Convention Fans

Ah, one of the great convention dilemmas: how to find time for food when there’s so much to do at the con! Besides, no one wants to pay $4 for one hot dog, and another $2 for a soda. When your stomach is grumbling, and you’re stuck in line, it helps to carry some kind of sustenance on your person. Never fear con goers! The Conventions Fans blog is here to help!

1. Energy/Protein Bars

You’ve probably heard of the concept of protein helping you stay fuller, longer. Consider taking along some protein bars, or meal replacement bars, when you know you’re not going to have a chance for a full meal somewhere. They are ideal because of the protein packed punch they provide, and they are fairly small and easy to stash in a bag/pocket/corset. Note: don’t stick chocolate ones down the corset. One of the ones I’ve found to be edible is the South Beach Chocolate Crisp meal replacement bar.

2. Nuts (or Trail Mixes with Nuts)

Nuts are also an excellent source of protein, as well as healthy fats. They are considered a calorie dense food, and should help hold a craving at bay until you can sit down to a full meal somewhere.

3. Pocky

This is an absolute must have if you’re at an anime convention. Not only is Pocky a deliciously perfect snack while waiting in line, but it also works as a weird form of currency among the Otaku. If you can’t find it for sale at the convention itself, a lot of local anime and comic book stores sell it. I even saw it for sale at a Chinese take out restaurant in Florida once.

4. Oatmeal and Ramen

If you are lucky enough to have a microwave at the convention hotel you’re staying at, don’t forget the oatmeal and ramen. Both of these food items only require a bowel and water, and are quick and easy meals. These are especially good if you’re trying to save a little money. Ramen is about the cheapest meal on the planet, I imagine.

5. Bring Your Own Soda/Drinks/Water

Remember that $2 soda I mentioned earlier? Save yourself some money by bringing your own drinks and bottled water. If you’re attending a summer convention, you will definitely want to have a steady supply of water, and I doubt you want to be paying $2 a pop for it! Some bottled water companies actually make mini-bottles, which are geared towards kids’ lunchboxes. These would work great for convention attendees. You can get one, and refill it at water fountains as you go.

6. The Con Suite

While not a feature of every convention, some do offer a “con suite.” This is a room at one of the host hotels or convention center meeting rooms that offers snack food and drinks for FREE. Yes, you read that correctly. FREE. Sometimes it’s just PB&J, but sometimes that’s better than a $4 hot dog.

7. Lunch Size Bags of Chips/100 Calorie Snack Packs

When you don’t have a lot of room in your costume’s pockets (if you even have any), individual portion sized snacks really come in handy. You can pick up an assortment of chips or 100 calorie pack items at your local grocery store before going to the convention. They are the perfect size to help tide you over for a while.

8. Pack Your Own Sandwiches

You’ll want to observe basic food safety here, but you can definitely pack your own sandwiches. I advise against something that needs refrigeration. You may actually be lucky enough to snag a hotel room with a mini-fridge so you can make a sandwich with mayo (or something perishable), but I wouldn’t count on getting one. A classic PB&J sandwich is a pretty safe (and yummy) bet.

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