Eating on the Playa: Food options for Burning Man

Each year, many prepare for the journey to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada to be part of the temporary community called Black Rock City. Organizers describe this event as an experimental community centered on radical self-expression and art. Participants must bring in their food. To make it easier, here’s a list of suitable foods for eating on the Playa.

1. Use Backpacking Food for Quick Meals

Freeze-dried backpacking food is ideal for Burning Man because it requires no refrigeration, is portable, and simplifies the task of cooking. Commercial backpacking meals are pre-cooked and dried. To prepare a hot meal, you simply reconstitute the dried meal by mixing it with boiling water. Some brands, such as Outdoor Herbivore, offer meals that don’t require boiling water — see our cold-soaked meals and salads. Subsisting entirely on backpacking food for burning man can get costly, however. We recommend purchasing a handful of pouched entrees when you need something quick.

“Dreams nourish the soul just as food nourishes the body. The pleasure of the search and of the adventure feed our dreams.”
Quote by Paulo Coelho. Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay

2. Get Quick Cooking Grains from a Grocery Store

To save on food and stove fuel costs for Burning Man, buy quick-cook or instant staples from your local grocery store or nearby in Reno. Bulk bins are generally the most economical option and use the least amount of packaging waste. Some good choices include instant quinoa, parboiled pasta, instant brown rice, instant beans, couscous, grits, granola, and oats. If you want to plan ahead and mix up some instant pouched meals, check Outdoor Herbivore’s bulk pre-cooked and dried food section.

Once you have purchased the food, dispose of any extra packaging waste before you get back on the road.

3. Get Dried Fruits and Vegetables Online

Substitute any fresh ingredients with dried vegetables and fruits to eliminate the hassle of monitoring an ice chest for raw perishable foods.

Freeze dried vegetable mixes like the Asian Vegetable Mix above are perfect for travel (no dry ice or ice cooler required). A small handful goes a long way for adding color and nutrients to meals.

Besides boosting the nutrition to noodles and other grains, dried veggies impart color and flavor. Freeze dried fruits and vegetables is a specialty item and isn’t readily available in most stores, so you’ll need to plan ahead and get these online. When searching for suitable freeze dried brands, look for companies that market food for eating in the present era rather than long-term storage. Food sold for emergency storage should be for that: as a last resort in a crisis. While this food will be edible, it is primarily intended for survival. Taste and freshness will be secondary.

Food intended for long-term storage is packaged in #10 cans, while food meant for eating within the next year or two will have minimal packaging (generally plastic pouches).
Most backpacking food companies sell food for near-term consumption. Outdoor Herbivore specializes in vegetarian ingredients made from organic crops.

4. Liven up Cooked Food by Growing Sprouts

Try sprouting to satisfy your craving for fresh foods at Burning Man without the hassle of carrying a cooler! Sprouts are easy to grow with either a mason jar or sprout bag and hold up well in dry climates with frequent watering. We recommend using easy-to-grow seeds such as alfalfa, clover, mung bean, broccoli, and radish. Make sure to keep your sprouts hydrated in the dry heat by misting them with water several times in the afternoon. More information about growing sprouts while traveling. Also check out the Traveling Sprout Bag Kit made of naturally anti-microbial 100% hemp fabric.

Sprouts are excellent when paired with hummus as a sandwich.

Sharing Food

Keep these principles in mind when making food for yourself or your group on the Playa:

Support responsible farming by purchasing organic, local ingredients.
Encourage fair labor practices by buying fair trade for food from faraway places, such as coffee, tea, and chocolate. Note: chocolate is probably not a good idea unless you plan to eat it right away.
Keep extra coffee to trade with others. Coffee is like currency; everyone wants it, and tends to go fast. Instant freeze-dried coffee dissolves in water, eliminating coffee ground waste.
Eliminate perishable food to avoid having to take a cooler and deal with melting ice. If you must take perishables, consider bagging up ice in several gallon size freezer zipper bags and using the melted ice for drinking, splashing on your face, and cleaning up.
Use a refillable water bottle to save on packaging waste. Purchase the largest container of water you can find and refill your water bottle. If you prefer flavored beverages, consider adding powdered electrolyte mix or lemon powder to your water.
Stay hydrated by making no-cook meals made with cold or outside temperature water. Some good choices from Outdoor Herbivore include Fiesta Quinoa Salad, Lazy Lentil Salad, Lemony Herb Quinoa Salad, Mojo Mango Bowl, Open Sky Yasai, Pacific Crest Vinaigrette, Waldorf Slaw, and Chia Seed Puddings.
Share food with your group by making large portions and save cost by buying in bulk sizes. If you are sharing food in a small group (2 to 3 people), we recommend purchasing Outdoor Herbivore’s hungry double size. Larger groups will benefit from our bulk option.
Practice ‘Leave No Trace’ principles by eating all of the food you make and packing up all waste.
Eating something unfamiliar? Don’t wait until the Playa to experiment with food that might give you digestive issues. Sample any new foods at home first to ensure they agree with you and taste good!

Outdoor Herbivore and Burning Man

Our customers purchase the following food items for the Playa.

Instant Quinoa – fast cooking instant quinoa and ready to eat quinoa crisps.
Instant Brown Rice – an instant brown rice that rehydrates quick in hot or boiling water to save on stove fuel.
Instant Pasta – fully cooked and dried organic pasta that is perfect when paired with our vegan cheese or organic dairy cheese.
Bulk Asian Vegetable Mix – great for adding nutrition and flavor to ramen noodles and rice meals.
Chili Lime Crunchies – these seasoned veggies are perfect for adding flavor to noodles or eating as a snack.
Chia seed puddings are excellent for digestion and filling!
Instant Hummus Mix or Classic Bulk Hummus Mix spread on crackers, tortilla, or pre-cut carrots/celery/bell pepper.
Instant Organic Soy Milk Plain – dry non-dairy milk for cold cereal and smoothies.
Premixed salads that won’t rot in the desert heat – refreshing freeze dried salad mixes, just add water.
BYOB – Bring your own burrito wraps along with Naked Freckle Burrito Mix (vegan), SwitchBack Burrito Stuffer, Refried Pinto Beans, and Pinto Queso for making chip dips and stuffing for some delicious burritos.
Powdered Organic Cheddar Cheese for pasta, eggs, rice meals, burritos, and beans mixes.
Cheddar Garden Herb – vegan cheese mix can be used over pasta/rice, or as a chip dip (use hot water to prepare).
Ginger Berry Fusion – a sweet and flavorful fruity snack mix with ginger pieces to help soothe the stomach.
Cinna Monkey Chomps – a sweet & salty banana snack to replace lost electrolytes from sweating.

It’s Dusty! Drink plenty of water!! You won’t feel as hungry in the desert heat, so plan on taking less food. You will feel better by eating light meals that are also hydrating (cold soups, pudding, freeze-dried salad mix) and snacking on dense foods, such as mixed nuts and dried fruits.

More information: http://burningman.org/event/preparation/playa-living/kitchens/