when you bring safe food, what do you bring?

Hello! I usually bring the little microwavable containers of spaghettios & meatballs. Cereal bars are filling, too. Fresh fruit plates at restaurants (after a talk w/chef about cross-contamination) are a treat for us (we live in the Northeast). I'm toying with the idea of stocking our favorite restaurant here with "skippy cups," single-serve ice cream cups, for my PA daughter. It's difficult to pack healthy foods, I've found (but then, we don't necessarily eat healthy when in a restaurant, either). Good luck!
Buffalobeth

Hot dogs wrapped in plastic and foil in an insulated container, rolls, veggies, and always a safe dessert. DD (4 1/2) has never eaten restaurant food. It's just not within our comfort zone.

buffalobeth--What brand of cereal bars do you buy? What about the spaghetti and meatballs?

We bring cold food (picnic type stuff) that is FUN. That way it never leaves our control. Dippable stuff is a big hit- bread sticks and safe marinara sauce are always a sure winner. Finger food, or anything which is the "flavor of the week" with our child. She has to eat it, after all. Even in our one "safe" mexican restaurant (where we are regulars and she eats from the menu), we bring her "dessert" (dried apricot sticks) with us.
[img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

For a long time my son loved Pepperidge Farm cinnamon swirl bread with cream cheese. We usually use Philadelphia original and have never had a problem with it. Next he went thru a phase of loving sliced chicken and cheese sandwiches with Mayo and mustard (Hellmanns and French's). Plain bagels (Lenders) worked for a while. Carrots, celery, and Ranch Original Dressing as dip. Once in a while I wrapped a Turkey Dog up and took it along (Louis Rich). Plain cheese sandwiches. Maruchan Ramen or cup of soup, if you have hot water available. Pretzels, Fritolay tostitos, original potato chips, Snyder pretzels, Robert Gourmet Smart Puff cheese puffs, apples, cantalope, Ocean spray cranraisins (code has to have a "T" in it) Dannon yogurt. These days all he really seems to like is macaroni and fruit rolls. Hope this helps.

Our dd is very picky, and one of those kids who does not eat in social situations anyway. She eats like a bird and I do not know where she gets it. My husband and I *love to eat everything*! I never realized what a blessing this was until she had food allergies!! She could care less about getting a meal on time. Because of this, we bring foods we know she likes and may be less than nutritiously ideal if we are worried that she just needs a meal and some calories(cereal bars, dry cereal and crackers, pretzel sticks or other fun shapes, the "fresh fruit of the month", soy butter on graham crackers or rice cakes, yogurts). If we are away at relatives for the weekend, we bring chicken nuggets, her bread, jelly and soy butter and cereal for staples, and she will usu. eat a fresh fruit.
We do avoid using soy butter at parties and will not send it to school to avoid confusing others. Brands of your choice within your individual comfort zones. becca

[This message has been edited by becca (edited April 02, 2002).]