Cancun Business Trip - Help!

[Guest cassidy]

I won a year-long sales contest and the prize is a week trip to Cancun, all expenses paid. For meals, there is a hospiality suite with a continental breakfast, snacks and light lunch. Dinners are buffets. I contacted my company to find out what they could do for me to make sure that I have safe food to eat. They want a doctor's note, but then they said they would do whatever I want, even shipping food down there for me.

I don't know what to ask for. This is a 5 diamond resort, so I'm sure there are chefs there that can prepare meals for me. We are going on several day trips where they pack box lunches for everyone else, so I will need snacks and portable food.

So, I was thinking of asking if I could confirm that it is possible for the hotel to make me safe meals, and have a plated meal made for most meals. For snacks and day trip meals I was thinking of asking if I could go to the health food store up here and make up a package of different snacks and granola bars and have those shipped. Any good ideas on what to put in the box?

Doea anyone have any suggestions? This will be my first big gluten-free trip. I go on several week-long business trips a year so I feel like I'm setting a precedent with this one. I don't want to be too demanding, but I don't want to get sick.

What should I ask for???

[Katie O'Rourke]

I won a year-long sales contest and the prize is a week trip to Cancun, all expenses paid. For meals, there is a hospiality suite with a continental breakfast, snacks and light lunch. Dinners are buffets. I contacted my company to find out what they could do for me to make sure that I have safe food to eat. They want a doctor's note, but then they said they would do whatever I want, even shipping food down there for me.

I don't know what to ask for. This is a 5 diamond resort, so I'm sure there are chefs there that can prepare meals for me. We are going on several day trips where they pack box lunches for everyone else, so I will need snacks and portable food.

So, I was thinking of asking if I could confirm that it is possible for the hotel to make me safe meals, and have a plated meal made for most meals. For snacks and day trip meals I was thinking of asking if I could go to the health food store up here and make up a package of different snacks and granola bars and have those shipped. Any good ideas on what to put in the box?

Doea anyone have any suggestions? This will be my first big gluten-free trip. I go on several week-long business trips a year so I feel like I'm setting a precedent with this one. I don't want to be too demanding, but I don't want to get sick.

What should I ask for???

If I was you, it is definitely best to get them to plate you up a meal. Buffets can be rather ddgy, obviously cross contamination is a big issue, because you wont know if people have used the tongues, etc to handle gluten-containing fod. Also, breakfast may well be croissants, etc, so best to ask for gluten-free cereal, like rice crispies, and orange juice, or grapefruit or something like that. Best to ask them to get you some gluten-free bread in, which you can have for lunchbox, and also maybe some gluten-free crisps, or pretzals. If I was you though, I'd ask for a contact number for the chef before you depart, and discuss it directly with him so you're both on the same page. He may also be able to offer suggestions. Usually expensive places are a lot better for coping with coeliacs. Good luck!

[penguin]

If I was you, it is definitely best to get them to plate you up a meal. Buffets can be rather ddgy, obviously cross contamination is a big issue, because you wont know if people have used the tongues, etc to handle gluten-containing fod. Also, breakfast may well be croissants, etc, so best to ask for gluten-free cereal, like rice crispies, and orange juice, or grapefruit or something like that. Best to ask them to get you some gluten-free bread in, which you can have for lunchbox, and also maybe some gluten-free crisps, or pretzals. If I was you though, I'd ask for a contact number for the chef before you depart, and discuss it directly with him so you're both on the same page. He may also be able to offer suggestions. Usually expensive places are a lot better for coping with coeliacs. Good luck!

FYI Katie: I know you're in the UK, and that you're planning on coming to the US for holiday next year. Please be aware that Rice Krispies in the US ARE NOT gluten-free. They have barley malt in them. Don't know about Mexico though...

[CarlaB]

If you don't have the Triumph dining cards I would definately get them before the trip. The one for Mexican food has it written in Spanish on the back. Much of Mexican food is naturally gluten free, so you should have a lot of options down there.

[Guest cassidy]

I just got home last night and the trip was successful! I didn't get sick once. I met with the chef when I got there. They had a select few preparing my meals. I ate everything in the hotel so I would give them my room number and all the waiters knew who to contact. They also made me to go boxes to take on day trips and on the plane.

I feel so much better that can have a safe trip. I leave again in 10 days. This one is in the US and I'm driving, so that should make it easier.

[bluesky8130]

What resort was it that you stayed at? We are hoping to go to Cancun soon so would love to know

[Lauren M]

Wow, congrats on the successful trip! I don't know what you did right (or I did wrong?) but when I spent a week and a half in Acapulco, Mexico, I had never been so sick in my life. At one point, I just stopped eating anything, other than the Envirokids bars and jar of PB I brought, even though the meals were part of my (all-inclusive) package.

- Lauren

[Guest cassidy]

We stayed at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach. The trip was wonderful and I highly recommend the hotel.

[Becky6]

So glad that you had a great trip!!