Bacon reigns supreme in Black Rock City, that much I can see for myself, as well it should but what suggestions would you guys make for first timers to bring. I pretty much planned to bring chips and snadwiches for every occasion and an assload of soda (besides the water of course) but what sorts of Playa cuisine would peeps recommend.
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Thu, February 21, 2008 - 12:39 PMI've been going with food that doesn't need to be refrigerated nor heated. This would include nuts, pickles, pudding, canned fruit & veggies, soups, bagged meals, etc. Much of it can be heated, if I have the energy to do so. I'd rather not have to focus on meal preparation (and cleanup!), and just want a quick meal.
What I've learned is the variety of foods is really important. Sweets and bready-type foods just do not seem appetizing out there; salty foods and foods with water-content seem more appealing. You'll also most likely not feel as hungry as you would at home; smaller, snacking seems to work the best. -
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Thu, February 21, 2008 - 1:17 PMAgreed.
We made some thai soups at night (brothy)
rice crackers
soy milk in individual packs esp chocolate (yuM!)
chips/salsa
I don't think I could eat a sandwich out there.
Fruit rots, but cantaloupes stay good for a few days. They are choc full of electrolytes, and I highly recommend buying slightly "green" fruit = it'll be ripe by wednesday/thurs.
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Thu, February 21, 2008 - 3:17 PMWe're fond of turkey jerky, lots of protien and no nitrates. Granola bars or poptarty things for brekkie, cheesy crackers and trail mix for lunch, ramen for dinner. Also like canned chicken and tuna in packs. Crackers or flat dry crisp breads hold up better than bread bread or tortillas. We also bring uber-frozen foods, pre-cooked, only require heating. Think teriyaki chicken. Our campmates eat canned ravioli and stew or chili. I love oatmeal, hate the cleanup. And fancy-schmancy chicken and gouda sausages freeze and heat well. Fruit? We've brought canned and cups and never seem to eat them. I do eat some dried fruits out there but carefully or they make my insides unhappy. I can drink almond milk, but it makes mylarry sick. Nuts and a good pretzel chip snack mix are excellent.
Coffee is a must for us. Sugar sodas are too sweet, we do sports drinks or flavored waters without preservatives or corn syrup. A few cokes for mixers and ginger ale for upset tummies. Juice in packs to haul on the bikes. Good, cold beer. -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 5:16 AMWe're fond of turkey jerky, lots ...........
i thought i was the onlyyyyyyyyyyy person that liked this stuff. oh wait, mine is the walmart crap. full of nitrites. -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 6:20 AMTRADER JOE'S to the rescue! honestly, no nitrites, no nothing added to your delicious turkey jerky
NO walmart!
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Thu, February 21, 2008 - 3:23 PM>foods with water-content seem more appealing.
As usual, Flint's right on the money. We take too much food every year, and run out of some stuff every year. (Maybe this year, our 5th, we'll get it more-right). Stuff we tend to eat most includes:
-soup (the kind in the waxed-cardboard packaging that can be squished flat afterwards)-- heat on camp stove
-beef jerky (can NEVER have enough)
-cup o'noodles (taste stupidly good out there)
-deli meats/cheese/pickles/olives/pickled carrots&onions&cauliflower
-anything really handy-- little packs, stuff that doesn't require much prep, grab & go type things
-chips & salsa
We also pre-make some tasty stuff that serves us well every year. I pre-make breakfast burritos (tortilla w/cheese, bacon, eggs, peppers) and then wrap them in tinfoil, and then stuff into something watertight (for sticking in the cooler). Then I take them out and heat them in the tinfoil on the camp stove.
Same with Belgian waffles. YUMMMMM. Belgian waffles with yogurt and honey and berries on top? Heavenly.
I'll pre-cook rice, and then you can throw random sauces/meats/veggies into it throughout the week with little effort.
I also bring some Superfood/Naked Juice things, for when I don't feel like chewing.
Stuff that never gets eaten:
-stupid Clif bars or other energy bars (they suck the moisture right out of your body, it seems)
-nuts
-stuff that takes too much time to bother with -
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Thu, February 21, 2008 - 6:41 PMFreshly sliced raw veggies in the afternoon. Especially tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and celery. Very little prep, refreshing, and almost no cleanup work (like, how much work is it to put the peels in the garbage?). Great with bits of cheese and crackers.
For dinner, try quesadillas. One stove burner, one fry pan, a pack of flour tortillas, and fillings (cheese, chicken, whatever). Again, very little work to prep and very little cleanup (hint, no rinse water!). One of my fave fillings is havarti cheese with canned crab meat.
I agree with the comment on Clif bars about water, but I still use them sometimes because they are extremely convenient.
If you MUST bring chocolate (and some of us MUST) then keep it in a cooler in a watertight container.
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Wed, April 23, 2008 - 1:29 PMI agree about the cliff bars... we actually took just enough food last year... and on the last day we were left with cliff bars and canned asparagus..gag!
I haven't eaten canned goods or anytime of power bar since.
This year... I plan to have a little more food than I need (and more "real" food I might add), just so I have options at the end of the week.
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Thu, February 21, 2008 - 7:54 PMif you can do cold stuff..I ate a lot of grilled cheese sandwhiches in 2007..... some with bacon, using a variety of cheeses and breads
chicken noodle soup was good, worked with the grilled cheese, as did tomato soup.
peanut butter sandwhiches were good
i tend to not be that complicated out there
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 12:49 AMSoup soup and more soup...i love the liquidity and saltiness of soup...eaten cold is fine, too, but can be a good warmer upper for the nighttimes. Soup, soup and more soup!
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 6:57 AMre: Bread
Most people have a hard time keeping bread edible on the playa. If exposed at all, it'll turn to rock in a heartbeat. If wrapped in plastic wrap and allowed to get warm it'll get moldy and gross. If you bring bread, plan on keeping it in a cooler... which takes up a lot of space. A lot of people opt for wraps instead. I even recommend keeping wraps in your cooler.
My favorite playa foods:
Packaged indian or thai meals (Tasty Bites is a name brand, Trader Joes has their own version). Use a wrap instead of rice.
Triscuits w/ cheese and pepperoni
String cheese
Wrap w/ lunchmeat and sliced cheese
Baby carrots and hummus
Trail mix w/ nuts and dried fruit
Trader Joe's in Reno rocks. I don't cook if I can avoid it. -
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Sat, February 23, 2008 - 2:49 PMI've had no problems with bread on the playa and have been gifted breads on friday and saturday that were super fresh as well.
some types of bread naturally mold and die quickly, the more home-made it is it seems.....
eat globo-supermegacorp-brand bread and it will last alll week. -
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Tue, March 11, 2008 - 2:39 AMI'll have to agree with Christopher, the cheap bread really does last out there.
With a lack of cash, and last minute buying, I bought the 50¢ Walmart bread, no ice, no cooler, just keeping it wrapped in its bag, and it was still edible (as much as it was at the beginning of the week) at the end of the week. I even had an extra loaf, that I took with me, plus jam in a squeezy bottle, and made a fair number of sandwiches, that were tasty, and many at center camp enjoyed.
I see everyone talking about ice, coolers, etc, but for me, the event isn't about eating well (I can do that 51 weeks of the year) but about getting out to enjoy things I cannot experience in those 51 weeks. So my food is minimalistic, and that's fine with me.
The important thing though is: REMEMBER TO EAT
something, anything.
When you're out there, you'll forget and/or not feel like it, but ignore your appetite, and get into a routine.
If you don't, when you DO get hungry it might become an issue.
eg I felt it after 3 days of just snacks so Thursday evening I cooked one of the beef-in-a-can stew type of meals which can simply be heated on a propane stove. It was very nice, except 20-30 minutes later my body decided it wasn't used to the heaviness of the meal, and I *HAD* to dash for the potties - and while you're probably not interesting in knowing this... I didn't make it! That is the only year I put any dirty clothes in a jiffy-lock bag (and I made sure it was zipped very well), that went in my non-burnable trash bag.
Not fun!
So you've been warned to make sure you eat to a schedule.
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 9:16 AMI don't even bring a stove or dishes anymore, and I eat very well.
Campbells Chunky Soups are great - pop tops and they taste good in the afternoon heat (no extra heating required)
Crackers, cheese, and sliced peperoni
Nuts, M&Ms, crackers, cookies
Fresh pineapple, sliced at home and put a cooler in a ziplock bag will last about 6 days and is WONDERFUL out there
Canteloupe will last until at least mid-week
Frozen pre-cooked shrimp is a nice unexpected treat. Just make sure you keep your cooler freshly stocked with ice.
Grapes, strawberries, and cherry tomatoes
Hard boiled eggs (kept in cooler)
Fruit cups
Tuna pouches with mayonaise pouches (available at many convenience store food counters)
Baby carrots and in general any fruit or vegetable that lasts at least a week in the fridge
Here are the main rules:
EVERYTHING put in the cooler must be in a waterproof container. This keeps the melted ice clean so it can be used for showering, and keeps things from being ruined.
Raw meat of any kind should be handled properly and prepared/consumed in a timely fashion. Either treat it with respect or do not bring it at all.
Bring less perishible food than you think you will need, and make sure it's all consumed before it goes bad! Give it away if you have to. Wasted food and stinky garbage can make your drive home less pleasant.
When in doubt, stick to canned or dried foods. You can always bring them home and eat them later.
Try everything out at home first. Buy/prepare it then stick it in the fridge for a week. Pull it out, heat it up on a camp stove (if heating is required) and eat it. You'd be surprised what will go bad in just a week.
Don't buy anything for the trip that you wouldn't eat if it were sitting on the shelf at home. You won't want it out there either. -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 3:06 PM"keeps the melted ice clean so it can be used for..."
Drinking!
Keep melted ice clean.
Put your ice bags into giant ziplocs, and put in your cooler. As the ice melts, the cold water stays in the ziploc (and your cooler stays dry). Use the melted water to fill your camelback, etc. Last year, this method cut my container water consumption down by about 75%. ALL of my drinking water came from melted ice, and then some. -
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 1:12 PMI like it! I have some giant ziplocks sitting around that I never found a good use for. That's perfect. -
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 7:23 PMI suggest double ziploc the baggies to be sure ya don't get cross contamination from food to water, the last thing ya want out there is to have food poisoning, especially from bad cooler water..... -
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 7:33 PMI use a single 5 gallon ziploc for the ice, but I do put my food into ziplocs also, so I have a big ziploc with any meat, another with any veggies, another with cheeses. It helps keep things tidy and dry. -
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 7:57 PMFood Packing, a la river guide style.
One cooler like this one: www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do
Pack about 12 BLOCKS not cubed ice, with two bags of dry ice over the top (dry ice is priced by weight).
That will be your ICE ONLY cooler. Do not put anything but ice in this cooler. If you are so inclined, you may buy gallons of OJ, lime juice, etc and pour an 8oz cup out the night before you leave for BM. Take the gallon jug with the lid OFF, and stick it in your freezer. Save cap in the freezer with the jug. Voila: you have frozen juice for later in the week. Cover this with Dry Ice and surround it with the rest of your block ice (about 8 blocks) and you're set.
If you don't pour the 8oz out, you will have expansion and subsequent rupture of your juice jug, which really sucks.
We stored OJ and Lime Juice in that cooler, which was great for mimosas, mojitos, margaritas, etc...
In your other 150 gal cooler:
Two blocks of ice. Next to those blocks: sour cream, milk, anything that is dairy. On the top of meat and dairy should be any veggies. Cilantro goes bad first, and if you allow it to go, it'll take everything with it. This cooler will be the one you drain DAILY in the evening (it'll make your dishwater), and it's the one in which you put new BLOCKS of ice from your ice-only cooler... and this should last you for 4 days. Not kidding.
If you want crushed ice, store it in your ice-only cooler, on top of your beverages that have been frozen.
Things to keep in your non-ice cooler: salami, meats,, bacon, champagne (for mimosas, duh), salsa, any pre-made foods, fruit, fresh veggies, cheese. Cream for coffee.
For ice cooler as your ice dwindles, as the more you stuff in there that's cold, the colder it'll remain: vodka, rice milk, non-dairy stuff, covered dishes that you'd like to keep cool. Drain your ice cooler daily as well and your ice will last longer.
Things you DONT have to keep cold: eggs (yep), alcohol, most cured meats, and the bready stuff.
stuff to keep in a plastic bin: breads, chips, etc.
Stuff to keep covered by your multiple dish towels in case of dust storm: stove, pans, pots, cups.
Easy peasy, right?
Ok, that's my perspective. I pack for multi-day trips, usually with a "veggie" cooler and a "meat and dairy" and an "ice" cooler, but I know not everyone does that or needs that. Best of luck to all!
Star
Other cooler: -
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 8:57 PMlet me just say, for the record, and of course there will be many perspectives on this... but from having worked ICE for 12 years I have learned that although you can do it....
it's not ideal to mix your wet ice with your dry ice...
the wet ice is warmer and will melt your dry ice makin the dry ice ineffective...
The Block Ice lasts longer, dont mix cube and block ice as the cube ice will melt your block ice faster as the cubes melt and become water sooner.....
have different coolers for your drinks, your food, and you frozen stuff...
keep all your coolers off the ground for more effcient cooling, and for the dry ice/frozen foods cooler, wrap it in thermal blanket material... ya can get it at any home depot or Lowes
keep all the coolers in a shaded cool area
freezing everything first helps to keep the coolers cooler longer.... (man thats a mouthful)
and helps the dry ice to last longer as well...
a 15lb blck of dry ice will keep a good cooler frozen for abt 4 days...
keep things like ice cream, popsicles, otter pops on the bottom be sure everything is frozen solid before putting it in the dry ice cooler and pack it tightly, the less airflow the better the dry ice works..
line all coolers with the space blanket stuff, the good thick mil kind, not the paper thin cheap kind.... fold the excess space blanket material over the food
having different coolers for drinks and food helps make the ice work more effciently by not having to open the coolers as often....
we also make a "cooler map" so we know exactly where stuff is in the cooler.. that way ya dont have to dig thru the space blanket and ice hunting for something...
just what we do, for your consideration....
Bare
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 7:41 PMAll food should be in sealed containers whether the ice is loose or not. Especially anything that can lead to food poisoning!
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Wed, March 5, 2008 - 1:50 PMYes! This is a bit of the greatest advice.... thanks
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Tue, April 22, 2008 - 8:00 PMOne of my playa staples is Atkins shakes. Very high protein content, high fat, everything you need to start your day.
Except, of course bottled Starbucks Frappuccinos, which beat the crap outta standing in line at Center Camp.
I also highly reccomend pre-cooking big pans of lasagna, vacu-sealing portions, and freezing them to drop into pots of boiling water during the week. Sooooo tasty.
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 9:29 AMA handy heating tip: your dashboard. Obviously this only works during the day, but you can heat up a meal by warming it up on your hot dashboard. -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 9:47 AMI pre cook and vacuum seal everything we may want to eat. I make individual size packages. Freeze it and use it as ice. Most of it stays cold or frozen all week.
Shrimp pesto with spinach pasta
Thai chicken and Rice
Jumbalaya
Pasta salad
That kind of stuff can be eaten cold or boil in bag. Easy, no brainer while there.
I also live on jerky and rice crackers, Yogurt and poptarts!
And we always have chocolate around.
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 11:11 AMDashboard Nachos, yum! We use the lid from a five gallon bucket, cover it with a heap o chips, and toss cheese on it. Cheese melts right quick on a hot dashboard, then add salsa and olives and peppers. -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 3:07 PMWe heat Tasty Bites on the hood of the car too :-) -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 5:03 PMDashboard Nachos? Nice! That goes into the Playa Recipe book!
I brought 12 cans of "stews" (Dinty moore, chile, clamchowder, etc.) marked the cans removed the labels and painted them black for dashboard cooking. I also brought maybe 8 cans of fruit. I brought about half of my food home. The only problem with the cans was the monotony of it. (I'm used to cooking all the time)
The two best meals I had were when a friend made Haggis and eggs one morning and bagels and loks another. Both gifts, both EXCELLENT!!! -
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Fri, February 22, 2008 - 10:48 PMWhat camp had bagels and lox? Brain Freeze / Got Sticker Camp by chance? -
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Sat, February 23, 2008 - 7:03 AMI don't know. Campmates said "a friend will have them let's go", so we went! Next thing you know I was cutting and slicing and generally helping and having a great time! It was Saturday morning if that helps.
Now I'm really hungry.
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Sat, February 23, 2008 - 3:01 PMwe made dashboard cookies, Yummm, and the van smelled like chocolate chips....
and, as Dr P mentioned, anything ya can wrap in a tortilla is quick and easy and no mess, better that bread, tortillas stay good for the entire time..
we precook and freeze things like cous cous and all of our meats, the boys have to thave their meat... we also buy GREEN fruit that ripens well over the week, keep it in a cool shaded area.. same with the veggies...
we also do the ensure or boost drinks along with flavored waters, gatorade, and emer gen C (though that stuff is pretty bitter for me)...
we take only a few sodas as they are too sweet and syrupy out there..
we also take crackers and cheese and dry salami,
and I highly suggest a comfort food, whatever that is for you... for me, it's cream of wheat, a bowl of that in the morning and I am good all day...
most everyone I know doesnt seem to feel very hungry out there.. going without the big meals won;t hurt ya, just be sure to keep up your fluid intake,, and Alcohol doesn't count..
Bare
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 11:29 AMI just live on coffee and bacon out there. -
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Tue, February 26, 2008 - 7:20 AMHow do you guys handle bacon grease cleanup? I understand the concept of dumping excess into a jar or something but, you are still left with residue in the pan. Unless of course you cook it a bit ahead of time. -
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Tue, February 26, 2008 - 8:25 AMYup, everything you can scrape out goes into a jar, then wipe out the pan with paper towels. It might take a few, but at least they're burnable! -
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Tue, February 26, 2008 - 3:39 PMAfter scraping the pan, and wiping with a paper towel (or three), it's a good idea to cover the pan so the omnipresent dust does not stick to any remaining grease.
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Sun, February 24, 2008 - 10:50 PMI found Golden Delicious apples last *almost* all week, I just kept them inside my tent.
They got a bit warm during the day, but that doesn't bother me, as the juiciness is still nice on Saturday.
I mention the type of apple as other types do not survive, but I've not done an exhaustive test of all types!