Traveling For Less and an Update on My Son!

I had to take my son to Columbus, Ohio, to see a neurologist who specializes in his condition.  It is a full eight hour drive on its own, and when you add a five year old on some serious diuretics and a mommy who has a  bladder that acts like a five year old on diuretics to the mix, you take 10 hours to get there. 

I am generally the whiny one who thinks that going through a drive through will be easier and faster rather than packing sandwiches for everyone whenever we go anywhere.  I like a sandwich okay, but cold slices of meat on bread is not my idea of a meal. 

My wonderful cousin made the drive with me.  She wanted to make sure I did not turn into a hysterical, slobbery mess in front of the doctor got all my questions answered.  An added benefit of bringing her along for the ride is that she travels ALL. THE. TIME.  As in she will say she is going to go running with you tomorrow, but then she won't show up because she will actually be in Tim-buck-to, which she won't think about when she makes the offer, even though she is due to leave as soon as she gets back home.....

Anyway, she knows how to eat cheap on the road. Well, not only eat cheap, but eat GOOD!  So, I am here to offer her wisdom mangled by mingled with my own.

• Do not premake the sandwiches.  Keep the bread seperately from the other fixins'.  This way the sandwiches will be fresh and the bread not soggy.
• Bring what you will eat.  If you love PB&J's then bring bread, peanut butter and jelly. 
• Package fresh fruits and veggies, ready to eat in zipper bags, in individual portions, so whoever wants it can just reach in the cooler and get it.
• Bring a cooler! 
• Bring bottled water or other clear drinks.  If the kids spill water it is generally not a big deal to anyone who did not get wet in the process.  (Drinks packaged in pouches or boxes are generally not a good idea because kids tend to squish the liquid out through the straw, trust me on this.)
• Do premake salads and wraps.  Package them as single servings in Ziploc bags.
• Only use brand name zipper bags.  The generic tend to leak.
• Bring plastic forks (for the salads), paper towels, a regular bath towel (for the serious messes), and a box of baby wipes. 
• Bring yogurt in the plastic tubes, string cheese, baggies of cheese crackers, graham crackers, and single serve bags of cookies for easy snacks.

Here is you a couple of ideas for some wraps.
Ceasar Salad Wraps
Tortillas, Flat Out Bread, or some other kind of wrap that you love
Red Pepper, seeded and cut into strips (optional, but I LOVE it!)
Cooked chicken, chopped
Romaine lettuce
Ceasar Salad dressing
Shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Spread some dressing on the wrap.  Top with some lettuce, chicken, pepper strips, parmesan cheese and some salt and pepper.  Do not overfill, go easy on the toppings, otherwise it will be hard to wrap. 
Fold the bottom of the wrap up over the ingredients about an inch or so.  Flip one side over the whole wrap and roll up while using your fingers to tuck in the sides as you go. 

Red Pepper Avocado Wraps
Red Pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
Avocado
Lime juice
Red pepper hummus
Alfalfa sprouts
Baby Spinach
Turkey slices
salt and pepper
Wraps of some kind

Peel the avocado, half and slice it into thin slices. Dip the slices into lime juice.  Spread a nice layer of hummus on the wrap.  Top with avocado, red pepper slices, sprouts, spinach and turkey. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.  Again, go easy on the amount of toppings you use.  Wrap up and place in a ziploc bag. 

Now, a quick update on my son; The neuro is questioning the diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri.  We are to take him off all his medication and see how he does. If he gets better, we will assume the PTC diagnosis was correct but it is gone now and the medicine was keeping him sick.  If he stays the same, we will be doing an arteriogram.  He has had some really good days as of late, so I am really hopeful. At any rate, we have found a wonderful doctor!!