I love an outdoor concert! What can be better than listening to your favorite artists under a beautiful sky while wearing your prettiest sun dress as you toast the gorgeous weather with  friends?  My love for outdoor concerts started when I was 11 so I  understand the sometimes daunting task packing the perfect lunch can be. You’re having to deal with the stringent rules of the venue, the most likely record high temperatures while figuring out how to comfortably lug everything  there and back without passing out from sun exposure! Oh! Let’s not forget smuggling in your alcohol if the venue doesn’t allow it :/ (just being real people).  Well never fear Weekender’s!  I’ve narrowed down the 3 most important factors when planning your festival lunch so that it is  1)  Super delicious 2) Will  hold for a long period of time without spoiling and 3) Easy to package,  prepare, and transport. When done right, this makes the concert/festival experience that much more enjoyable and can save you a ton of money in overpriced vendor food. So read more to find out my 4 easy tips on packing the perfect festival/concert lunch!

1. Create Your Menu Ahead of Time

Like most things  in life having a well laid plan will work wonders when preparing your concert lunch. Create a menu of the things you’ll want to bring and if you’re going with multiple folks you can all divide the menu and bring  your appointed item the day of. This helps with the amount of food you’ll have to lug on your own and brings down the cost. You will also find that looking at a list will keep you from bringing more than you need or multiples of the same item.

2.Use Sturdy Packaging

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Whatever you use to pack your  lunch in, you want to make sure it is sturdy- it won’t spill and can keep your food fresh. It may even behoove you to buy to go containers like the ones pictured above. They are much easier to clean up after a long day out in the sun and can make sharing  food with friends a lot easier. For things like pasta salads or anything needing to be kept cold like seafood or items made with mayo use packaging that is meant to insulate. You may also invest in small ice packs to keep those items needing to stay cooler, longer.

3.Invest in a Durable Cooler

A cooler needs to be 3 things, 1) Durable 2) Easy to transport 3)Big enough to pack your food. There are so many innovative coolers these days and you can go to any store and find one, however I find places like Target, Costco and Walmart have bigger variety of selections. Your cooler can also double for multiple uses, like a table for drinks or a flat surface to put your lawn chair and other picnic items on. I love coolers that have the retractable handles as well it just makes transporting so much easier! Lately I’ve even seen some coolers with pretty cool flair that look so festive!

4.Pack Smarter Not Harder

 

One of my least favorite things to do when eating at an outdoor concert is having to search aimlessly  for what I need. Plates are in one bag while forks are at the bottom of another. When I get to the concert I want to know exactly where things  are, make my plate and relax. Making sure that I package like items together takes care of this task. I usually package utensils, napkins and plates  in a large freezer bag  for easy access. If I’m bringing chips and other non perishables I pack those together in a grocery bag. Instead of bringing a glass bottle to the venue I buy reusable plastic containers and pack my plastic cups along with my plastic container.

So there you have 4 easy tips to packing the perfect festival/concert lunch! Do you have any tips you’d like to impart? Any foods you especially like to pack? Drop me a line and let me know you were here. Until next time…Keep the party goin!

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