Years ago, after an eight hour visit to an Emergency Room (ER) I learned to carry “safe” food in the trunk of my car. My poor son was at the ER for this first and biggest asthma attack. Since is food allergic list was incredibly long at the time and per the physician on duty: there was a language barrier with the kitchen staff—no food for my son. Period. The doctor was not willing to risk eating and adding a food allergic reaction to lungs already in peril. After that day, I began carrying canned and boxed foods, a can opener and beverages. I was a rolling picnic.
photo courtesy of Realsimple.com, if this was my trunk, it would not be this clean!
To this day I carry more complicated foods in case of a unplanned sleep over or dinner at friend’s houses. My favorites are Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauces and a variety of dried pastas. I simply replenish as they are used up. It is nice too when we are out and about and don’t need to drive around looking for places to find safe foods! This is the part I like best and that if the kids are hungry, we just reach to the trunk! Some of these items are not my favorite in nutrition, but work okay in a pinch.
Live Free Foods has one of the nicest varieties of individual snacks and items for my trunk (nut, dairy, sesame and gluten free choices & more). They are worth checking out!
Here is a list of our trunk favorites…
- Sunbutter Individual packets
- Honest Kids drinks
- Bush’s Baked Beans
- Kidney and Garbanzo Beans (I know this is odd, but they like to snack on these)
- Ritz, Club or Wheat Thin crackers
- Individual Cereal boxes
- No Nuttin bars and granola
- Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauce
- Dried pasta
- Can opener
- Hand wipes
- Disposable supplies (plates, forks, napkins)
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..