Work Conference Misery

[JulieP757]

So I had a three day work conference offsite in another city earlier this week.  I emailed the meeting coordinator ahead of time and told her I had some pretty rigid food requirements and asked if they would make meal accommodations.  She said "Of course we will be happy to make sure there is food you can eat."  I told her I basically eat meat, fish, eggs, all types of vegetables and fruits, tree nuts and healthy oils like olive or coconut oil.  I told her I do not eat grains of any kind, no dairy, no soy, no legumes, no vegetable oils.  I told her all I really needed for lunch was some sort of meat (preferably not deli meat) and a salad with JUST veggies and I would be fine - no cheese, no candied nuts, no croutons.  I knew we would be eating dinner out and figured I could navigate that without issue.  I should note that I am not currently doing a WF30.  I finished up round 5 last week, but I am determined to maintain a strict Paleo diet this time.

 

Monday was the travel day.  I had breakfast at home, for lunch I found a place that served unsauced pork BBQ w collard greens and green beans in the airport - it was awesome and I was happy.  Dinner was at a restaurant, but I was surprised to see we had a private room with a limited buffet that consisted of breaded chicken wings, some sort of BBQ meat swimming in sauce that probably had HFCS in it and who knows what else, burgers, and three different kinds of salad - all covered with cheese.  I was shocked - stunned.  Where was the food I could eat??  I could have sucked it up and eaten a burger patty with nothing else, but I was hungry!  I went to the bar and was delighted to find a Paleo burger bowl w a locally raised grassfed burger on top of greens w tomatoes and onions.  It came with a side and I got some steamed broccoli.  I took my order - to go box and all - back to the private room and ate it.

 

The meeting coordinator noticed and said "wasn't there something you could eat on the buffet?".  I pointed out that all the salads were covered with cheese and that I don't eat dairy.  She apologized profusely and told me to include my meal on my expense report (well - duh!).  I asked her what was being served for breakfast in the morning and she told me not to worry, there would be eggs and fruit.

 

When I arrived at the conference location for breakfast the next morning, I was horrified to find an assortment of Panera quiche (both gluten and dairy), Panera sandwiches (all with cheese, so they could not be deconstructed) and a fruit and yogurt mixture.  I had a packet of tuna in olive oil and an apple w a small container of homemade sunflower seed butter in my pocket book, so I whipped them out and ate that. Again the meeting coordinator noticed and asked why I couldn't eat the food they provided.  I walked her through it - gluten here, dairy there.  She said "well can't you eat fruit and yogurt".  Apparently, she did not know yogurt is dairy... She brought me the menu for lunch (she had ordered Jimmy John's subs) and asked me if the lettuce wrapped version would be okay.  I chose turkey and thought everything would be good.  My "wrap" was basically two pieces of lettuce, two slices of tomato and two slices of deli turkey.  It was served with potato chips fried in peanut oil and a cookie - sigh.  I ate the wrap only and I was still STARVED.  Later in the afternoon, snack was granola bars and candy (really??? not even a piece of fruit??). 

 

Dinner that night was at 7:30 pm.  Um - lunch was at 11:30 and we don't get food again until 7:30??  Thank God I am fat adapted - LOL.  Again, we ate in a restaurant and had a limited choice menu.  I could not eat the first course (breaded fried shrimp and breaded fried green tomatoes).  I had a tiny salad for the next course, and  a strip steak with mashed potatoes and green beans for dinner.  The mashed potatoes I'm pretty sure had sour cream in them.  I wasn't too concerned about the butter at this point - I needed to eat.  I threw caution to the wind and I ate every bite on my plate (sour cream doesn't cause me huge issues).  Then I looked longingly at the plate of the person next to me who only ate half her steak and considered asking her if I could have it.  I should have eaten it, because breakfast the next morning was awful.

 

The breakfast buffet consisted of premade mini cheese omelettes, biscuits and gravy and a bowl of fruit.  I came close to crying right then and there.  I ate my last packet of tuna and had a little fruit.  Lunch was no better.  The meeting coordinator handed me a salad exclaiming "I got you a special lunch!".  It was a salad that had chicken, grapes, blue cheese, dried cranberries and candied walnuts.  By the time I picked everything off, I was left with a little lettuce and chicken and a couple of grapes.  There was no time to grab anything at the airport on the way home other than a small bag of cashews.  Dinner at home was steak, baked sweet potato w ghee and roasted vegetables - aka HEAVEN!

 

So, what did I learn (this is an annual event, so I'll have to do it again)...

 

Most people don't have a clue about food.  I should have known this - my own boyfriend who has two Master's degrees acts surprised everytime I tell him I don't eat pasta and bread.  So next time I will not rely on others to accommodate my needs.  We had absolutely no time on our own  - we were at the conference from 7:30 am until 9 pm.  Next time I will take an earlier flight, find the nearest grocery store and get a rotisserie chicken (hopefully one without junk in it), a couple of sweet potatoes and some veggies and put them in the fridge in the hotel.  I did notice that there was a microwave available for use in the conference facility.  I will eat breakfast at the hotel - even if I have to order room service and pay for it myself. And I will bring ghee - because I really, really missed it.   

 

 

 

[GFChris]

 

 

Most people don't have a clue about food.  

^^^ THIS.

It continues to amaze me, the cluelessness around food and categories.  Especially in today's world with so many people with different food sensitivities.  That meeting coordinator sounds like someone with no attention to detail around the food. 

I ordered a gluten-free burger at a decent hotel restaurant not too long ago, and the server brought me a vegan burger.  I sent it back gently explaining what gluten-free means and emphasizing that I enjoy eating meat.   

Set expectations low, and continue to be prepared, fend for yourself, and be patient.

[MeadowLily]

Julie,  I can imagine you were starving by the time this ordeal was over.  Next time you'll have tuna/salmon packets and all of your own things.  Are you still hungry?

[ladyshanny]

Holy!!!!!! Julie!  I would have been spitting fire by Day Two!  LOL @ "can't you just eat the yogurt?"  LOL, some people!  I think that she didn't even try to make an effort, just assumed that you'd be able to work it out.  Although, in her defence, people who are paleo/primal/Whole30 know that "sandwich" is a terrifying term on so many levels whereas other folks think that at least if the bread is brown and the turkey is lean, it's winning.

 

Good on you for staying strong.  Although you were hungry you probably didn't end up with a gut ache from eating crap?

 

PS, who issues CANDY as a snack?!  Yikes!

[JulieP757]

Julie,  I can imagine you were starving by the time this ordeal was over.  Next time you'll have tuna/salmon packets and all of your own things.  Are you still hungry?

Yep - I'm still a little hungry - LOL.  My jeans were loose when I put them on this morning.  It will probably take a couple of days of normal eating to feel right again.

[Carlaccini]

I was honestly fearing this too recently.  I was supposed to go to a weekend long camping family reunion where all the food was to be prepared for us.  I corresponded with the owner of the campground and said I was prepared to bring my own food, etc. in case my limitations were too difficult to accommodate.  Thankfully she was very understanding considering she had celiac herself.  We hashed over things and were able to come out with some compromises.   I did land packing a ton of food (just in case) - only to have the whole thing cancelled last minute for me by a family emergency.   My SO kept on questioning me why I was bringing so much prepared food.  My biggest thing was I didn't want to be hungry and miserable all weekend.  It was to be a fun weekend, so I didn't want there to be issues.

 

On the bright side, I was so well prepared that I had to do very little cooking this week. 

[JulieP757]

@Carlaccini - Planning is everything.  Lesson learned here!  You were smart to be so prepared.  I was trying hard not to be "that" person when dealing with the meeting coordinator.  I'll take care of my food needs completely next time.

[Carlaccini]

@ Julie - I was scared of being THAT person too.  Especially in front of family.  But at one point I was thinking:  Do I want to feel decent be slightly more difficult than others and have fun or do I want eat what everyone else is eating and feel horrible, and be in pain, depressed and discomfort? 

[eronn_actually]

That person should NOT be in event organizing!  I think some of the confusion is understandable, but not knowing yogurt isn't dairy?  Ordering Jimmy John's for lunch and thinking there would be any options you could eat?  No.  That's beyond even regular food ignorance.

[Melinda M]

This may seem silly. BUT even before the Whole30 I alway took this with me when I'm at a hotel for an extended period. You can bring your own spice mixture and cook your chicken in the hotel room. This is seperate pieces and the bottom is actual a griddle too!! It is definatly worth it! You can usually find this style at Goodwill as well. I have two of these and they have lasted for years. They pack really well in the suitcase and are extremely light.

http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-84905-5-Quart-Oblong-Shaped/dp/B001AH5H0A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441830754&sr=8-1&keywords=west+bend+crock

[Seafarer]

Ohhhhhhhhh Julie! I was getting anxious just reading your post! Poor you! But THANK YOU for sharing! You just helped me to start thinking of ways to look after myself when I am away.

 

And you are right... people don't have a clue about food! 

[Seafarer]

BTW... I ordered a "Gluten Free Burger" right off the Gluten Free Menu at a restaurant the other day.... it came with a plain burger, and a REGULAR bun! So yup.. the burger was gluten free! The other burgers that arrived at my table had lettuce & tomato, but not mine... it was "special".