Breakfast for Champions

[Chris Fultz]

Just remember you cannot carry food into the pit area or the dome.

They will check bags to be sure you are not "smuggling"

[JaneYoung]

When we've traveled to Atlanta, we've scouted out the area on-line in advance and/or by calling the hotel to ask - and figured out where the grocery stores, etc., are. In recent years, we've had a bus and have been lucky to have one or two chaperones with a car for running errands. One of the first nights that we are there, we take the team to the grocery store and let them stock up on their snacks and drinks, individually. We stock up on water, lunches, snacks that the Parent Association supplies for the team. We have coolers that fit under the bus and a small folding table and at the event the bus has been able to park close enough for the team to walk out to it for lunches.

We have also spent time (which a lot of teams don't have when they find out they are going) shopping around for hotels that provide a good breakfast that is included. Like you, we are team that eats healthy as much as we can and we've actually had great experiences with the students wanting to go that route so they can tolerate the demands placed on them by the competition.

Have an awesome time!
Jane

P.S. If you are unsure or don't have a way to shop in ATL and can bring some portable breakfast bars with you - go that route. It is important for the students to know that the trip can be expensive and to plan for that, if it has to come out of their pockets. The Parents Association and some traveling adults have also learned to bring extra to make up for shortages that occur and (if it isn't considered a donation on an individual's part) then the receipts are kept and the amount of needed reimbursement given to the responsible adult upon the return home.

[Shmee]

We'll also be staying at the Westin, even though we're based in Atlanta.

As far as breakfast goes, we bring food to our hotel rooms and have the kids eat whatever's there. There is a Starbucks downstairs in the lobby, but if I remember correctly, it doesn't open until after all the robotics teams are gone.

Congrats on Rookie All-Star! If you'd like someone to walk over to the Dome with you, to introduce you to Atlanta and show you around a bit, my team is more than willing. PM me if you're interested. Our teams can hang out at the Westin together along with the other tons of robotics kids that will be around.

[BHS_STopping]

Originally Posted by EricVanWyk

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

Well! Our team adopted Wheaties after we saw how well they worked for Team 973 in LA last year... They even let us have some! When we went to the AZ Regional 2 weeks later, we packed up our Wheaties and had them for breakfast Saturday morning. Well, I'll let the picture speak for itself.

[Isaac501]

We only stay at hotels for travel competitions that have free hot breakfast (eggs, sausage/bacon/etc, waffles/etc). They aren't that expensive (especially if you have a travel-savvy person doing your booking) and they are easy and convenient.

[Doug G]

Originally Posted by 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.

We did the costco thing this year when we went to DC. We actually filled two plastic totes with granola bars, muffins, nuts, trail mix and brought them as luggage. We kept them in the hotel and made them available each morning and students ate and/or loaded up their pockets/backpacks. I know, the event sites don't allow food.

Only down side of this is if you may have to pay luggage fees. We lucked out and got ours waived. Also, a parent has to go out and find somewhere to buy fresh juice/milk.

[chris31]

The CNN Center is close by and a good place to eat. I eat there before every Atlanta Thrashers home game. While I always eat the same thing, it has a variety of choices. It is close to the Georgia Dome.

[davidthefat]

Make an omelete for every one, 4 eggs each, thats pretty cheap if you think about it, a hearty meal for about $10

[Akash Rastogi]

Bread + cheese slices + ironing board +2 irons = grilled cheese (Atlanta 09 Ingenuity of a MORT eagle scout).

.

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Bread + cheese slices + ironing board +2 irons = grilled cheese (Atlanta 09 Ingenuity of a MORT eagle scout).

.

Why 2 irons?

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by PAR_WIG1350

Why 2 irons?

Its faster than 1.

[ManicMechanic]

We've brought instant oatmeal packets and hot cocoa/cider/tea for at least the first morning, before we make a grocery run. There's always a coffee maker for hot water, and reconstitutable foods give the most fill for carried volume (gotta save some room in the luggage for spare parts).

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by ManicMechanic

We've brought instant oatmeal packets and hot cocoa/cider/tea for at least the first morning, before we make a grocery run. There's always a coffee maker for hot water, and reconstitutable foods give the most fill for carried volume (gotta save some room in the luggage for spare parts).

We also use the coffee pots to make ramen if we're hungry late at night lol

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Bread + cheese slices + ironing board +2 irons = grilled cheese (Atlanta 09 Ingenuity of a MORT eagle scout).

Now I know to check the hotel iron for cheese and butter before using it on my shirts...

[JamesBrown]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

Make an omelete for every one, 4 eggs each, thats pretty cheap if you think about it, a hearty meal for about $10

Where would you cook the omelets, and how would you recommended transporting hundreds of eggs to Atlanta. While eggs are pretty cheap they aren't really practical here.