Breakfast for Champions

[TeraViks]

Rookie team here. We're on our way to Atlanta as a recipient of the Portland Regional Rookie All Star award, and I have a question about feeding my team. Being a stickler for having the kids eat breakfast, and the buffet at the Westin Peachtree waaaaay outside their budget (not to mention we don't have time!), does anyone have suggestions for feeding a pack of hungry teens in the morning? I'm looking for what your team will be doing or what you've done in the past. Thanks!

Brian
Coach, Team 3145
The TeraViks

[Mark McLeod]

We generally feed them in the CNN foodcourt a few hundred feet from the Dome.
Several places are open for breakfast and the students can choose what they want.
It's full of teams...

[alicen]

We are a local team, and so drive up (or take MARTA) to the Dome, usually we stop at Chick-fil-a or Dunkin Donuts, or you eat at home before you leave. What you might try is just get a couple boxes of cereal, poptarts, whatever and have a quick breakfast in the hotel rooms. Might be a bit crazy, but hey, it's cheap!

[thefro526]

Brian, if your team is staying at the Westin Peachtree, there are a few close and easy options.

1) There is a Starbucks in the Lobby of the Hotel, and the prices aren't anymore expensive that a regular Starbucks as far as I can remember.

2) There is a McDonalds, right across the street, literally. Usually this fills up pretty fast though, especially if you go too late. We used to get up to try to be there before 7am so we didn't wait in line.

3) There is also a Diner about 300 feet away from the Hotel as well. It's in an obscure location that's kind of easy to miss, it's actually behind the Hardrock, and connected to the little mall that's across from the Westin. This is where I usually get Breakfast.

Those three are the preferred places for my team since they're so close. Those three places are kind of an "Understood" okay place to go in the morning, as long as there are three students or more going together.

On the way to the Dome you'll pass the CNN center which also has a bunch of places to eat too.

Feel free to PM me with anymore questions.

[TeraViks]

Thank you for all the great suggestions! Eating before we leave won't work as we're coming from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho... but it would be nice!

McD's and food court sound like the right idea. I also like the idea of "understood" places that I can let a small group go to instead of herding 13 cranky (morning+hunger=cranky) teens to one location.

*Just heard from the hotel that the McD's across the street is gone (moved, out of business?). Can anyone confirm this?*

Thanks again.

Brian

[thelittlesister]

We are a small team; we pass out fruit and granola bars at the hotel and then everyone can buy whatever they want to supplement that.

[wendymom]

Exploding Bacon goes to Sams or Costco and stocks up on muffins, granola bars, yogurt, cereal and milk and of course Pop Tarts. We keep them in my room and everyone stops by and grabs something before we leave the hotel. We have a team of 37 going so my room gets pretty crowded but I'm with you on making sure they all eat a decent breakfast. We do the same thing for lunch. A picnic on the green. The bus brings our coolers. We find that we can feed everyone for about $5 bucks. I like it because I can head count and see that each kid is doing ok and is eating something somewhat healthy. Have fun at Champs. If you need any help come by Bacon and find me. Also I would suggest sending at least one parent or mentor to the NEMO meeting on Friday morning. You will get all kinds of Non Engineering tips like this there and meet some pretty cool people.

[Jonathan Norris]

Last year my team purchased a bunch of bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter, Juice and other breakfast foods on the way down. We ate breakfast in the hotel before leaving for the dome. Worked well for us last year.

[IKE]

May I not recommend copious amounts of Rockstar. You will have screaming teens at 8am that are knapping in the stands by noon.

[RoboMom]

Ideas that may be helpful in "Tips for Travel" on NEMO Resources page
http://www.firstnemo.org/resources.htm

[Cynette]

We fly so we are very limited in what we can carry in to the hotel with us!

We often have a chaperone volunteer to go our early and retrieve bagels for who ever wants them. The evening before we collect the orders (flavor preference - buttered, cream cheese or plain) and collect $2-3 per person. I'm not sure exactly where they go for the bagels, but I think it must be close to the hotel.

[Joe Ross]

The peachtree center mall is also about a block east of the Westin, and has a food court. It opens at 7.

[TeraViks]

Originally Posted by IKE

May I not recommend copious amounts of Rockstar. You will have screaming teens at 8am that are knapping in the stands by noon.

I have totally banned any energy drinks! My experience is these things are nothing but bad news for kids...

[EricVanWyk]

Can someone please make the Wheaties joke already? I can't keep it bottled up inside much longer!

[Sumathi]

I don't know about you guys, but I find competition food way tooo expensive. I usually bring some food to regionals vs. buying it there. I rather pay a buck for a can of coke than four dollar. Anyways what I am getting at is your team should all pitch in some cash to buy food in bulk. Mabye Costco or Sams club, buy tons of food there. I am sure your group will be satisfied.