Food Allergies on the Go

Every time we step out of the house I feel like I need a suitcase for all of our gear........

Diaper Bag...check
Diapers...check
Wipes...check
Extra outfits...check
Waterbottles...check
Snacks...check
Epi-pens...check
Benadryl...check
Cortizone Cream...check
Benadryl Cream...check
And if we're going to be out during a mealtime-then I have a cooler with food and even more snacks.

I pack half the house to be gone for just one morning.  And if we travel, especially somewhere overnight, the packing becomes ridiculous.  We never know if we'll be able to find food for Bee, so we'd better bring our own!

This can make life so frustrating and tiresome.  Whenever we show up at an event (because they're all based around food), we come complete with a cooler and all kinds of food. 

Sometimes I even feel like people give us a hard time for our massive lunch box or the enormous amount of foods and medicines we tote around.  I see them peeking at our lunch with curiosity and sometimes people even make little comments.  The comments come in two forms:
Surprise that the food looks somehow normal-I mean, they can't believe it looks like....food!  
Or, curiosity mixed with a little disgust that the food is slightly out-of-the-norm-  Your kids actually want to eat broccoli or hummus and not hotdogs and pizza? 

And I can usually tell what most are thinking-who is this obsessive, health-food crazed mom who makes her children sit separately from everyone else and eat only what they bring?  Yes, our food is not the typical kids menu fare of hotdogs, chicken nuggets, mac-and-cheese, and pizza.  My kids have a pretty sophisticated palette for ones so young.  We have to experiment in the kitchen and try things that we never thought we'd eat, and we've found quite a few things that we enjoy.

But I do really get tired of the comments whether vocalized or said under the breath.  And the covert glances get so old.  I should just take it all in stride and even with a dose of humor, but I guess I'm not to that point yet.  I'm way too sensitive about it.

I want to wear a T-shirt or hang a sign across my forehead to let people know that I have to be like this.  I have to bring food everywhere we go.  I have to eat separately.  I have to cook things that are nowhere near normal.

Not only is it exhausting to leave the house during a mealtime, it is tiring dealing with the people who don't understand.  I hope one day I can use some humor to poke fun at our differences.  Maybe I can relax (ha ha) and say something witty right back.  But right now it's like salt on an open wound.  For now, I just smile and nod.  Yes, our food is different.  Yes, my kids do like to eat it.  Yes, we have to be this way.  Yes, I know we're weird.