HELP! Food allergies--weekend trip to Houston

[kbutton]

I need serious help. I am going to be in Houston for a long weekend, and I need to be able to eat. I am planning

No Gluten is just the tip of the iceberg...
Nothing cured or overly processed; no aged cheeses
No tomatoes, peppers (or spices made with peppers), coconut, citrus, gelatin, tuna

There are lots of things I am iffy about as well, even with this list. 

Ratings on GF are hit and miss. We're flying in, so I need to be able to walk (in the heat) or to get delivery. When I look into delivery or ordering online, a lot of the time, it's for pickup. One restaurant that has good ratings for allergies has a $150 minimum order for delivery.

Some of the restaurants, I have no idea what the food is they are describing (Vietnamese, for instance), and no way to become familiar enough to feel safe eating something unknown (I have new, unpredictable reactions to things all the time). 

There is always pressure to decide things on the spot (with no time to think it through), and I rarely feel confident eating out even at home due to this dynamic of "We really want your money" disguised as "I'm sure we can accommodate you" or people simply being overly optimistic about their food allergy knowledge. Even places that tend to be gluten-free friendly apparently make significant mistakes per the online ratings, and I have a lot more to be wary of than gluten.

I will be at a conference, which means I also can't just slip in and out of a restaurant for pickup really easily with all this necessary customization. I don't know if the conference hotel will let me bring in my own food if I can find something to eat.

I am about ready to cancel my trip. I have been looking and looking, and it's just getting uglier by the menu.

[Rachel]

What about a seeing if Grubhub or Uber Eats is available?

[Pen]

Can you take a cab or Uber or some such to a Whole Foods or similar store and get what you need when you arrive?

[Rachel]

I’ve never had a hotel stop me from bringing my own food. I’ve stayed at some nice downtown hotels and I’ve taken my shopping bags in and no one has ever said anything. 

I was recently at a not so fancy place and they didn’t allow outside food at the pool area, but they didn’t care if you had it in the hotel.

[The Governess]

I was going to suggest Uber Eats. Get their app and search for restaurants based on your conference location. 

If you will have a fridge in your room, I’d also search for grocery stores that will deliver.

I’m GF and have food issues when I am traveling so I totally get it. 

[Pen]

Can you eat fruits and vegetables and drink water for the duration?

 I use raw fruits, vegetables and cheese I can handle as my go to.  Cold bags and ice from ice chest or blue ice or whatever if there’s not a fridge in room.

[kbutton]

11 minutes ago, Arctic Mama said:

Are you anaphylactic to all of these? Or is it just random levels of histamine response?

My doctor says not anaphylactic, but I would say that remains to be seen. I get inconsistent test results. I can't be off meds long enough for a food challenge. (My doctor is arrogant, pushy, and asks combative questions, which doesn't help.)

I will be unable to function if I pretend I don't have issues. That's not an option, even if I could manage to stay out of the bathroom.

 

[Lecka]

Can you take some things in your checked bags?  

We have definitely put ice into a sink or tub (depending) in order to keep some refrigerated items in a hotel.  You can get ice from the ice machine.  It’s not ideal but it can work out.  This is easier if you are in a group and can just use the sink or tub from another room.  

I think I would try to look for a way to get to a store from the hotel.  

Maybe Uber or Lyft?  Maybe a taxi?  

If you have time the first night or day, maybe you could have some things in your checked bag and then some things from a local store?  

I don’t think I would trust a restaraunt with this, unless you have some basic thing you could ask for.  If you could ask for a plain salad or a plain chicken breast — that might be okay.  But I don’t know the extent of allergies.  

A lot of places can do steamed vegetables even if it’s not on the menu.  You could ask but I don’t know about counting on being able to eat that way.  

You could call and ask, but I wouldn’t want to 100% count on that either.

As far as a nicer restaraunt — I think they would be more likely to cook something to order for you.  

My mom almost always has good luck having some plain unseasoned or steamed thing made for her, but my aunt has been given drinks with caffeine that she was assured didn’t have caffeine several times, and it can ruin days of a trip.  

[Lecka]

https://traveltips.usatoday.com/tsas-rules-checked-bags-107082.html

I wouldn’t swear to this being current/accurate but it says a lot of things can be in checked luggage.  

 

[kbutton]

16 minutes ago, Rachel said:

What about a seeing if Grubhub or Uber Eats is available?

From Grubhub:

Quote

Grubhub helps you find and order food from wherever you are. How it works: you type in an address, we tell you the restaurants that deliver to that locale as well as showing you droves of pickup restaurants near you. Want to be more specific? Search by cuisine, restaurant name or menu item. We'll filter your results accordingly. When you find what you're looking for, you can place your order online or by phone, free of charge. Oh, and we also give you access to reviews, coupons, special deals and a 24/7 customer care team that tracks each order and makes sure you get exactly what you want.

This is what I am doing manually right now. It's still all food that is not familiar or the menus aren't specific enough, of it's pickup (we won't be able to just uber our way over there with short windows of time). Maybe I just don't understand how this all works.

Uber Eats: sounds possible if I can find someplace to eat. I get the impression it's uber for my food, right? The driver picks up what I've ordered? 

What is my recourse if what I order is not what I get? This is difficult enough in person--you'd be shocked at how stupid people are about this.

By hotel, I mean at the conference--I'm staying in the conference hotel, the conference is at the hotel. Some places won't let you bring your food into the conference area--they assume you'll eat out.

[73349]

Grocery store delivery rather than take-out delivery. Find grocery stores within a few miles of your hotel and see if they have delivery, such as via Instacart.

Food allergies qualify you for "reasonable accommodation" under ADA. You should be able to bring in a lunch bag even if other people may not, because it's not safe for you to do what they are doing.

[kbutton]

10 minutes ago, Lecka said:

Can you take some things in your checked bags?  

We have definitely put ice into a sink or tub (depending) in order to keep some refrigerated items in a hotel.  You can get ice from the ice machine.  It’s not ideal but it can work out.  This is easier if you are in a group and can just use the sink or tub from another room.  

I think I would try to look for a way to get to a store from the hotel.  

Maybe Uber or Lyft?  Maybe a taxi?  

If you have time the first night or day, maybe you could have some things in your checked bag and then some things from a local store?  

I don’t think I would trust a restaraunt with this, unless you have some basic thing you could ask for.  If you could ask for a plain salad or a plain chicken breast — that might be okay.  But I don’t know the extent of allergies.  

A lot of places can do steamed vegetables even if it’s not on the menu.  You could ask but I don’t know about counting on being able to eat that way.  

You could call and ask, but I wouldn’t want to 100% count on that either.

As far as a nicer restaraunt — I think they would be more likely to cook something to order for you.  

My mom almost always has good luck having some plain unseasoned or steamed thing made for her, but my aunt has been given drinks with caffeine that she was assured didn’t have caffeine several times, and it can ruin days of a trip.  

I will check baggage requirements.

We are open to ubering to a store. Maybe I can take a fold-up cooler. I've not had much luck being able to get enough ice to keep things cold enough to be safe, but maybe I can bring some insulated bags that fold up and do layers inside of layers.

I think there are some places that will do cooked to order, but I don't know that I am going to have time for much sit-down eating. We seem to be booked solid except the first day.

[kbutton]

9 minutes ago, whitehawk said:

Grocery store delivery rather than take-out delivery. Find grocery stores within a few miles of your hotel and see if they have delivery, such as via Instacart.

Food allergies qualify you for "reasonable accommodation" under ADA. You should be able to bring in a lunch bag even if other people may not, because it's not safe for you to do what they are doing.

I wondered. That would help a bit.

[Lecka]

Well — if you Uber, you can buy a big bag of ice at the store or stop at a gas station and buy a bag of ice.  You don’t have to just get ice from the ice machine.  

We have often done this (but with access to a car and time!) with keeping things in a cooler, then keeping things in the tub with bags of ice, and then back into the cooler.  

The ice machine is more for the sink.

I agree it would depend on how easy it would be to go get more bags of ice, because you might need to go daily.

But being able to buy some big bags of ice cuts down on the ice machine hassle.  

[The Governess]

Yes, Uber eats is just Uber for your food.

Does the hotel offer room service? It would be pricey but might not hurt to talk to the chef and see what the options would be.

[kbutton]

12 minutes ago, lovelearnandlive said:

Yes, Uber eats is just Uber for your food.

Does the hotel offer room service? It would be pricey but might not hurt to talk to the chef and see what the options would be.

I know they have restaurants, but I can't find out much about them. But maybe they can do something plain and special order. By the time I uber for stuff, it's not going to be that much more expensive, lol!

I am looking into whether I can do Whole Foods via Amazon Prime. 

Regarding ice, I do have access to a fridge, but not a microwave. So, I could eat a lot of raw veggies, but cooking something quickly is probably out.

[Lecka]

I have asked before at the front desk to use a microwave.  They always have a microwave available, every where I have ever been.  

Its — a thing, I think, because a lot of people want to use a microwave at a hotel.  

It is a little hassle to take something down in the elevator, but not that big of a deal ime.

You could ask this by phone before you go.  

[Pen]

You said no tuna— can you do other things that would be in a can or jar till needed? Sardines or salmon maybe?

 

[Pen]

Mild cheese or cottage cheese or something like that and raw fruits and veggies in room fridge to  get u through a long weekend ?  

[bolt.]

I once took a small rice cooker and a sandwich griller for an extended stay at a hotel. You can do a lot with either/both of those, and they are fine in a suitcase.

[kbutton]

1 minute ago, bolt. said:

I once took a small rice cooker and a sandwich griller for an extended stay at a hotel. You can do a lot with either/both of those, and they are fine in a suitcase.

Really? I can take an individual rice cooker--that would open things up big time! 

[almondbutterandjelly]

If you have to cook in your hotel room (can you tell I've done it?), an electric skillet works well.  A hot pot is also good for some things.  If I were you, I would try to bring a lot of stuff from home.  And they can't keep you from eating in your hotel room, obviously, so you can bring/buy any food you want and take it to your room if you are worried about a restaurant frowning on that.

[kbutton]

2 minutes ago, bolt. said:

I once took a small rice cooker and a sandwich griller for an extended stay at a hotel. You can do a lot with either/both of those, and they are fine in a suitcase.

Did you take it on the plane?

 

[bolt.]

Yes. No issues. (People move their entire households by plane. All sorts of tools and appliances are really normal. Airlines have rules about explosives, not about countertop appliances.)

This TSA list has indicates that these are allowed: waffle iron, electric kettle, and microwave oven. Seems like a good precedent.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/household-and-tools

Edited July 7, 2019 by bolt.

[Lecka]

People take special foods from one place to another in checked bags, too.  It’s really common for people to fly somewhere and take lots of special regional foods home with them.  

Carry-on is where all the hassle is.  

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by Lecka

[Lecka]

Deleted — already answered

Edited July 7, 2019 by Lecka

[bolt.]

You might just take an extra suitcase with your dry foods and cooking equipment: kitchen in a bag. A cutting board, sharp knife and can opener are also useful.

[Lecka]

I am going to add for the microwave — if they have any breakfast area in the hotel, there is often a microwave in there that can be used all day, even when the breakfast area is closed.  

Sometimes there is a microwave in a conference room-type area (but outside the conference room).  

The worse I have ever had was once someone took my mom’s plastic container into the employee breakroom.  But this was not a big deal and I don’t think it was an odd thing.

 

 

[Lecka]

I think it’s possible you may have microwave access at your conference, too.  

Ime (which is not extensive!!!!!!) usually there are several people reheating coffee and a small number reheating a plastic container of soup.  

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by Lecka

[Rachel]

1 hour ago, kbutton said:

From Grubhub:

This is what I am doing manually right now. It's still all food that is not familiar or the menus aren't specific enough, of it's pickup (we won't be able to just uber our way over there with short windows of time). Maybe I just don't understand how this all works.

Uber Eats: sounds possible if I can find someplace to eat. I get the impression it's uber for my food, right? The driver picks up what I've ordered? 

What is my recourse if what I order is not what I get? This is difficult enough in person--you'd be shocked at how stupid people are about this.

By hotel, I mean at the conference--I'm staying in the conference hotel, the conference is at the hotel. Some places won't let you bring your food into the conference area--they assume you'll eat out.

Grubhub is similar to Ubereats, You order food, someone goes to the restaurant, picks it up and brings it to you. Some areas only have one or the other. Houston may have both and even a different one I’ve never heard of.

It sounds like you may have figured out a way to cook in your room though, which sounds even better. 

If the hotel hosts lots of conferences, you may be able to call the hotel and get help from someone familiar with the area.

Good luck!

[kbutton]

I am going to make a couple of calls to get the rest of the information, but it's looking way more do-able with paying for a carry-on of stuff. Also, the Whole Foods option with Amazon Prime seems to deliver in Houston. I just need to figure out how many truly fresh items I'll not be able to pack.  

[prairiewindmomma]

1 hour ago, kbutton said:

I know they have restaurants, but I can't find out much about them. But maybe they can do something plain and special order. By the time I uber for stuff, it's not going to be that much more expensive, lol!

I am looking into whether I can do Whole Foods via Amazon Prime. 

Regarding ice, I do have access to a fridge, but not a microwave. So, I could eat a lot of raw veggies, but cooking something quickly is probably out.

HEB (a really fantastic grocery chain) does delivery now....I would just order safe foods for delivery and bring in your own under ADA. I don’t trust restaurants unless they don’t have those ingredients at all (ie—dedicated GF restaurants).

 

[lmrich]

I have not traveled it with yet, but I take it to school with me - a mini crockpot. I LOVE it! I will also be buying a cooler that plugs in and acts like a mini fridge for our next longer trip. (I, too, have multiple allergies which makes life so hard!) You can call your hotel and talk to the manager about what is close by. 

[City Mouse]

Would you be willing to give the name of the Hotel or your general location in Houston. It is a very large city, but there are many Houstonians on the board, so we might be able to give you more specific suggestions.

[katilac]

 

On 7/7/2019 at 3:47 PM, bolt. said:

You might just take an extra suitcase with your dry foods and cooking equipment: kitchen in a bag. A cutting board, sharp knife and can opener are also useful.

This seems like the best idea, both for safety/variety and because you said you would be pretty well booked. I'd much rather worry about this type of thing ahead of time rather than deal with it in the midst of a conference. If you luck out and find a great source of local food, just bring your unused items home with you. 

I'd keep it pretty simple for just a long weekend. 

[kbutton]

3 hours ago, City Mouse said:

Would you be willing to give the name of the Hotel or your general location in Houston. It is a very large city, but there are many Houstonians on the board, so we might be able to give you more specific suggestions.

By the Galleria. I am down to frantic prep though and may not have a lot of time to check in. There are two restaurant options that seem tolerable--can't remember if both do delivery. One is a "clean eating" style of deli--I might be able to order more than one meal and keep one in the fridge. I think they deliver. Another is an Italian restaurant with an actual allergen reference page. I just don't remember if they do delivery. 

If you have experience with either one, that would be great to know.

[kbutton]

3 hours ago, City Mouse said:

Would you be willing to give the name of the Hotel or your general location in Houston. It is a very large city, but there are many Houstonians on the board, so we might be able to give you more specific suggestions.

Jason's Deli 

Maggiano's Little Italy

Those are the restaurants that sounded most promising to me. 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

I would not feel comfortable eating at Jason’s Deli. Ingredients are arranged buffet style like at Subway so the only way you can eat uncontaminated is if they open new product for you.

[prairiewindmomma]

I’d also ask if they have an autoclave to sterilize knives and other prep utensils. The local restaurants I am willing to eat at do to heat sterilize off proteins of contaminants....

[bolt.]

4 hours ago, katilac said:

 

This seems like the best idea, both for safety/variety and because you said you would be pretty well booked. I'd much rather worry about this type of thing ahead of time rather than deal with it in the midst of a conference. If you luck out and find a great source of local food, just bring your unused items home with you. 

I'd keep it pretty simple for just a long weekend. 

If you are doing this, also don't forget dish soap, a plate/bowl, fork, and spoon. Mugs will probably be available.

[prairiewindmomma]

1 hour ago, bolt. said:

If you are doing this, also don't forget dish soap, a plate/bowl, fork, and spoon. Mugs will probably be available.

and a scrubber sponge and a trash bag.

We travel with a mini kitchen.  One of these days I should just get a little tote box and keep it packed, but we don't *quite* travel enough to make it work. I should make an IKEA run and make it happen though...their knives and cutting boards are inexpensive enough that I could get duplicates.

[Katy]

If you haven't ruled out histamine intolerance I would look into it, and if it's in your budget I would buy:

• DAO (an expensive histamine reducing enzyme. It is made from pork, if you have a religious issue with that.  Totally worth it because can get your histamine levels back to normal in less than 3 days.)
• Benadryl (H1 antihistamine)
• Zantac (H2 antihistamine)

Then whenever you have symptoms take all 3 with a lot of water.  Water because your body releases histamine when it is dehydrated.  The benadryl & zantac block the reaction.  The DAO breaks down the histamine so you're no longer so sensitive to everything you eat.  If you take the benadryl, start with half a dose unless you have hives or diarrhea.  In that case take a full dose.  In 40 minutes if you feel better and maybe have more energy you've taken the right amount.  If you feel no different or a bit hyperactive you should take another half dose. If you feel a bit sleepy you took half a dose more than you needed.  If you feel knocked out, you either took way too much or something else is going on entirely.  Like sometimes when I think I'm having an allergic reaction to something and I take Benadryl I can then tell I just have a virus.

[YaelAldrich]

If you are just using carryon bags knives over 2.5 inches are out.  If you can Amazon Now to the hotel (and in Houston I would think you can), get a knife delivered.  Or Amazon  it to the hotel for delivery when you get there.  Most hotels are happy to do that for you.  Call them up and let them know you are sending a package to them.

[dsmith]

I use my Hot Logic while travelling. https://hotlogicmini.com/ It's also sold on Amazon. It cooks at the same temp as a slow cooker, I believe. There are a lot of people posting recipes on YouTube and other sites. I've used it for safe frozen foods and simple meals that I've thrown together. I also make use of the in-room coffee maker or the hotel's breakfast area for gf oatmeal packets that I bring along. More hotels are adding gf and even dairy free options to the breakfasts they offer, as well as gf snacks in the little convenience stores some of them have. Does your room have a fridge? I always make sure to have an in-room fridge when we travel, or if we can manage it, a whole kitchen. As long as I'm near a Trader Joe's or a decent grocery store I can usually find food that I can eat, and I can usually find somewhere to plug the Hot Logic in. It makes things easier if I'm staying at the same hotel if we're attending an event. I seriously love it. I've made use of grocery delivery at the various hotels I've stayed at. Some hotels have their own service (Residence Inn), or I've used Prime Now for Whole Foods. We usually have a car, so a trip to the store isn't a big deal for us when we arrive. When we do eat out, I usually go with steak or grilled chicken and a salad with oil and balsamic, but I don't have life threatening reactions to foods. If I did I don't think I would ever eat out! I'm going to be more numb when I'm glutened (makes my ms symptoms a lot worse) and have a nasty stomach ache from dairy with the usual fun that accompanies that, but I'm usually back to my normal in a few days. Good luck with your trip!

[Ann.without.an.e]

I haven't read all of the replies.  It depends on how sensitive you are?  Small annoyance (headache that will go away with ibuprofen) or major set back? For major set back stuff I don't risk it.  I will literally eat fruit and drink water.  I love the vegan white cheddar hippeas and I have been known to eat a days calories on a bag of those and fruit.  I would be tempted to find Whole Foods and stock up on what is safe.  DD just went on a mission trip and she found these cute little tins of meals in the tinned fish section.  Once I got over the idea that I had to eat like everyone else, all was fine in my world.  When I tried to eat like others, it was just frustrating and I almost always got sick.

[kbutton]

21 hours ago, Katy said:

If you haven't ruled out histamine intolerance I would look into it, and if it's in your budget I would buy:

• DAO (an expensive histamine reducing enzyme. It is made from pork, if you have a religious issue with that.  Totally worth it because can get your histamine levels back to normal in less than 3 days.)
• Benadryl (H1 antihistamine)
• Zantac (H2 antihistamine)

Then whenever you have symptoms take all 3 with a lot of water.  Water because your body releases histamine when it is dehydrated.  The benadryl & zantac block the reaction.  The DAO breaks down the histamine so you're no longer so sensitive to everything you eat.  If you take the benadryl, start with half a dose unless you have hives or diarrhea.  In that case take a full dose.  In 40 minutes if you feel better and maybe have more energy you've taken the right amount.  If you feel no different or a bit hyperactive you should take another half dose. If you feel a bit sleepy you took half a dose more than you needed.  If you feel knocked out, you either took way too much or something else is going on entirely.  Like sometimes when I think I'm having an allergic reaction to something and I take Benadryl I can then tell I just have a virus.

I wish...

I am taking 2-4 allegra per day, 1 leukotriene inhibitor, and an Rx h2 blocker twice per day. And avoiding suspicious foods. And still having breakthrough reactions. 

I haven't tried DAO yet.

My allergist doesn't know what is going on, and he undermines me. Seriously so--he'll say one thing and then say the opposite minutes later while rapidly firing questions at me about how do I really know what's bothering me, saying that if something is inconsistent, I can't really know what's bothering me, he'll help me figure it out, but really it's all on me to figure it out. And more. I am not sure what his philosophy of treatment is, but it seems to be that I should just take meds and eat what I want (which is not working well enough even on safe foods for me to try things I consistently get bad reactions to). My allergy testing is revealing nothing food-wise except when it's showing results that don't make sense (like the more sensitive test showing something is fine and the less sensitive test showing it's not). I don't test as having anything really scary (weird cancers that cause this). I am not in a thyroid storm (my thyroid testing is iffy via boardies who know about thyroid, but no one gives a crap). Stress plays a part, but it's definitely not the whole story, and there is little I can do about it. I have done an elimination diet in the past that identified gluten as a problem. The rest developed several years later, and now my list is weird enough that no elimination diet is a particularly good fit.

And this is how all medical professional treat me, so it's not like I'm eager to try another.

I am trying to find a GP--I am trying a nurse practitioner next week that comes highly recommended for thyroid and just as a person in general.

[kbutton]

2 minutes ago, Attolia said:

I haven't read all of the replies.  It depends on how sensitive you are?  Small annoyance (headache that will go away with ibuprofen) or major set back? For major set back stuff I don't risk it.  I will literally eat fruit and drink water.  I love the vegan white cheddar hippeas and I have been known to eat a days calories on a bag of those and fruit.  I would be tempted to find Whole Foods and stock up on what is safe.  DD just went on a mission trip and she found these cute little tins of meals in the tinned fish section.  Once I got over the idea that I had to eat like everyone else, all was fine in my world.  When I tried to eat like others, it was just frustrating and I almost always got sick.

Major, cumulative setbacks--not just a migraine. Lots of GI stuff. Body aches. Hives, itching, redness, feeling like my ears are going to light something on fire and that I have the worst case of lice ever recorded. Then, the aftermath--more GI stuff, chronic versions of all the previously mentioned stuff, feeling seasick almost all the time, and then big emotional ups and downs set in even when I'm having a good day or feel like life is going well (this was my main symptom with gluten, but it was exacerbated--if I ate something with gluten, I would have major panic attacks). Sometimes, I have an acute attack, and I cycle through lots of symptoms over and over really fast--then, it will include itchy eyes, my sinuses opening up like a floodgate, and all of the other stuff. If I am doing well for a while, the symptoms are even more obvious when they come. 

Coconut (which I used to eat just fine) is special--it causes me to cough uncontrollably, and a rain party starts in my throat--I feel like someone is pouring a trail of water down my throat by force.

[kbutton]

21 hours ago, YaelAldrich said:

If you are just using carryon bags knives over 2.5 inches are out.  If you can Amazon Now to the hotel (and in Houston I would think you can), get a knife delivered.  Or Amazon  it to the hotel for delivery when you get there.  Most hotels are happy to do that for you.  Call them up and let them know you are sending a package to them.

I am going the checked route just to be sure things are easier! 

[City Mouse]

I had a restaurant I was going to suggest, but when I went to get the web address I discovered that it closed earlier this year, so that doesn’t help much.

i found this one which is in the same general area https://www.truefoodkitchen.com/menus/houston, but the fine print doesn’t look good. 

It does seem like your best bet will be going to a Grocery store. There is a Whole Foods and HEB Central market nearby. Houston also has Kroger’s and Randall’s (Safeway) grocery chains. 

[kbutton]

I used the grocery store for delivery service, and we cooked one entire meal in our room in an electric skillet that I put in a checked bag. The conference provided several more meals than was clear from the registration process, and they had basics like GF covered. From there, the hotel staff was really good about accommodating the other issues and also letting me know what was safe to eat. The food was outstanding, actually.

I took a lot of snacks for the time spent at the airport, and security was only bothered by my applesauce, lol! I am not sure if I should've had it separate or if it was too many ounces (it was the pre-packaged snack variety), but that wasn't a big deal. 

The delivery service did deliver my food earlier than my delivery window, so if our flight had been delayed or cancelled, that would've possibly been a problem. Mostly what bugged me is that if I had picked the two hour delivery window, it would've been free delivery. I wasn't sure we'd be settled in time if a flight was delayed, so I paid 4.99 to have the smaller window. It's Whole Foods via Amazon, so I will probably complain when I have time.

The conference was amazing. It was related the rare genetic disorder my son has, and we all had a wonderful time. He has a spontaneous mutation vs. one inherited from us, so it was wonderful for him to be with people who look like him, move like him, and have the same kinds of extensive medical checkups that he has. People of all ages with the same disorder spent time talking to him 1:1 in addition to all the group activities they had for kids his age. The conference is a place for him to have a community, culture, and even a history that we can't give him. 

Thank you all for your suggestions and ideas--it was really helpful to talk all of my options out.