The music is good, the dancing is epic and summer festivals have arrived. When planning to attend a festival, one of the most important things to consider is hydration and nutrition.
While many festivals have food vendors, other festivals such as Burning Man, practice radical self-reliance, i.e., bring your food and water. Vendor festival food ranges from the healthy to unhealthy and can be costly. That’s not saying I don’t enjoy a delicious slice of pizza at 1 a.m. after dancing.
Many veteran festivalgoers bring their own meals. Having healthy choices on hand is the way to go, especially if it’s easy and light. Salty food works well in the summer heat. Electrolytes are also good to pack.
Simple breakfast
Overnight oats, breakfast burritos with eggs, cheese, breakfast meat, yogurt, granola and berries provide a solid base to begin the long day ahead. Fresh stone fruit is also good. Keep it simple. Traveling to a festival with a camp stove is a win-win. A breakfast of eggs, bacon or sausage always works — and coffee is imperative.
Avoid the heat of cooking
Cooking during the height of the day for lunch isn’t recommended. Bowl-type meals are easy and delicious. Start with crunchy vegetables (chopped carrots, celery and roasted beets), add a protein (cooked chicken) with fresh cilantro and serve over a grain base (brown rice or quinoa). Bring a side of vinaigrette dressing to add to the veggie bowls. These types of meals hold up well in a cooler.
A frozen gallon jug of water helps keep your cooler extra cold and you can drink it when it melts.
Lettuce doesn’t necessarily do well in the heat, but if it’s something you crave, pack it on the top of the cooler and eat it earlier in the trip.
Sandwiches make festival life a breeze. Bacon, lettuce and tomato; peanut butter and jelly; or cheese and crackers are easy to grab and hold up well in a cooler. Hummus and veggies are also a top choice to keep in the cooler with guacamole, salsa and chips.
Dried fruit and nuts, protein bars, jerky and a jar of peanut butter are all essential to pack because they provide extra protein. While chips aren’t the healthiest, I always bring a few bags. They are tasty and salty. Salt and vinegar chips are my favorite.
Camp stove essential
When it comes to dinner, bringing a camp stove makes preparing meals easy. Grilling sausages, meat and chicken are easy and provides excellent protein. Precooked grilled vegetables are easy to warm up and have with dinner. There have been times I’ve made Thai curry with lots of vegetables and rice noodles. It is a bit more work but a delicious and satisfying option. A rotisserie chicken can make festival life a lot easier. Take the meat off the bone (it generates less trash). Store chicken in a plastic bag. Serve it over salad (kale holds up well) or rice with grilled vegetables.
Cooler tips
Packing your cooler is the key. Keep it cold. Pack lots of ice. A frozen gallon jug of water helps keep your cooler extra cold and you can drink it when it melts. Vegetables should be individually packed in bags. Avoid vegetables such as cucumbers or eat them in the first day or so. They don’t hold up well in the heat.
Watermelon is excellent and refreshing. Chill it at home and put it in your cooler. It stays better if kept whole until ready to eat. Keep meats and perishables next to the ice and make sure you keep them cold. Have a separate cooler for beverages. It’s good to limit how often you open your cooler, too.
If you’re partying for days, it’s essential to hydrate and eat as well as possible.
