"I have taken a group two times and one time we registered too late for meal plans, and the other one we did the meal plan. I fully recommend planning on meal tickets for your group. This allows for group discussion during meals, time to explore sponsor tables, and you don't have to fight the long lines at local restaurants."

• "Do the meal plan! As a leader, it simplifies your life.
• If you go the restaurant route, I highly recommend you place one online order for your group in advance. Before the session starts, place the order. Expect long lines and restaurants to run out of options.
• We bring a case of water for each hotel room
• We bring cases of water on each bus and provide on snack (usually Costco pretzels or goldfish) for each bus
• We pay for coffee for our leaders"

"We brought our own meals to cut down on costs. We prepared taco meat ahead of time, so it just had to be warmed up at our house for dinner, and one night we ordered pizza together. And we had easy breakfast items to choose from, and some made sandwiches to take for lunch and we brought bags of veggies and fruit and chips and plates to the conference. We stored our lunches in coolers in the cars and could all eat together in the conference center and enjoy time at the bookstore and talking to missionaries."

• "Food is always a hard issue because of how many people are getting food all at once
• It is helpful to send a couple trusted leaders to go and grab food before the session that leads to a meal time ends. Grab your group’s orders (if you have many people consider breaking into smaller groups) and than have the leaders go and pick up the food so that you can have your order sent earlier, and picked up before the rush
• Consider also getting food at the food trucks outside, if you miss picking up food earlier, it is quicker to get food from the food trucks than going to a restaurant nearby
• Certain places like chipotle allow you to set an order for a future time, so you can order it earlier and have it so that it’s ready as soon as the session ends
• Have another group of people or leaders grab spots in the convention center so that you can have a space ready whenever the food comes
• Lastly it’s not a bad idea to pack lunch, or even go outside of Louisville to a nearby food court or mall and just eat dinner or lunch there. Above all, you have to pay for parking EVERYTIME, you go in and out of the convention center so try to get food nearby and do it all in walking distance "

"With the length of lunch it is easiest to do individually in the immediate area around the conference center and there is a large variety and most are not only close but quick. With the longer break for dinner, our group always goes somewhere a mile or so away so we can find a big table where it is not crowded and spend time praying and discussing the things we have learned so far and prep our hearts for the rest of the night. In Louisville the food options are plentiful but it would be smart to plan unless you are just going to go with the convenience of the spots close to the convention center."

"If staying in an Airbnb, bring someone along to be over food prep! This drastically cut down on the cost for the students. Someone would head back early to prep lunches and dinners, and we still split the cost of the food. A huge win for us! Some of this can be done in a hotel room as well, if staying in town instead of an Airbnb."

"I would encourage all groups to consider the meal plans that are offered, especially if you have a large group. The Convention Center provides a great environment to eat and discuss all that you're learning over the meals you share together."

"Last year we brought 22 attendees. We brought a couple crock pots and fixed chicken ‘n noodles and mashed potatoes for one lunch. And we fixed sack lunches for everyone for another lunch. We live within driving distance (3 hours) so this idea probably only works for those closer to the conference location."

"You can go to the nearest grocery store and make sacked lunches- sandwiches, chips, apple/cutie. Everyone will save money doing this. Bring it to the conference and find a spot in the convention center to eat as a group!"

"For those wanting to save, take them to a grocery store so they can stock up on snacks and simple meals."

"The food trucks outside CROSS are amazing! Just be prepared to stand in line in the cold for a while. But this was an easy way to get food. Also, if you are lodging close by, pack a cooler full of sandwiches, etc if people want to eat for cheap."

"We build into our budget a sit-down meal together as a team on the second night. This gives us a nicer meal together where we can slow down, process, and make memories together before the conference is over."

• Our group has packed continental breakfast items and stores them in one of our hotel rooms. Each morning, the group gathers in the seating area of our room for breakfast together. We have muffins, bagels, fruit, yogurt, granola bars, and juice. We bring along a toaster and some paper products and it makes for an easy morning--not only saving money but avoiding the long lines at the local breakfast spots.
• We also make reservations for our group several months ahead at some of the spots within walking distance, but not right next to the convention center. While it may cost a couple of extra $$ to eat at some of the spots, we save lots of time by not waiting in line allowing us to join more of the conference.

"For meal planning, we would suggest making reservations as far in advance as possible. You can do this for lunches and dinners. The downtown restaurants will do this for larger groups and love the heads up."

"I always tell my group to bring non-perishable breakfast options with them for each day. It makes the morning rush WAY less stressful! It also encourages us all to spend our first moments of the day on more important things like personal quiet times and attending the morning prayer gathering!"