A baby boomer born in the fifties I was primed to slip into a fast food mommy and restaurant fare traveling with my children....but with the birth of my first child in the late eighties it became our reality that any food outside the food we prepared for ourselves would be dangerous to our first born....she is anaphylactic to both peanut and soybean.  With soy flour and soy protein in just about anything processed or prepared it became a habit to not expect that food would be wherever we traveled to or wherever we visited. So....yes....we bring our own food all the time as do all food allergic families, especially if the reaction to an allergen would be life threatening and at minimum traumatic....epinepherine shot, ambulance ride to emergency, four hours of wait and see before discharge, exhausted...and wondering how in the world an allergen got by us selecting a meal for our child when out and about....you never expect a reaction....and life threatening allergies are serious....you live in fear of making a mistake because the cost can very well be irreversible resulting in the loss of your sweet child if the reaction is anaphylaxis.  But, we got pretty skilled...it is work and contrary to the experience of others in this culture where food is plentiful and available all hours of the day.  We can get it together without much planning....a quick scan of the pantry and pulling together leftovers, which we keep at the ready and value.....our meals are made from scratch, so leftovers make a tasty little meal on the road. Most hotels offer microwaves, fridges, etc.  I can serve up a spaghetti meal, soup, make a sandwich, pancakes, hot cereal, dessert within minutes of checking into a hotel room....and you know....it really feels great to be able to do so....feed your children in the room high quality left overs....instead of heading out for a meal at a restaurant...it is really very comforting to always have your own food packed away. One or two small cooler bags is all that is needed. I read a journal dating back to the 1800's written by a woman who chronicled her life from early chldhood to married life with children.  It was an eye opener reading her account of packing up a barrell of food for trips and moves....the distance was not far by our standards, but she was travelling by horse and wagon....and I so related with the preparations she made. She recalled that her home life as a married woman with children included making pies and loaves of bread daily....she noted that it was important to her to have a pie or cake available for guests. Simple gestures that add quality to life....not a lot of work. In that way....the fact I must prepare all of our food, and I must plan to have food or bring a dish along when we travel and visit...has actually enhanced our family life...who would have known? Thanks for your advice and writings!!