|
<< Back --- Table of Contents --- Forward >> Meal planning for the playa In spite of the heat and distractions at Burning Man, you will want to something to eat. For the most part, you won't be as hungry as you might think, so it's easy to bring too much food. Bring a variety of items you like to eat: familiar foods if possible. The playa might not be a good time to experiment with weird foods. Bring fancy foods if you want, but also bring wholesome, easy-to-digest, easy-to-fix meals. Snack foods that require no prep and are nutritious are winners. Pre-cook and freeze whole meals before you leave home. Pre-wash and cut up vegetables for snacks. Package easy-to-eat snack foods in small Ziplocs for individual servings on the go. Bring a variety of beverages: bottled water, juices, powered drink mixes, hot cocoa mix, Tang, lemonade, and solar ice tea fixings are all good choices. Hot beverages like chai and herbal tea are good, too. Freeze as many (non-carbonated) beverages as you can: they will help to keep your cooler cold. Soymilk is a good choice instead of dairy milk: it tastes yummy in coffee and on cereal. Buy a kind that doesn't require refrigeration. Costco carries 'no refrigeration needed' soymilk in boxes (made by Silk Soymilk). If you like those electrolyte sports beverages, bring some of those. Remember that alcoholic beverages don't count towards hydration. Cereal, hot or cold, makes a quick breakfast or snack. Repackage cereal in large Ziplocs before heading to the playa. In fact, repackage ALL of your food at home. Throw away the 'retail packaging' at home. Not only will your food be easy to 're-seal', but you'll save space packing and reduce your playa trash. Bagels keep much better than bread on the playa. They don't crush or dry out as quickly. Cut in half and fry in a little melted butter for a yummy morning treat. Bring cream cheese in small individual packages: these keep well in the cooler. Don't let your meals create litter on the playa! Even organic plant parts are considered litter: date pits, orange peels, coffee grounds, and nut shells are litter. They won't 'decompose' in the dry, alkaline environment. Don't throw your kitchen dish water on the playa: it will contain small pieces of crud. Pick up even the tiniest bit of food parts off the playa and throw them in your trash bag. Don't bring foods that have a
big potential to create litter. Individually wrapped candies,
unshelled sunflower seeds, and pistachio nuts can be real litter
producers: it's waaaay too easy to drop small pieces of stuff on
the playa. Remember, the federal land managers of the Black Rock
Desert require Burning Man to follow certain rules or they can
shut the even down. Preserve Burning Man! Read more about the
protecting the playa here: Put things away after you use them. Maybe the wind isn't blowing *right now*, but it will be later! Items like napkins, cups, and plastic bags blow away very easily. Don't leave them out on the table. Practice safe food handling techniques on the playa: the port-a-potties are not the best place to 'hang out'. Bring only a few perishables: avoid the cooler filled with melted-ice-raw-chicken-soaked-cheese-and-lettuce mess! With a little effort, you can 'suspend' a small mesh hammock-like piece of fabric in the top part of your cooler: this is a good place to keep small items and things you don't want to get wet. Eat your perishables early in the week. Never eat anything that has 'spoiled'. Give it the sniff test...have your friends give it the sniff test. If you are suspicious of some food, throw it out or heat it thoroughly before eating. Cook batches of food you can eat at one meal. Leftovers can be a liability on the playa: you are unlikely to eat them and they will stink up your trash when you finally throw them out. << Back --- Table of Contents --- Forward >> |