Help! What to eat when at a conference?!
Replies
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"If there's no other choice for meals within walking distance, not sure what you're asking?"
Exactly.
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I also struggle at conferences. I’m a vegan, I’m a volume eater and I don’t eat salad - which somehow seems to make things complicated!
If you like Salad, tell them you’re vegan. You’ll get loads of salad and calories-wise you pretty much can’t go wrong then. I don't like salad so that doesn’t work for me.
My approach is to pack food I know I can eat. I always travel with porridge oats in packets which I usually have everyday for breakfast anyway so with hot water I can keep breakfast the same as usual.
I also take McDougall soups which you can make with just hot water- that’s lunch sorted.
Dinner is trickier but I take snack packs of nuts and fruit bars and then ask for a big plate of steamed veg if there is nothing better available.
Most hotels will put fruit out along with pastries during coffee breaks.
It’s hard to eat healthy during conferences, but I find it’s easier if you go prepared, and easier than trying to go out grocery shopping when you get there if you’re on a timetable.
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In the sort of events, I find it much easier to eat nothing than "just one". As for actual food that you want to eat, well I'd go for simple foods like apples and tuna. Stuff like that.1
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mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 wrote: »I also struggle at conferences. I’m a vegan, I’m a volume eater and I don’t eat salad - which somehow seems to make things complicated!
If you like Salad, tell them you’re vegan. You’ll get loads of salad and calories-wise you pretty much can’t go wrong then. I don't like salad so that doesn’t work for me.
My approach is to pack food I know I can eat. I always travel with porridge oats in packets which I usually have everyday for breakfast anyway so with hot water I can keep breakfast the same as usual.
I also take McDougall soups which you can make with just hot water- that’s lunch sorted.
Dinner is trickier but I take snack packs of nuts and fruit bars and then ask for a big plate of steamed veg if there is nothing better available.
Most hotels will put fruit out along with pastries during coffee breaks.
It’s hard to eat healthy during conferences, but I find it’s easier if you go prepared, and easier than trying to go out grocery shopping when you get there if you’re on a timetable.
True story, I once got hollered at by hotel staff for bringing “outside food” (a bowl of roast veg I had prepared) to a meeting, even though the meal served was pork BBQ.
Another time, I ordered a vegan lunch and got a plate of lettuce. The struggle is real.2 -
mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 wrote: »I also struggle at conferences. I’m a vegan, I’m a volume eater and I don’t eat salad - which somehow seems to make things complicated!
If you like Salad, tell them you’re vegan. You’ll get loads of salad and calories-wise you pretty much can’t go wrong then. I don't like salad so that doesn’t work for me.
My approach is to pack food I know I can eat. I always travel with porridge oats in packets which I usually have everyday for breakfast anyway so with hot water I can keep breakfast the same as usual.
I also take McDougall soups which you can make with just hot water- that’s lunch sorted.
Dinner is trickier but I take snack packs of nuts and fruit bars and then ask for a big plate of steamed veg if there is nothing better available.
Most hotels will put fruit out along with pastries during coffee breaks.
It’s hard to eat healthy during conferences, but I find it’s easier if you go prepared, and easier than trying to go out grocery shopping when you get there if you’re on a timetable.
McDougall soups (dehydrated) are excellent for this sort of situation. When I go on vacation I always take some with me for backup. The pea soup and black bean soup are filling. I also take protein bars, vegan jerky, and usually a "trail" mix of nuts, dried fruit, and sometimes chocolate. I take tea bags with me.
I also always prepare my breakfasts for vacation, which is almost the same breakfast I have Mon-Fri. I make up a baggie for each day: 50g thick rolled oats, 7g ground flax seed, 5g hemp hearts, 10g dried fruit, 4g unsweetened cocoa powder, 15g nuts. I've stayed in hotels that have a complimentary continental breakfast, usually including eggs and sausage (which I don't eat), oats, fruit, bagels and bread, jam, peanut butter, and waffles. I take my oats to the breakfast area, they usually have bananas so I grab one and cut it into my oats, then I add hot water. I do not cook my oats. At home I add 75g pumpkin, and I was thinking that the next time I go on vacation I may take a can with me with a storage container and open the can there and keep the leftovers in the fridge. If they have other fruit I'll take something for a snack later. Sometimes I'll have some toast or a bagel with my oats which can help get me through to lunch.
I don't usually go to conferences that are more than a day, but when I did go to a week-long one, I made a trip to Whole Foods my first night there and stocked up for the week. Nothing complicated, fruit, dried bulk items, some prepared foods. It helps when there's a fridge and microwave in the room, which most places seem to have these days.3 -
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So what's for lunch. Are they offering you that. I don't understand a conference in the middle of a food desert and no good eats for the peeps. They've got to know that donuts and cinnamon rolls are passe. People expect more these days.
I can't remember, it's been a year, but as I recall it was good trucks one day, an Irish pub the next, and lunch on your own another. Soooo pick and choose is going to be my plan lol0 -
Hummmingbird wrote: »So what's for lunch. Are they offering you that. I don't understand a conference in the middle of a food desert and no good eats for the peeps. They've got to know that donuts and cinnamon rolls are passe. People expect more these days.
I can't remember, it's been a year, but as I recall it was good trucks one day, an Irish pub the next, and lunch on your own another. Soooo pick and choose is going to be my plan lol
Irish pub is the answer. Corned beef, cabbage and a good beer. Just one beer, if you are a lightweight like me.1 -
L1zardQueen wrote: »Hummmingbird wrote: »So what's for lunch. Are they offering you that. I don't understand a conference in the middle of a food desert and no good eats for the peeps. They've got to know that donuts and cinnamon rolls are passe. People expect more these days.
I can't remember, it's been a year, but as I recall it was good trucks one day, an Irish pub the next, and lunch on your own another. Soooo pick and choose is going to be my plan lol
Irish pub is the answer. Corned beef, cabbage and a good beer. Just one beer, if you are a lightweight like me.
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Hummmingbird wrote: »Going to a conference for a week starting tomorrow. Each day they put out coffee and scones and other foods I am trying to stay away from. I wont have access to a car or grocery store. Anyone have ideas on how to eat healthy during an event like this?!
What do you want to eat? What is the biggest problem meal?
You could bring some food. Fresh or canned fruit, fresh or canned vegetables, canned beans, canned tuna or chicken, nut butter, canned milk or powdered milk or non-dairy milk substitute, beef jerky, protein bar, nuts, vegetable juice cans.
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Just don’t eat the scones and bring some high protein things you can keep in your pocket, like portion controlled nuts or jerky. I never think conference food is “worth it”—just not enjoyable to stuff a dry scone down my throat whil trying to network or figure out where the next talk is.1
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I would Google this hotel and find out what groceries stores and restaurants are near it--walking distance before getting there. You could also call the hotel concierge and ask them. This way you are prepared and know what is there before you arrive. As others have said, bring or buy your own food. If you don't have a plan ahead of time you will get there, be hungry and face those scones and probably overindulge. I definitely would bring the oatmeal in my suitcase for breakfast. When I went abroad to Europe last year for 2 weeks, I knew I'd have a kitchen and access to supermarkets, but I brought my mini rice cooker with me in my carry-on, and packed as well the dried oatmeal and enough lara bars for the whole time. I cook my oatmeal in my rice cooker, and also could use it to cook rice! Also call the hotel or check their website and see if there is a microwave and frig. in your room. With the microwave there is a lot you can do--if you get to the supermarket you could buy ready made meals to heat up for lunch/dinner.0
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I’m at a conference now. I went ti HEB and bought food to eat in my room.0
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If you are going somewhere without a grocery store, convenience stores and restaurants, then you are not going to a big city. Also, Uber and Lyft are easy ways to get around in places you aren't familiar with. If you do take a bus to the store, you can take an Uber back so you can get more items if needed.
Even budget hotels like Holiday Inn and Best Western have food. They may not have a ton of options, but you can always modify. Order a hamburger- toss the bun, skip the cheese, no mayo. Sub fruit for the fries. Then, save the fruit for the morning and eat that with a protein bar.
There is also always delivery. If it's a big city, there has to be something like GrubHub. Find a restaurant and order a salad or something. If the portion is large, save half for the next day.3 -
The lack of choices I think made it harder. There may not be many fruit or vegetable options. There are more high fat choices and sometimes not enough protein.
I’ve tried picking up what I need from a local convenience store, but, often the same problem. Easy protein choices I’ve picked up from a convenience store include beef jerky, Muscle Milk, and cheese. Still short on fresh fruit.0 -
I'm a meeting planner and Plan conferences for a living. I'm surprised when you register they Didn't ask you on the registration site if you had dietary restrictions.
Anyway, even though I get to plan them and know what ill be serving, its still conference food..which is never really as healthy as I want,,so I always bring snacks on my own..like others suggested, i try and find out if there are stores locally..I can't imagine there wouldn't be. You can also see if you can request either a small fridge in the room if they don't have in our if they do and it has items in it, that it be emptied ..sometimes they will (Vegas won't)
Typically conferences will have buffet lunches, so you're bound to have a salad, and protein option. Being its a week long conference, when you go to the reg desk, let them know about your restrictions (don't say It's a diet. if you are trying to do low carb etc, tell them you have a gluten intolerance..its not really a conferences responsibility to cover every attendees "diet", but they can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, celiac halal) they can usually accommodate later in the week..food guarantees are done 2 days in advance on site.
Breakfast was always the hardest since its always pastries. If they don't have yogurt and whole or sliced fruit, I buy the yogurt at the store and keep it on ice in the ice bucket and refresh the ice day and night. I usually can get away with days of yogurt that way.
Good luck!
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Hummmingbird wrote: »Also, the foods they put out have 0 nutritional value.
I see this often. As someone who orders food for meetings/events on occasion, I make a conscious effort to order slightly indulgent treats (if your are going to treat yourself, treat yourself on something delicious) and healthy nutritional items like fruit and veggies. Seems like common sense to me.
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Most conferences I go to usually have out yogurts (usually Yoplait which isn't my fave but will do), a fruit/cheese platter, and whole fruits (bananas, etc). How many days is this, maybe check it out the first day and if it is indeed barren take an Uber to Whole Foods and stock up for the rest of the trip?0
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