Playa Eats
I've learned that I don't want to waste time at Burning Man doing the same things I can do in the default world. That means I don't wait in line for food and do very little food preparation, instead living primarily off dry goods and foods that keep well in the cooler and can be eaten without fuss. I used to bring pre-prepared foods like pizza and pasta, but these just end up adding another item to my Playa-prep To Do list. I do usually bring some food for making quesadillas now and again, along with some fresh fruit. When food planning, I focus on foods that are rich in protein, (to prevent muscle-wasting and the associated feelings of weakness) and fiber (staying regular means fewer trips to Black Rock City port-a-potty hell at 4 p.m. or chancing a 4 a.m. mishap in the vile, toilet-paperless Playa portas. It's also important to have foods with enough potassium and sodium to replenish these critical electrolytes as you sweat them out or flush them out with your increased consumption of beverages. See below for my Playa food recommendations (these are affiliate links to foods I stand behind; purchasing through these links will help cover the costs of this site.)
Quesadillas are easy to make and eat and hit the spot. Mission brand has a line called Carb Balance that is chock full of protein and fiber. Get the variety pack from Amazon to keep from getting bored. Get sliced cheese, instead of shredded to make less of a mess. I also bring a large clamshell of baby spinach to add some vegetable matter. But the coup-de-grace is to add bacon crumbles from Costco and serve the quesadilla with plenty of hot sauce.
I like to have fresh fruit for the first couple days and usually just bring berries, since they don't leave behind peels or other refuse. Bring them in plastic Tupperware (or whatever the generic word for that is) so they don't get smashed and to keep one more piece of trash out of your trash bags. I also like to bring a big bag of fresh vegetables that can be used for dipping. The best choice is probably baby carrots. Cold and crisp out of the cooler, they give you some fiber and micronutrients and they don't go bad easily. You can also buy a whole lot for cheap at Costco.
One of the easiest foods to base a Playa meal on are Tasty Bite Indian food packets and similar products. You can heat them up, or not. You can put them in a bowl first or just eat them out of the packet (you can even just squeeze them into your mouth). And you can use them as a dip. Great source of protein, sodium and fiber and a bit of potassium, too. And they taste great. Bring some hot sauce to add, if you like it fiery.
Two of the best snacks to have on hand, especially during build week are pickles and potato chips, which are both rich in potassium and sodium. These are especially useful when someone is having a tough time - as it's often due to, or exacerbated by, physical feelings that can be moderated by replenishing electrolytes - and during build week, when burners are working hard in direct sunlight, sweating and hydrating (and thus, peeing a lot). Both sweating and urination remove sodium and potassium from the body. Someone in your camp having a rough go of it? Give them a pickle, glass of water and some chips and ask them to relax. Come back 15 minutes later to offer support and help. My two picks for pickles are the incredibly tasty Grillo's and the super-crisp Claussen's. For chips, I generally go with Kettle Chips, though Ruffles are great for dips. And keep these treats available for regular snacking by your build crew.
Either as a part of a meal or just to help you hold out when you go for an adventure in Black Rock City or out to the deep Playa, nutrition bars are a near-must in my mind. My favorites are RxBars. They're made out of simple ingredients and have both protein and fiber, along with important micronutrients. They come in a variety of flavors and, unlike most other bars, do not crumble into MOOP.
Dips and spreads are a great thing to add to your cooler. I prefer Bitchin' Sauce. It tastes great. It's a bit healthier than many choices and lasts longer than dairy-based spreads and sauces. It also doesn't feel as dry in the mouth as hummus does, which I consider a boon out in the hot dust.
A great snack to dip in your Bitchin' Sauce is the pretzel. For purists, there's nothing like a nutrient-poor, simple pretzel, like Dot's. Not quite as good, but still salty and puts some protein and fiber into your system are Kindling Protein Pretzels. Another great choice are flat pretzels, aka pretzel chips.
Crackers are another great thing to have in your Burning Man food stores. They can be used for dips and you can also put cheese on them (get a block and cut it up or buy slices you can rip into smaller pieces with your hands. In my mind, there are two choices: Triscuits and Wheat Thins. Neither are heavily processed and still contain their natural fiber and protein and they both taste great. Triscuits come off a little drier in the mouth, but Wheat Thins seem a bit too small to me, though you can buy a larger version of them.
Nowadays, we have a great range of snacks based off of legumes. In addition to the important nutrients and electrolytes, they can taste good and are filling. A few favorites include The Good Bean Crispy Favas, Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame (though they're a bit dry) and Bada Bean Bada Boom Broad Beans (which is another word for favas.) I especially enjoy the Bada Bean Bada Boom Spicy Wasabi flavor, but they have a lot of great flavors.
Another easy, comforting and healthy snack is popcorn. Try Skinny Pop or Boom Chicka Pop. Not quite as healthy, but great for variety, are corn snacks, like Love Corn Crunchy Corn.
Finally, nuts are a nutritious, easy and filling snack. They're a great source of healthy fats, which help you to fill full and are necessary for the human body to function properly. Almonds are the best, in terms of nutirtional efficiency, while mixed nuts are probably my favorite, in terms of taste. Don't get low salt varieties, unless you have a health issue. Salt is good at Burning Man.
