Teen Traveling with School: Hotel Concerns and Meals Away

[YouKnowWho]

I blame you Mac - Go Picnics were on sale and I might have bought a dozen of the sunbutter ones in the last week

[Macabre]

I just ran across this thread while looking for cell phone threads, and have to link it here. Perfect!  AND YKW--GP mentions GoPicnic meals to boot!

High school trip to NYC

[Macabre]

I haven't posted in this thread recently, but now that DS is in college, I'd like to note that being able to travel in high school--and travel by himself--made adjusting and making food choices in college so much easier for DS. And easier for DH and me.

His 504 in high school really helped make these trips possible.

I'm grateful he had these opportunities.

[MaryM]

I am at such a loss at to how to let my dairy/egg allergic child go on trips and eat out when I am not there.  He is almost 13.  He is definitely outgrowing dairy.  I know its doable but how do you let go and what do I need in his 504 going forward.  The school just told me that he should bring his own food on the Hershey trip bc the nurse who was going cancelled.  I HATE that.  I have been researching and working on finding safe options for him so he doesn't stand out.  I am just pissed at the school for not letting me know this sooner.  I had to ask. 

[becca]

Honestly, dd has always felt safest having her own safe food along with her.  She brings something whenever she goes out with friends, so, if she's not comfortable with her options, she's got safe food.  I do know that Gingerpye has sent her kids on school trips.  But, maybe one of them went along?  Reach out to her, she might have suggestions.

I think an amusement park environment is risky for trusting food prep wrt handling dairy and cross contact.  Thinking about handing of cheese burgers, pizza, etc...and employees being seasonal, young, or perhaps non native English language speakers.  I hate to be discouraging, but that's how we operate.  It's just much less stressful for dd to know she's got safe food with her.  It does suck to not be able to traipse around the food courts with her friends, sampling treats with wild abandon, but food allergies suck.

[PurpleCat]

Every child is ready to be responsible for themselves away from home at different ages.  You and your child know best what is going to work for both of you.

Who are the chaperones?  Are any of them adults your kiddo is comfortable relying on?  Are they epi trained regardless of the food he eats?

My kiddo has been fairly independent.  She has gone on an 8th grade school trip to Washington DC and on a trip to Florida with my sister.  She often goes to amusement parks.  She travels on overnights with friends.

Local around town independence was pre middle school.  In middle school, she started doing things like movies, eating out, malls, bowling, amusement parks, etc... with friends and without us.  She has progressed from there to concerts, etc...


It really depends on if your child is ready to self advocate no only for safe food, but for resolving contact issues, and to have a plan if a reaction should occur.

That being said, if it were my DS2 (who is just 13 and has no allergies), I'd have reservations based on his maturity and behavior and tendency to follow the pack.

Some amusement parks are better than others.  One that was out of state (this goes back to middle school) actually said to me, look we are small and we don't have a lot of food options and your daughter's allergies scare us, please, can she bring her own food!  Sure!  Whatever works out best for all!  They gave her a complimentary locker to put her cooler in so she did not have to carry it around.

Hershey was great!  Now we did go with her there as we were on our way home from a softball tournament when DD was 12.  We prearranged where she could safely eat for both lunch and dinner.  The staff were fantastic!   We had a great day at the park! 

[MaryM]

DS is pretty mature but he's a 12yo boy...lol.  It looks like they will be eating in a cafeteria and the band director emailed me to say that the chefs are used to dealing with allergies.  He is going to talk to them today and report back.  I am sure I will be reaching out to whoever is in charge of the food if I like what I hear.  I want DS to be more independent.  He cares much less about having to bering his own food places.  He wants to go on the French trip to Montreal next year...not sure he can do that w/o one of us along as his ability to communicate in another language is not great and the teacher will have her hands full.  I know they speak English too but last time we were in Quebec the language barrier was apparent at one of the restaurants we tried .There is also a DS trip which I would love for him to go on without us....I should get some info about that now so I can start thinking about it. 

[hedgehog]

Not allergy related, but goes to theme park food prep.  We were at Six Flags a few years ago, and DD heard someone behind the counter say that the lettuce looked like it had gone bad, then asked if she should use it. 

[GoingNuts]

DS always brought his own food. At some point early on we really have up trying to make sure he didn't stand out or getting him an equivalent food, and just made sure he had something safe and portable. It is a PITA, but it is what it is.

There was only one place he went to where we trusted them to prepare meals; the Y based Outdoor Ed facility where he went 3 years in a row in HS.  They were quite used to FA's, and were great to deal with.

[Macabre]

I posted in the other thread. We only dealt with peanut, which is such a different ball game. But he's been fine eating at theme parks all his life if we just ask lots and lots of questions.

But to help him pack food: is it a day trip? Refried beans spread on tortillas keep well and are slim.


We found a neoprene rectangular sleeve that has a slim profile for a backpack.

You may call ahead to see if anyone has Divvies. We bought them there the last time DS did a band festival there. It might be nice for your DS to be able to get Divvies--especially when his friends go to the chocolate shop (a huge part of the experience)

[MaryM]

Thanks Mac.  You know what the saving grace is here?  This child HATES chocolate - lol.  I am not sure how he is related to me.  I know there is a Nathans at Hershey and he can eat those hot dogs but I would have to check about the grill.  I am still waiting to hear back from the band director.  I will look onto if they still carry Divvies bc he would love to buy a treat.

[MaryM]

I am back to this thread.  The permission slip for the DC overnight trip came home.  DS is now only egg allergic. Its a hard allergy bc its in so many things and flyers are contaminated....lots of things to consider. 
I really want him to go without us.  He could use that freedom/independence.  There is a dinner cruise and I will contact the company that runs it.  I am sure that I will have send him safe breakfast food bc eggs are everywhere at those hotel breakfast buffets.  They are also stopping at Golden Coral ( ) on the way home.  I will have to send him food for that too and there is some free time when they buy lunch on their own in DC.  I am glad this is in May and I have time to plan. 
One of DD's friend's moms works at the middle school and teaches 8th grade.  She asked me lat night what we were going to do.  I said maybe one of us would go but I really don't want to....I really need to call her and talk about how it was last year when she went.  We were at a school fundraiser last night and it wasn't a good place to chat.

[hezzier]

I have no advice, but I can imagine how you feel.  Our middle school doesn't have trips like this, but our school in Illinois did.  I can't say that I'm sorry we moved before DS hit MS there.  I will be dealing with this for swim team in a 2 years or so.

[MaryM]

I contacted the tour company and she sent me some info.  I need to call each place they will eat individually.  She said Golden Coral will make grilled chicken on a clean grill but I do not think I am comfortable with that...the food on the dinner cruise looks ok - taco bar/Mac and cheese - but I need to call and double check.

We are considering being in the area but not chaperoning.  DH's company has an office nearby.  He can work from there and if we need to provide food for DS for the dinner cruise, he can just show up at dock and hand it off.  Same for when they leave - heat up food in a thermos and hand it to DS before they depart the city for when they stop at Golden Coral..We will see.  I need to talk to the school nurse.  My friend who works at the school said she is not going.  This group is notoriously bad and there have been false accusations made against some teachers this year.  She doesn't want to even take a chance. 

[Macabre]

"Clean grill" my foot.  I laugh when restaurants tell me that.

That sounds like a great plan, MaryM.