Glastonbury may have been and gone, but there are still plenty more summer festivals on the horizon. It might be tempting to pack five flapjacks and a bottle of ketchup, but if you want to avoid those festival toilets it’s probably best to keep your diet as balanced as possible – so we’ve put together some tips for the easiest, tastiest way to get three decent meals a day while you’re away, without breaking the bank. All you’ll need is a camping stove!
Breakfast
Go for a protein-rich breakfast to get you set up for the morning – bread might be easier, but carbs will leave you feeling bloated later on, and you want to keep your energy up throughout the day. If all you’ve got is a saucepan, we recommend something really quick and easy – just hard-boil a couple of eggs! You can chuck them in with some avocado or salad leaves if you want to be really healthy – and grab yourself a banana for a mid-morning snack in case the food stands tempt you too early!
Lunch
At Wren, we love our food, and we can’t pretend the idea of being surrounded by fresh food stalls all day isn’t enticing! You’ll read hundreds of tips before you go away about how you should save your money, pack yourself a sandwich or head back to your tent for lunch halfway through the day – all of which will fly out the window on the first night when you see how crammed your timetable is. Save yourself a trip, and budget in a meal a day from the arena – just avoid the hot dog van and be adventurous! Allow yourself that ostrich burger with toppings, that box of jerk chicken and Jamaican rice, or that inexplicably cheap portion of moules marinière. You are on holiday, after all!
Dinner
Whether you’re planning on staying in the arena until late into the night or heading back after the main acts are finished, it’s likely you won’t feel like cooking – and if you only have one stove, there’s not much you’ll be able to knock up! Keep it cheap and cheerful with a trusty pack of noodles – but use your kitchen skills to make them the healthiest and most nutritious in the whole campsite. Load your pan up with vegetables as you cook the noodles and seasoning – everything from mushrooms and spring onions to carrots and courgettes – and if you have the space, add a splash of soy sauce, sesame oil or lime juice. You could even crack an egg in at the last minute to make “egg drop soup”, for a meal that’s healthy, delicious and easy to clean up afterwards!
