very strange! But for celiac I would think they definitely have to let you bring food wherever you are!
I bring my own food with me pretty much everywhere I go! Borderline obnoxious, I know, but it is better than being stuck with nothing to eat.
That dessert bowl…drooling.
Yes, it’s good to have something with you just in case I think. I’ve made the mistake of not bringing and that is surely worse!
I always bring snacks! I can’t go more than 2-3 hours without eating! I don’t understand how people don’t need snacks:) I am contemplating doing Whole 30…how much fat do you typically eat in a day?
I’m not sure how much fat I eat in a day, but it’s a whole lot more than I ever thought I would before paleo. Now between cooking fats, meats, and avocados and things like that I have an idea of what will make a meal tasty and filling, but it took a while and a lot of experimenting to figure it out.
You’re so smart! Last time I went to a theme park I definitely didn’t feel great food wise. I remember trying to be a good sport and not be fussy since I was with people I didn’t know very well yet, but my tummy wasn’t happy later on. Next time I will definitely plan better which shouldn’t be a problem since I don’t have qualms with fussing lol. Nuts and dried fruit seem to make an appearance anytime we’re traveling, how funny but it’s easy and better than a bag of nothing. Or wonder bread and margarine:)
I know that feeling of wanting to be a good sport because I felt like that my whole life with food! I never wanted to stand out as strange with food, a lot of it was feeling ashamed of my IBS and wanting to avoid the subject. I’d sneak lactaid pills wherever I went but would still wind up sick at some point and frustrated.
Nuts and dried fruit aren’t ideal for me but they work for traveling in smaller amounts. Not an everyday choice though.
Yep – traveling for me always means an extra suitcase for food 🙂 Add me to the list of people with multiple food allergies. It used to make me self-conscious, but I’ve finally reached the point of not caring. In the end, I’m the one that will be dealing with my symptoms, not anyone else!
I know that feeling of being self conscious! I hate it, because at this point I’m an adult and I’m responsible for myself and how I feel in ever way, so it shouldn’t matter what anyone thinks. But I think it brings up shame about my IBS from the years when I was younger and was way too embarrassed to discuss it. We are the ones who deal with our symptoms though- so true!
I think one of the most annoying things about travelling for me is having to pack food. I’ve got allergies too, so I need to make sure I bring enough with me to tide me over until I can find somewhere that I want to eat. I always look at people who don’t have to worry about that kind of stuff and feel super jealous. But it’s better than starving or feeling sick…
I find it annoying too, and since I have to pack snacks and things that my kids like, packing for myself feels really excessive! But you’re right, it’s so much better than starving or feeling ill. Many of my past trips I’d be both!
Your dessert bowl looks delicious! I’ve been satisfying my sweet tooth craving by topping some Arctic Zero ice cream with some heated up Quest proteins bars. So delicious!
I’ve never had a Quest bar! My sister and mom love them though 🙂
That’s really cool that you’re allowed to bring your own food into the park. I almost always eat a bunch of crap and feel super sick when I go to places like that! And I love that you eat eggs in the car!!! Ha ha!! Crazy cat.
I was happy they allowed it in, then again putting a medical tag on it was weird! It’s way too easy to eat nothing but crap at those places, I just can’t handle it. I guess I’m happy being crazy eggs-in-the-car-lady 🙂
I consider myself a master of bringing and packing my own food 😉
Definitely a useful skill 🙂
Scrolling down to the bottom of the comments I am basically going to be the only one saying I don’t ever pack food with me! haha One of my favorite parts about going somewhere different is eating fun food I wouldn’t have at home. I know it’s different if you have food intolerances since it’s probably hard to find stuff you can eat. I love theme park foods – churros and ice cream! I think because for years I packed food for the wrong reasons, now it would feel too restrictive for me.
If bringing food makes you feel restricted and there’s no medical need, then definitely no need for that hassle! Fun food IS fun, my kids definitely had their share and loved it 🙂
ugh yes…celiac = bring your own food always and everywhere. not so bad for a day but def when you are traveling longer its always fun. i wonder what tsa thinks of my suitcase with food in it ? and peanut butter being considered a liquid is just plain stupid ! i almost have a small fear of not being able to find food outside of the house i can eat from a place like an amusement park plus who wants to spend time there sick ! i also deal with the emotional side of “its not fair i cant have X at the park” and so if i dont have my own treats i am not really that fun to be around ! i bring snacks not just for me but for those around me !
Never thought about nut butters being considered a liquid! That’s great that you’ll bring snacks for everyone! I know what you mean about needing some sort of snack if everyone else is having. And I’ve been sick so many times while traveling or out somewhere that I’ll do everything in my power to try to avoid that now!
Looks to me like you have your system down pat. I have zero sensitivities so it’s pretty easy for me. That said, I often pack my own just b/c it’s hard to really eat the way I normally do on the road. I just got back from three days away for a business trip and I felt like crap b/c even the “healthier” choices I was making were not on the same level as my normal eats.
So true, and my husband is the same when he travels. He has no sensitivities but nonetheless comes home feeling blech just from the quality of food on the road.
Similarly to Hayley, I try to limit the amount of food I pack and see what I can find. However, it’s for the reason of recovery and I still do pack some foods just in case and not to bother my hosts/people around me. If I had any allergies or sensitivities I’d sure as heck pack lots of food. Plus, I’m savvy like you and would rather not spend lots of money on sub-par food while out and about. It seems like you did a great job there and your dessert bowl looks awesome. I can’t wait for blueberry season!
I love picking blueberries with my kids when late summer rolls around 🙂 I totally hear you on the mental factor of packing food – it can bring up a lot of feelings I think in people for all different reasons. I think we know in our “guts” (figuratively!) what works best for us individually 🙂 I also really hate spending extra $$ on snacks especially, so that part is always a no brainer!
I have never done a dessert ball but I am DIGGING that. Do you use yogurt or something to hold it together ever?
I haven’t eaten yogurt since pre paleo but I used to have something really similar with yogurt as a base. Come to think of it some coconut yogurt might be great with this 🙂
I’m new to Kombucha and I love it!
It’s so good! I love my bottle per day 🙂
How annoying is it that theme parks 1. charge ridiculous amounts and 2. Don’t let you bring food in or try and make you put it under an allergy or sickness! You’re so smart to NOT buy a bunless burger for $20. Seriously, crazy.
So I totally need bacon recommendations, someone recommended this brand but I bought TURKEY bacon and it is NOT the same.
I’m not a fan of turkey bacon 🙁 Was it applegate farms? Whole Foods has a huge selection of uncured bacon and precooked sausage! And yes to the medical tag thing, so odd!
I have been a big fan of bunless burgers for a while, but this weather makes me just want to eat them all the time.
I love them when I make at home, when I order them out I feel like I need double, because of the whole missing bun thing I guess 🙂
Always packing snacks and food when I travel. Usually research options ahead of time to be prepared and then always bring something just in case. My fav nightly bowl of goodness is kabocha squash covered in loads of cinnamon with some raw sunbutter drizzled on top. So yummy and the squash and cinnamon is sweet enough naturally so no need for added sweeteners!
So smart! And I love kabocha squash, I’ll have to buy one and try that out. Also have an unopened jar of sunbutter, sounds awesome 🙂
That dessert bowl..so delicious! New reader here 🙂
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
Hi, glad you found me 🙂 Love those dessert bowls!
Hi Michele, I just want to say it is encouraging to read about your food choices as I, too, have food intolerances/sensitivities. I totally relate to bringing meals in tupperware and eating in the car. I absolutely do the same thing.
I’ve recently started making my own chocolate chips beause the only sweetener I tolerate is maple syrup/sugar. I love all your dessert recipes that incude that as an option for sweetener. If I don’t have my homemade chocolate chips then I might drizzele maple syrup over a bowl of berries and maybe add a dollop of cococnut whipped cream.
Thank you for sharing publicly your relationship with food!