Bagels & cream cheese. Organic noodle box (hamberger helper style) and frozen turkey meat to add. Hot dogs, smore making stuff, eggs (peppers & onions keep well and get thrown in) PB&J, trail mix, BACON!!!

Beware... of all meats I have taken to the playa... cold cuts have lasted the worst. I usually bring my meat frozen and keep it packed on ice. I know thats a bit personal and kinky but there you go ::smile::

I have right now in my freezer all vacuum sealed and ready to go:
- a marinated tri-tip
- 10 pounds of pulled pork (pre-cooked in BBQ sauce)
- garlic and herb marinated pork loin
- 10 lbs. of pre-cooked bacon
- two flank steak roll-ups (butterfly and stuff with gorgonzola and pancetta)
- two pounds of razor clams for fancy dinner Monday night (pre-lunar eclipse)
- various sliced cheeses and salami in snack packs
- pre-peeled garlic in small batches
- three pounds of shredded jack/sheddar cheese for quesadillas, etc.
Wow, reading that now I hope I have room in the cooler!

And, to round all of that out, canned and dry goods:
- two cans of fancy crab meat
- instant mashed potatoes
- baked beans
- couscous and orzo
- ingredients for a retro tuna casserole: cream of mush. and chicken soups, shoestring potatoes
- blueberry and corn muffin mixes (this is my first year with an oven in our little camper - I'm so excited!)
- stuff to bake a birthday cake for my husband
- a jar of caviar (of course)
- a large can of stuffed grape leaves
- couple of cans of olives
- dried hummus and tabouleh mixes
- lots of crackers and various snacks

And, last-minute things:
- hardboiled eggs
- more bacon
- dairy and veggies
- lavosh and tortillas
- etc.

I tend not to plan full menus (except the lunar eclipse and retro dinners), but end up with theme snacks - cheese, salami and crackers; middle-east feast (hummus, taboleh, grape leaves, olives, etc.); and big hunks of meat. It's taken me years to realize this is the way that works best for me and my camp, and last time I had exactly enough - not too much left over!

We're living large this year with the camper kitchen - three-burner stove, oven, propane grill and ice box!

I'm going very minimalist. Dehydrated meals.

Go to your local camping store and check out Backpacker's Pantry camping meals. $6.00 per 2 serving meal. Boil water, pour into bag, wait 15 minutes and then it's done.

The only clean up you will have to do is licking the spork clean.

So far in the dry ice cooler, will be:

-chicken masala curry w/brn rice and veggies
-home made tamales
-cut up kale in zip lock
-pre-made morning smoothies (in little zip locks as suggested in some thread i read here)
-a chocolate wedding cake for my friends wedding on wed and choc. frosting
-quacamole, made at home
-tomatoes
-banana bread

Snacks in reg. cooler/ no refrigeration

-pita, hummus, babaganoush
-salsa, chips
-sliced cheeses, shredded cheese for quesadillas, grill cheese, panini sandwiches
-big dried salami from Genova!
-sliced long romaine to be eaten as snacks w/honey and almond butter
-one dozen eggs in jar pre mixed with salt pepper, green onion
-pre-cooked potatoes
-diced onion (to be added to one pot wonders)
-oatmeal!

Also some pre-made (in zip locks) -one pot wonders:

-quinoa with spices (add can of tomatoes, veggie broth and kale to each)
-lentils with spices


I'm still debating on whether to bring bacon..it's a damn mess to make out there and drain all the fat, etc...and i usually have friends that bring enough for 10 people! LOL.

Ha! ...as if we discuss such secret things as what we are eating on the playa!

pffft.

Right now... with the stories of the dust... I'm thinking of trashing our "menu" and just bringing tastybites and throwing them on the dashboard.

frozen:
limade (for margaritas, etc)
lox and bagels (for saturday)
guacamole (for nachos) - the Trader joe kind in plastic pouches
two 1-gallon milk jugs now filled with Gatorade (one lime, one orange)
french toast (home made on raisin bread - just heat and serve)
scrambled eggs with seasonings and chopped veggies

that i'm going to bring.

-baked thai flavor tofu
-sunflower seeds
-pumpkin seeds (the green, not shelled kind)
-dried cranberries
-glazed walnuts (TJs)
-pear (i'm wondering if fresh pears will hold up, may substitute canned)
-bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)
-Quinoa

i sauteed the seeds with oil, then threw in the tofu to heat a bit, the cranberries, then the cooked white quinoa. i served the walnuts, pear and chocolate chips on the side, so people can add as they like. It's Great!

could be breakfast, could be dinner. i now understand all the people who recommend quinoa for breakfast.

I should warn you that this is my first burn, so I don't know how all of this will work out, but here's what I'm bringing:

Breakfasts:
- instant oatmeal packets
- dried fruit and canned fruit
- almond milk and rice milk (in shelf stable boxes)

Lunches:
- tortillas
- foil packets of tuna and salmon
- dried tomatoes
- cream cheese
- frozen gazpacho (and other chilled soups)

Dinners:
- frozen seafood/vegetable curries and chicken masala
- couscous
- quinoa
- dehydrated shiitake mushrooms
- frozen beef pieces
- beef bouillon

Snacks:
- granola bars
- string cheese
- miso soup (I put some paste in an empty honey bottle so I can squirt some in a bowl of hot water easily)
- jerky
- Thai iced tea mix
- fruit/veggie blend juices (in shelf stable boxes)
- spicy vegetable juice
- tea bags
- Emergen-C packets

On the average day I'll have fruit and oatmeal for breakfast, a wrap for lunch, and for dinner I'll boil a bag of frozen curry or masala in a pan of water to heat it up, then use the hot water to make couscous or quinoa and a cup of tea to go with it. I'm bringing the frozen soups and beef soup ingredients just to mix it up a little so I don't get tired of curry and wraps every day. Besides, I thought that having soup for a meal can only help me stay hydrated, right?

I'm considering bringing some fresh basil, because I'm in love with the stuff and think it goes well with most anything. Does anybody know how long I could expect that to keep in a baggie in the cooler?

What has not yet been added I think:

premade Lentil Soup - frozen to be thawed and warmed
Cup o noodles
Tasty bites - dashboard cooking at it's finest
Boxed wine - they have come up with some really nice ones lately... 2 bottles woth in one box, and box is burnable!
Preground coffee - and a french press (after wednesday the lines at center camp are terrible)
Thai iced tea - comes prepacked at trder joes
Fallafel Mix - in natural food isle, just add water
Uncle Bens rice - already cooked, just warm it up on the dash board

breakfasts: oatmeal pkts, eggs, bacon (yum), pancakes, bagels w/cream cheese

lunches: PB &J sandwiches, ramen noodles w/boiled egg,

dinners: frozen chicken stir-fry in sealed pkts, pasta w/sausage, sun-dried tomatoes & zucchini, couscous w/feta, pine nuts & olive oil. CARNITAS! w/corn tortillas, jambalaya, turkey w/stove top stuffing and mashed potatoes

snacks: whole wheat fruit bars, chips, salsa, cookies, brownie bites, wasabi peas

pickles...don't forget the pickles :)

My playa tradition is every morning its a must to eat breakfast burritos. its a lot of work i guess. But its the perfect way to start the day in a harsh desert. Tortilla, egg, potatoes, cheese, salsa, and lets not forget the most important ingredient BACON! Gives you that energy burst you need. Well besides the energy burst you get just because you woke up on the playa.

super simple and no cooking (eat thing straight from a can):

Canned soup
Canned veggie chili
Olives
Pre-cooked Bacon
Hard boiled eggs
Pop Tarts
Cereal and Dry milk
Dried cranberries and apricots
Granola

and I eat only when i'm hungry, no plans for big meals. I do bring a couple cans of corn beef hash to add to any family breakfast. Last year there were quite a few in Snowflake Village.

Great thread everyone! Here is my preliminary idea list. I added a few ideas from your posts. I'll have to trim it down though. It's just so hard to know what I'll really crave the most! I am used to going with other people or at least my hubby but this year I am kind of solo - though I'll be camping in the same area with some good friends so there might be SOME sharing. I'll be taking this list and organizing it into "meals" sort of - so that I don't miss key items and also so I don't bring things I really don't need.

Freezer/make ahead foods
Spaghetti
Crustini
Limade
Breakfast shakes frozen in zip locks?
Bacon pre cooked and frozen?
Breakfast burritos? Flattened to grill in pan?



V8
Canned fruit
Peaches
Pears
Mandarins
Pineapple
Fruit Salad
Canned veggies
Coffee
Chai (carton)
Tea
Sugar
Honey
Condensed milk?
Powdered milk?
Cereal
Oatmeal
Cheese
Cheddar
minibell
Jerky
Eggs
Pre mixed in a jar?
Bread
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Butter
Canned Soups
Chili
Olive Oil
Two bite brownies?
Jell-O?
Nutella
Chips
Pita
Potato
Corn
Crackers
Triscuit?
Humus?
Sour cream?
Dip mix?
Stuffed grape leaves
Rice?
Salsa (shelf jar)
Black beans
Nacho cheese?
Avocado?
Tuna
Mayo
Canned chicken
Chopped celery and onion?
Rock Star
Vitamin Water?
Talking Rain?
San Pelegrino?
Root Beer?
Other soda?

WATER!

just letting you all know I'm having a "sour bar" (sauerkraut and kim chi, maybe some pickles) at BURNING SILICON VILLAGE this year! come on by during the day, we'll be in our big white dome!

This is our list for this year so far. It is still growing and will continue to throughout the month. Enjoy.


Produce/Fruit/Fresh/Parishable Food:
Green, Yellow, Red Bell Peppers
Mushrooms
Eggs
Fresh Spices
Peeled Garlic
Lettuce
Limes
Lemons
Onions
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Blueberries
Asparagus
Artichoke
Eggplant
Cucumber
Carrots
Pineapple
Cheeses
Yogurt
Salsa
Guacamole/Avacado (Packages)


Meats:
Marinated Tri-Tip
Bacon
Thick Steak (Skewers)
Flank Steaks (Butterfly/Stuff/Fajits)
Chicken Breast
Shrimp
Salami
Pepperoni
Fish (Talapia)
Sushi Quality Fish (Salmon/Tuna/YellowTail)
Lunch Meats (Turkey/RoastBeef/Ham)


Dry Food:
Granola Bars
Crackers
Cup o Noodles
Tortillas (Flour)
Instant Mashed Potatoes
Rice
Cereal
Pasta
Tortilla Chips
Jerkey


Canned/Jarred/Bottled Food:
Black Olives
Green Olives
Artichoke Hearts
Sugar
Butter/Margerine (Plastic Tub)
Salt
Hot Sauces
BBQ Sauces
Soy Sauce
Ketchup
Mayonaise
Mustard
Tomato Sauce
Canned Stews
Vegetable Oil
Canned Fruits (Peaches/Pears/Mandarins/Pineapple/Fruit Salad)
Condensed Milk


Frozen Foods:
Otter Pops
Frozen Fruit (Smoothies/Bar)
Frozen Juices
Frozen Pizzas
Chicken Wings


Liquids/Alcohol/Bar:
Water
Orange Juice
Pineapple Juice
Cranberry Juice
Soda Water
Redbull
Vitamin Water
Tonic Water
Coke (2 Liters)
Margarita Mix
Pina Colada Mixer
Sweet and Sour Mix
Bloody Marry Mix
Cocktail Olives
Cocktail Onions
Wine (Red/White)
Champagne (Brut)
Beer (12 paks of good beer/Cases of Cheap Shit/Keg)
Vodka (Russian Standard/Smirnoff/Flavored Shit)
Whiskey (Jameason/Jack Daniels/Irish Manor)
Rum (Captain Morgan/Malibu)
Gin (Beefeater,Tanqueray)