First timer... What to bring?

[adamkeni]

Hey all

Just looking at my list of stuff to bring, it's my first time so I'm sort a guessing/going on other info.. The camp I'm staying with will have meals twice daily, so I don't think I really need to bring much? Although the meals will be veggie meals and I do like my protein.

So far I have this on my list:

Gum
Emergen C/ Electrolyte Packets
Coconut water
refreshing chill-able juices/drinks
Meat Snacks - Jerkey, cured meats
Nuts/Dried Fruit
Protein Bars
Nut Butter
Fudge / chocolate / sweets etc
Crackers
Fruits (oranges/bananas)

Also as I'm traveling from Ireland I'll just be in Reno for a couple of nights before hand, so don't really have the opportunity to prepare anything and bring it.

[Ratty]

I tend to run out of ice now and then. No biggie. Nothing in there will spoil. To keep it as simple as possible avoid the chocolate and anything that melts.

[adamkeni]

I tend to run out of ice now and then. No biggie. Nothing in there will spoil. To keep it as simple as possible avoid the chocolate and anything that melts.

Hmm yeah, good call! I keep forgetting about the heat... will be a bit of a shock to the system coming from 'sunny' Ireland.

I don't have a massive sweet tooth but sugar hits are definitely something I want to bring when I may have missed out on a night or two of sleep

[Savannah]

If you're getting 2 meals a day from your camp, you (probably) don't have much to worry about--especially if they are experienced, and you have reason to trust they can manage. 2 meals a day is enough for most of us out there; the heat kills the appetite. If your appetite is small out there, try to get some protein into what little you can convince yourself to eat.

This is my favorite thread on easy food (the only kind I ever bring). I like to cook in the default world, but on the playa . . . ? Not so much.

Realistic non-cooler based menu planning
viewtopic.php?t=35430

My no-longer-secret for keeping bread fresh for 5+ days is on the top of page 2.

[adamkeni]

Sweet! Thanks for that, I'll read through the thread now.

[adamkeni]

Also... What's the story with the alcohol situation? What do people usually bring with them?

I presume spirits and some sort of mixer if you're so inclined is the best idea? The thought of bringing enough beers for 8 days is making my back hurt just thinking of it! Plus so much rubbish...

[Ratty]

Savannah, I took your advice and the bread kept for 5 or 6 days! We had the grilled cheese and stuff party late in the week. Did you bring tortillas? They would need chilling or get moldy I think.

[Dr. Pyro]

Absinthe.

[TT120]

Tortillas actually last a long time out there. Just let them air out every day or two (just like bread) and they'll be good all week.

[mudpuppy000]

Also... What's the story with the alcohol situation? What do people usually bring with them?

I presume spirits and some sort of mixer if you're so inclined is the best idea? The thought of bringing enough beers for 8 days is making my back hurt just thinking of it! Plus so much rubbish...

Liquor is good if you want to keep bulk to a minimum. There's bars everywhere but it's always good to have your own supply to share and not seem like a mooch. Everyone usually runs out of mixers towards the end of the week so it's better to bring more mixers than you think you will need.

[Bless]

+1 to Nut Butter. I spread it liberally all over my balls.

[TT120]

Chap stick, several tubes.
Hand lotion

[Chowski]

The two fruits you mention (Oranges and Bananas) are the two fruits which naturally produce MOOP in the form of peels. If you feel you would die going a few days without fruit, consider stone fruit (peaches, nectarines) which leave behind only a small, dry pit. Better yet, you can get a fruit sugar hit from dried fruits of any kind (raisins, apples, bananas, mangos) without any leftover rind at all. Thirdly, don't bring fruit. You are going to eat one piece and the rest will rot in the heat. And for god's sake, don't bring watermelon. Even if you eat it the first day, you will have stinky rind for the remainder. Plus, you won't eat it. Fruit cups (the kind packaged in plastic) are also really good - they do not need refrigeration but can be tossed in a cooler mid-week for a cold treat.

This is your first time AND you have a meal plan. Let the camp take care of you, and bring in only shelf-stable things that will not spoil. You won't eat any of it anyway. Except Beef Jerky. Bring as much as you can carry.

Another great shelf-stable idea is canned foods. If you fear your vegetarian overlords will feed you nothing but quinoa and self-loathing. pack two or three cans of meat-based soups (with the pop-top lids so you don't need a can opener). Barley and Beef or Chili con Carne or Chicken and Rice. Cans can be left in the sun or on a car dashboard for a few hours and will be warm and filling when the idea of kale couscous makes you want to murder some hippies.

[some seeing eye]

Electrolytes!
Pedialyte, electrolyte tablets from a safety supply store, powdered electrolyte drink mix, or make it yourself.

Your list is focused on food. Whatever kind of extra food you need is available in Reno: http://burningman.org/event/preparation ... ategories/

I've been on Reno food shopping trips and people shop impulsively in sort of a pre-playa daze. So having a list is good. It is very common to have food left over at the end of the week. Some people, like me, loose their appetite and some people gain appetite. Some people get obsessive cravings on the playa (bacon, grilled cheese, beef), some people don't.

For the big packing list, you can search the internet and ePlaya. Here are some too:

[VultureChow]

In snack foods, I have one rule. I bring what I crave in the real world, but don't indulge in too much because it's bad for me.

Sliced pepperoni(no refrigeration necessary), cheez-its, gummy candy, etc.

I made the mistake of trying to be all natural and healthy my first year. Didn't eat half of it. It can be so hard to remember to eat, or to have an appetite, that super tasty, guilty pleasure foods are a must.

[lucky420]

your sense of humor

[adamkeni]

The two fruits you mention (Oranges and Bananas) are the two fruits which naturally produce MOOP in the form of peels. If you feel you would die going a few days without fruit, consider stone fruit (peaches, nectarines) which leave behind only a small, dry pit. Better yet, you can get a fruit sugar hit from dried fruits of any kind (raisins, apples, bananas, mangos) without any leftover rind at all. Thirdly, don't bring fruit. You are going to eat one piece and the rest will rot in the heat. And for god's sake, don't bring watermelon. Even if you eat it the first day, you will have stinky rind for the remainder. Plus, you won't eat it. Fruit cups (the kind packaged in plastic) are also really good - they do not need refrigeration but can be tossed in a cooler mid-week for a cold treat.

This is your first time AND you have a meal plan. Let the camp take care of you, and bring in only shelf-stable things that will not spoil. You won't eat any of it anyway. Except Beef Jerky. Bring as much as you can carry.

Another great shelf-stable idea is canned foods. If you fear your vegetarian overlords will feed you nothing but quinoa and self-loathing. pack two or three cans of meat-based soups (with the pop-top lids so you don't need a can opener). Barley and Beef or Chili con Carne or Chicken and Rice. Cans can be left in the sun or on a car dashboard for a few hours and will be warm and filling when the idea of kale couscous makes you want to murder some hippies.

Hahaha! Thanks, all great tips!

[traceyh]

Last year was our first year and we overpacked on so much. We used all the easy stuff and ignored all the stuff that took more work. We mostly survived on Tasty Bites foil packs, dill pickles, electrolyte drinks, PBR and cider with Fireball.

[Strata]

If you're craving sweets but want a nod to healthy, the Kind brand bars are good. They have several flavors without chocolate or caramel to get messy. They are basically nuts, dried fruit, and seeds bound together with something sweet. The Trader Joe's will have them at half the price of Whole Foods, just fyi. Wrapper can be moopy, but it tucks into the moop bag you are carrying.

[Token]

I can't believe no one mentioned the 4 major food groups of BM.

PBR
Pickles
Smoked Oysters or Salmon
Bacon

Let me elaborate.

PBR - cuz hydration is required all day and all night. For every two or so shots of strong spirits, down a PBR for hydration.

Pickles - Cuz you needs the salt and vinegar. Extra special if you bring fermented pickles.

Smoked fish of some kind, cuz ya cellular hydration require omega fatty acids. You can piss clear all day till you drop dead if your internal tissues don't actually get that water. It's weird, you'll get it when you try it out.

Bacon, well just because. Needs no explanation really.

[adamkeni]

Smoked fish? In a desert?

I'll look into it, but that's gotta be tough to keep fresh!

[adamkeni]

Also, at the risk of sounding completely stupid... What's PBR?

[Sham]

Also, at the risk of sounding completely stupid... What's PBR?

Not a stupid question at all.
It's a very mediocre beer that sold in the states. If I recall reading, it's now sold in other countries as an elite beer that's put in very fancy bottles and sold at excessively high prices.
Burning Man remains a totally no commerce event, but this beer slipped though as a bit of a joke, as the unofficial beer of the playa.
Bacon however, is the official meat of Burning Man.

[GreyCoyote]

Pringles potato chips.
Giant pickles individually packed in a vacuum pouch. (Chill first!)
Spam individual slices

Most of this crap I wouldnt touch in Defaultia, but its seriously NOM on the playa when your body is craving salt and protein and fats.

[xzlostzx]

Three things I could not do without last year, were pickled eggs, chips and salsa. Nom Nom!

[FIGJAM]

Pringles potato chips.
Giant pickles individually packed in a vacuum pouch. (Chill first!)
Spam individual slices

Most of this crap I wouldnt touch in Defaultia, but its seriously NOM on the playa when your body is craving salt and protein and fats.

Oh, and 5000 tamales!!!

Fixed it for ya.

[BBadger]

I enjoy spam in the default world, but out in the desert it's even better. Didn't think about the individual slices + pickle thing to prevent carrying around glass and metal cans though.

[AntiM]

You can get tiny dill pickles in little single serving plastic cups, the size of fruit cups, with the peel off foil lid . Mt. Olive brand, I think.

[Savannah]

Smoked fish? In a desert?

I'll look into it, but that's gotta be tough to keep fresh!

You might find vacuum-sealed smoked salmon available, in (8-9 oz?) packs; best served all at once to several people, with crackers.

There are also smaller single-serving vacuum-sealed 2-3 oz. portions of fish (also usually salmon) at grocery stores as well as the canned tuna salad, chicken salad, deviled chicken, kippered snacks, canned oysters, etc. Those are great to toss into a Bag of Wandering, but less tidy than protein bars or jerky--you'll need to keep a ziploc slider bag with you, so you can tote your trash back to camp. It's good to have a slider bag on your person anyway.

(There are no public garbage cans, and most people are not equipped to take your trash for you.)

[Ratty]

Can't paste my excel spreadsheet here. Oh, well.