Kids ordering off adult menu

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ayndim

ayndim

Train Attendant
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
37
Location
Arizona
As many of you know my youngest son has a mood disorder (i.e., bipolar). We have found that removing gluten from his diet has really cut down on his cycling (mania/depression). We are going to NYC at Christmas via SW Chief and LSL. We have a sleeper on the SWC and I was wondering if he can order off the adult menu. A hot dog might be okay for one meal but I don't think he'll want it for both. And that is the only gluten-free option on the kids menu, minus the bun, of course. It looks like the burger, steak and chicken should all be okay from the adult menu. He doesn't have celiac, so I am not worried about cross-contamination. Also, when our order comes and he has a hot dog or burger, can I pull out his gluten-free buns or is that a no-no? We could always eat in the sleeper and stick the bun on there but that doesn't let the kids have the full experience of riding on amtrak. Of course, I am going to bring some back-up snacks just in case.-
 
We travel in a sleeper, and my kid has always ordered from the adult menu.
 
The newest timetable I have is from 2009, but in the back, under "Special Assistance and Station Accessibility", it says:

"Amtrak is committed to making travel accessible for passengers with....special needs such as a wheelchair, special food service (72 hours advance notice needed)... Please call 1-800-USA-Rail"

I don't know if they can provide for your food, but it's worth a try.
 
Special Menus & Special Dietary Requirements

Availability and Notice

Special menu selections' date=' including kosher and vegan are available on most trains with 72-hour advanced notice. 24-hour advanced notice is required for [i']Acela Express [/i]First Class service. Vegetarian meals do not require advance notice.

To reserve your meal, call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). TTY service is available at 1-800-523-6590.

Kosher Meals

Kosher meals are prepared and wrapped under rabbinical supervision and sealed until delivered to the passenger.

Vegan Meals

Vegan meals are completely free of animal products, with no meat, dairy or egg products of any kind. They are also generally low in fat and sodium.

Vegetarian Meals

Vegetarian meals contain no meat, but normally do contain dairy or egg products. There is always one meat-free item on every menu and passengers who want vegetarian (meat-free) items may select that; no special vegetarian meal request is required (or possible).

Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Peanut Free Meals

Amtrak does not offer meals specifically designated as low fat, low cholesterol, low sodium, gluten free, wheat free or peanut free. Most dinner entrees are not prepared on the dining car. The fat, cholesterol, sodium, gluten, wheat and peanut content may vary, and cannot be controlled or modified by the chef. Requests for these types of meals as they cannot be honored.

Certain menu items are inherently low in fat, cholesterol and/or sodium and may be ordered from the regular menu. The dining car waiter or lead service attendant can provide guidance.

Plan for Contingencies

Due to events beyond our control, trains are sometimes delayed and supplies may become limited. If you have diabetes or special dietary requirements, please make sure that you carry sufficient nourishment with you to meet your dietary needs.
Click to expand...

From this webpage. Gluten Free (sadly) is not an option Amtrak provides.

peter
 
ayndim said:
As many of you know my youngest son has a mood disorder (i.e., bipolar). We have found that removing gluten from his diet has really cut down on his cycling (mania/depression).
Click to expand...
Your post intrigues me, and not for anything to do with trains.

What is gluten, and how prevalent is its avoidance in reducing the extreme cycling of bipolarism? How much of an improvement in your son's recovery is tied to eliminating gluten? Does anyone else in your family have similar experience? I hope you can let me know, as it may be one of the few things left that will reduce my severity and frequency of rapid cycling, mixed states, etc.
 
Glucose, sugar. Basically pasta, breads, cookies, desserts, rice, cereal, most anything made out of grains or sugar. A sudden spike in blood sugar can trigger the release of various chemicals, such as endorphins or insulin, that can trigger a cycle slip.
 
He can indeed order off the adult menu and slipping out your own bun shouldn't be a problem. Don't make it super obvious either, but it really shouldn't be an issue anyhow.
 
ALC_Rail_Writer said:
Glucose, sugar. Basically pasta, breads, cookies, desserts, rice, cereal, most anything made out of grains or sugar. A sudden spike in blood sugar can trigger the release of various chemicals, such as endorphins or insulin, that can trigger a cycle slip.
Click to expand...
Gluten is not Glucose. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products. Glucose is Surgar.

Gluten: a tenacious elastic protein substance especially of wheat flour that gives cohesiveness to dough.

Glucose: a crystalline sugar C6H12O6; specifically : the sweet colorless soluble dextrorotatory form that occurs widely in nature and is the usual form in which carbohydrate is assimilated by animals

(both definitions are from Merriam Webster)

peter
 
We rode the Silver Star recently - Bedroom, my wife, 10 yr old daughter and me. My daughter and I each ordered the steak. We both ate every bite. So you certainly can order off the menu (any item).

Funny - my 10 year old always wants to eat, and then return immediately back to our room on the train. It was not crowded in the dinning car, and I had a glass of wine, plus a very good steak, so I was content to stay there all evening, or at least for a bit. My daughter is like, "OK, we did that, let's go.."
 
PerRock said:
ALC_Rail_Writer said:
Glucose, sugar. Basically pasta, breads, cookies, desserts, rice, cereal, most anything made out of grains or sugar. A sudden spike in blood sugar can trigger the release of various chemicals, such as endorphins or insulin, that can trigger a cycle slip.
Click to expand...
Gluten is not Glucose. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products. Glucose is Surgar.

Gluten: a tenacious elastic protein substance especially of wheat flour that gives cohesiveness to dough.

Glucose: a crystalline sugar C6H12O6; specifically : the sweet colorless soluble dextrorotatory form that occurs widely in nature and is the usual form in which carbohydrate is assimilated by animals

(both definitions are from Merriam Webster)

peter
Click to expand...
Glucose isn't a gluten but I have noticed it can cause cycling with my son. As can some artificial flavorings.
 
NE933 said:
ayndim said:
As many of you know my youngest son has a mood disorder (i.e., bipolar). We have found that removing gluten from his diet has really cut down on his cycling (mania/depression).
Click to expand...
Your post intrigues me, and not for anything to do with trains.

What is gluten, and how prevalent is its avoidance in reducing the extreme cycling of bipolarism? How much of an improvement in your son's recovery is tied to eliminating gluten? Does anyone else in your family have similar experience? I hope you can let me know, as it may be one of the few things left that will reduce my severity and frequency of rapid cycling, mixed states, etc.
Click to expand...
It hasn't been researched much but my son's psychiatrist is an awesome lady who takes everything into account. She noticed something in his bloodwork that suggested he has allergies and thought he was a good candiate for an elimination diet. We started with gluten. I work with children with autism and know that it can affect them, as can casein (milk and its deriviatives). However, you should only pull one food at a time, so you know what is and isn't working. Within a week, he stopped saying "I want to leave this world." Devastating for a 7 year-old to say. He was also rapid cycling. He does still have some symptoms but they are very mild. He isn't on meds. I wasn't going to do a return to baseline (i.e., give him the gluten again to see if it causes cycling/symptoms) as he was doing so well. However, he got a hold of some the other day and ate it. And sugar (which btw can also increase symptoms). It was awful. Just like before. Two days later and he is just now getting it out of his system and having symptoms disappear. Even with autism it doesn't work for everyone but it is worth a try. You need a good 6 weeks to see if it works.

While he doesn't have celiac, the celiac foundation is a good source of information on a gluten-free lifestyle. Here is their link. http://www.celiac.org/
 
Check with my sister (APRN pedi/family) nothing hard in stone, but alot of people think gluten free diet helps with ADD / ADHD / Bi-polar. Fact is it will not hurt. So if you got someone in your life with these type of issues, try an gluten free diet. Can't hurt. Might not help. But will not hurt. ;)
 
How about adults ordering off the children's menu? We were on the EB recently and saw an adult eating pizza at lunch in the diner. The only pizza I saw was on the kid's menu.
 
Bierboy said:
How about adults ordering off the children's menu? We were on the EB recently and saw an adult eating pizza at lunch in the diner. The only pizza I saw was on the kid's menu.
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I've had a table mate who was in her words, "old enough to be your grandmother" and she ordered off the kids menu of course there was a little humor involved, but she was served.
 
I've ordered off the kid's menu. Unlike some restaurants, I don't think they (the waitstaff) care, so long as you pay! And if you're in a sleeper and you've essentially already paid for your meal, it really really shouldn't matter. :) Anyway, when I've ordered off the kid's menu the staff hasn't even blinked. :)

Gluten-free diets also work well with many children who are on the autism spectrum. Also, the Amtrak site says that although it does not offer gluten-free alternatives, it does say that you should therefore be prepared, which I would read as meaning I could bring a special hot dog bun. :)
 
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