[KathieK]

I will agree that the food situation at the Nationals left a lot to be desired. Our hotel offered only one breakfast selection for the package (scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuit, potatoes) along with a choice of juice or coffee or tea. Five days of that was boring, and not nutritious. We purchased fruit at a nearby grocery store to eat at the competition.

I have a food allergy that normally is not an issue since I am not a picky eater. However, the lack of food choices made it difficult to eat the prepaid meals. I attempted several times to find out what was to be offered the following day so that I could purchase food ahead of time and bring it with me, but no one could tell me what was going to be on the menu, let alone if it contained the item I am allergic to. The fish, while a nice thought for those who do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent, was burnt, cold and inedible.

My suggestions:
*Better food quality (prepare cold items - ie sandwiches and salads and fruits - for mass consumption and the fear of food illness will be lessened)
*More variety (OK to offer the standard "fast food" stuff if nutritious alternatives are also offered)
*Offered at several locations (have a location close to the pits for those who are working there, and other locations close to the competition arenas)
*Work with vendors to keep prices to a minimum to accomodate those who do not purchase the package.