Traveling week 7 post-op, need advice!

[The New Kel 1,312]

I will be flying out of town to see my daugther for Thanksgiving week, 5 days. The day I arrive will have been sleeved exactly 7 weeks.

I'll staying at a hotel, and won't have a car. (wanting to save $), so I will be dependent on my daughter, her boyfriend, and his family for rides.

I've already booked the hotel and it looks like it doesn't have a mini-fridge. I shluld have looked into that before booking. I am nervous about having small, high protien "meals" accessible. I can have their continental Breakfast, and I can ask my daughter to take me to grocery stores but then where do I store stuff? There is a Starbuck accross the street of the hotel but I can't exactly eat there!

I am afraid of feeling a bit out of control over the circumstances. Since this lifestyle is new to me, I don't know what I will be eating mostly at week 7. And how do I make sure I have healthy Snacks available?

Can anyone help with experience in traveling early on? I am rethinkiing the car situation. I might really need to rent one.

Edited October 15, 2016 by The New Kel

[cbonet 336]

Bring things that don't need refrigeration, laughing cow cheese, Protein puddings, fruit, Protein Bars, boxed almond milk, foiled tuna packets, protein Snacks for when you're not eating with family.

[Dairymary 533]

Not knowing what food stage you will be in a few things cone to mind....

Protein powders that mix well with Water and a Blender Bottle to mix them

Protein Bars

Canned tuna or crab meat and individual packets of mayo that don't require refrigeration

Peanut Butter or other nut butters

Hard boiled eggs - these surprisingly keep several days without refrigeration.

Spam

String cheese

Jerkey (if you are allowed)

You can pre slice apples and store them in a ziplock with a bit of lemon or lime juice so they don't turn brown.

No sugar added fruit cups

Kashi go lean Cereal (with or without milk that you can probably snag from the continental breakfast)

Bring a small cooler (even soft sided) and some zip lock bags. You can fill the bag with ice at the hotel and keep things cold in the cooler. This opens up all kinds of possibilities including Greek yogurt, lunch meats and cheese, raw veggies (if you are allowed) and deli salads.

[The New Kel 1,312]

Bring things that don't need refrigeration, laughing cow cheese, Protein puddings, fruit, Protein bars, boxed almond milk, foiled tuna packets, protein Snacks for when you're not eating with family.

Thanks! I had not considered the foiled tuna packs- perfect idea! this and cheese will pack in my suitcase fine.

And protien bars in my carry on, seems like a good plan.

[The New Kel 1,312]

Not knowing what food stage you will be in a few things cone to mind....

Protein powders that mix well with Water and a Blender Bottle to mix them

Protein bars

Canned tuna or crab meat and individual packets of mayo that don't require refrigeration

Peanut Butter or other nut butters

Hard boiled eggs - these surprisingly keep several days without refrigeration.

Spam

String cheese

Jerkey (if you are allowed)

You can pre slice apples and store them in a ziplock with a bit of lemon or lime juice so they don't turn brown.

No sugar added fruit cups

Kashi go lean Cereal (with or without milk that you can probably snag from the continental breakfast)

Bring a small cooler (even soft sided) and some zip lock bags. You can fill the bag with ice at the hotel and keep things cold in the cooler. This opens up all kinds of possibilities including Greek yogurt, lunch meats and cheese, raw veggies (if you are allowed) and deli salads.

Great ideas! Thanks for this list. I will definately go with the tuna and lite mayo packs, that will be small enough to pack. Did not know about hard boiled eggs staying good! Your peanut/other nut butters in packs is a great idea, too.

Love the small chest idea, I think I am going with that. I appreciate these ideas! I'm clueless at this stage

[The New Kel 1,312]

The one great thing about the trip will be Thanksgiving day. The hosts are having a smorgesborg, bring a dish kind of thing. So lots of selection and small plates! I will be good to go that day!

[chycky 671]

I would suggest picking up package of premade shakes if you can. I have travelled and even brought premier shakes in my checked luggage. I just put one in ice bucket and rotated them. Or I brought one with me and got a cup of ice somewhere. I even drank one warm to avoid throwing away at airport it wasn't terrible.

[chycky 671]

Starbucks has a cheese and fruit box that is a good option. There is also a chicken and hummus one where you could eat many of the items in the "box lunch".

[higher 966]

You should call the hotel and ask if they can put a fridge in the room for your stay. Many hotels that don't have them in the room DO have portable mini fridges on hand to accommodate guest requests. Or they'll offer to place a cooler and fill it with ice for you.

Worth checking.

[FunkyMunkyBrat 205]

Couldn't your daughter and/or her BF's family lend you a small cooler for your stay there?

Or you could even perhaps pick up a cheap styrofome(sp?) one

Munky

Edited October 15, 2016 by FunkyMunkyBrat

[chycky 671]

Yes I echo that. You can let them know for medical reasons you need Mini fridge. They may have some on hand for that reason. However i rarely have had a mini fridge that works well in hotel, so that can be annoying.

[Dairymary 533]

I'd actually like to make a disclaimer about the hard boiled eggs. Everything you read will tell you they have to be refrigerated. We used to take them with us hunting and camping without refrigeration and never had problems. But considering you have a newly cut and stitched stomach that is still pretty fragile, I guess I wouldnt recommend it for your trip after all.

[PorkChopExpress 826]

They make a lot of canned snack type stuff that you can take with you on the go. I've seen chicken salad, tuna salad, hummus, all that stuff with crackers in snack sizes that work perfect. I actually had a hummus one today, I only had two of the six crackers that came with it, just heaped on the hummus and ate the rest with the little spoon that came with it

You're probably going to be at the "try anything" phase as of week 7 so you can also probably hit some restaurants. Have no fear, just be smart about what you're getting...this is your life now, so it's time to get used to it right? Someone told me that Subway will actually give you the meat from a sandwich in a cup and charge you less for it, so that's a good way to get Protein, in slabs of turkey. I'd get a little cup of spicy mustard and dip it, myself! Taco Bell has the refried bean option that works, I've had that a couple times now. You just have to find places where you can get smallish servings of things, since you can't store it. You could get a grilled chicken sandwich most places and just eat the breast meat with a little sauce, I would probably hunt down an Arby's and see how I did with some roast beef, myself. Just keep the carbs under control and focus on finding sources of protein...and take your shake stuff. You can do it! I've got an inter-state move coming up in late November (week before Thanksgiving) and I'm going to be week 8 post-op at that point, it'll take me a couple of days driving so I'm already planning what to do in my head, for food!

Edited October 15, 2016 by PorkChopExpress

[Heather I 500]

I had a seminar at a hotel that was like an island, and they offered no breakfast/restaurants but had a Starbucks in the lobby. I was pregnant at the time with gestational diabetes, so I was doing the healthy/low carb diet then.

I actually did really well with their bento box-style meals! They had hard boiled eggs, salads with Protein on top, yogurt with fruits, Protein boxes with meats, cheeses, and a couple bites of fruit -- plenty to fill you up. It wasn't CHEAP, but you won't be eating as often as I was if you go that route.

You can also add vanilla Protein shake into your morning coffee to get in some protein as Creamer. I do that every day and have had no problems (if you are a coffee drinker.)

[The New Kel 1,312]

Starbucks has a cheese and fruit box that is a good option. There is also a chicken and hummus one where you could eat many of the items in the "box lunch".

I've seen that protien pack, the one with an egg, cheese and fruit. That might work in a pinch. I might even be tempted to have my first post-op cup of coffee!