Traveling with Food Allergies- The One Thing I Will Always Do

When we travel sometimes I look at all of the stuff I pack and wonder…are we going for a weekend or a two-week trip?  My husband loads the car and I contemplate the necessity of all of the bags and boxes and miscellaneous items shoved in all of the available nooks and crannies. I am nothing short of prepared (over-prepared some, OK a lot, would argue) and many of the extra items are directly related to managing my daughter’s food allergies on the road- extra food, supplies to make and eat food at the hotel, bathroom essentials as hotel provided toiletries often prove unsafe.  But, one of the many things I have learned as a food allergy mom- it pays to be prepared and our trip this past weekend confirmed for me that all of my packing is worth it. 

I shared in a Facebook Post earlier this week that when we arrived at the hotel I immediately noticed that the hotel provided lotion and body soap had sesame as an ingredient.  A definite no-go for us with a sesame allergy.  I quickly removed them from the bathroom and replaced them with the items we brought from home.  

 

Sesame in the ingredient list-with our sesame allergy we definitely cannot use these!

Our hotel provided breakfast, which is a great perk, except when you have food allergies.  There were a couple of pre-packaged items that were safe, but a majority of the breakfast fare was unsafe, or questionable at best. We used our packed food to supplement my daughter’s breakfast.  She enjoyed getting a yogurt and juice from the breakfast bar but we added safe cereal and granola to round out her meal.  

I chuckled as we left and packed up our food realizing I had enough to feed my daughter for a few days still.....silly food allergy mom in her constant state of over-packing.  Then it happened, about three hours into our nine hour drive we started to have car problems.  We had to pull off in a small town.  We pulled off the exit uncertain of what was ahead- car problems on a Sunday morning in a small town didn’t seem like the best scenario.  My mind instantly went into planning mode- what were we going to do if we had to stay, how would we eat, how would we keep it safe.  

Fortunately, we found an open garage and were back on the road in just a few hours- and home in time to eat a late dinner at our own house.  But, my initial oh-my-gosh-what-do-we-do panic quickly faded as I thought through the arsenal of food and supplies I had.  We were prepared, even if we had to stay another night or two.  

I will always pack more than we need, because there may be a day in the future when we need it.  It wasn’t this trip, thankfully, but when it happens we will be ready!  Sorry hubby- more van tetris-ing is in your future! 

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