Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world, offers the awesome opportunity to camp on festival grounds over the duration of the entire festival weekend. A significant portion of attendees opt to camp on festival grounds because it’s convenient and adds to the fun of the Coachella experience. You can enjoy late-night silent disco, camping hub activities, and all-around good vibes. But with three days of tent sleeping, energy-intensive dancing and walking 10+ miles a day, you’ll want delicious meals to replenish your energy without having to expend more energy making them.
The Best Pro-Tip
The trick is to prepare as much as you can going in and make food ahead of time. The best food options for us were those that took little to no preparation. It was great to have ‘grab and go’ options that we could eat quickly between and after sets when we had too little energy to cook a full-blown meal. It’s convenient, saves time and energy, and reduces the hassle of cleaning a lot of dishes in a place where dishwashing isn’t the most convenient.
Most of my favorite meals are a mix of non-perishables, cold foods, and simple meals that can qualify as lunch, dinner, snack, or post-festival munchies. This year, my husband and I aimed to bring easy but appetizing foods, all while being budget-conscious. Food inside the venue can add up, so we planned a meal strategy ahead of time. In this blog, I’ll cover some of our favorite meals and snacks to bring to camping at Coachella.
Meals
- Pasta salad – My absolute favorite and healthy option. You can put it in a ziplock bag or plastic container, keep it in a cooler, and eat it whenever throughout the entire weekend.
- Breakfast burrito – Pre-make burritos, wrap them in foil and heat them up on the stove when you’re ready to eat.
- Quesadilla – You only need two ingredients, tortilla and cheese. Add meat like pre-cooked chicken for more protein.
- Tacos – Cook the meat ahead of time so all you have to do is heat it up on the stove. Pre-cut up white onion and cilantro for garnish, and pack your favorite salsa. This is one of the easiest ‘hot’ meals, and my husband’s favorite camping meal.
- Wraps – Pre-packaged wraps are easy, and you don’t have to cook anything. Examples are tuna salad wraps, turkey and cheese wraps, hummus and veggie wraps, etc.
- Pizza – Pre-purchase pizza, and heat it up on a pan for a crispy bottom and cheesy goodness. Easy, quick, and delicious!
- Ramen – All you need is hot water. A cup of hot ramen noodles hits differently when you’re camping, especially late at night when it’s cold and windy out.
- Deconstructed spam musubi bowls – Prepare cut up spam and add it to some rice. You can prepare rice the day before or buy boil-in-bag white rice and heat it up on the stove. Bring dried seaweed packets and furikake for garnish and more flavor.
- Sandwiches – PB & J and cold-cut sandwiches are quick and easy to make. For even an easier option, Uncrustable sandwiches are already packaged individually for grab-and-go situations.
Snacks
- Tortilla chips and salsa – Refreshing salsa is wonderful under the desert heat
- Charcuterie/veggies and hummus – Health is wealth. Pre-cut vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, and cucumbers and eat with a dip like hummus. Add cheese, crackers, and salame and you have a charcuterie!
- Fruit – Pre-cut fruit (pineapple, watermelon) and other fruit (oranges, apples, grapes) are full of nutrients and are refreshing when you’re out in the desert heat
- High-protein snacks – Trail mix, nuts, granola bars, protein bars, and beef jerky are great snacks for muscle maintenance
Drinks
- Water bottles – Freeze the bottles to keep the coolers cold and have ice cold water readily available
- Juice – Individually packaged juice pouches, boxes and bottles are convenient for individual use when you go with multiple people or a group of friends
- Canned soda
- Cold brew coffee – Brew coffee ahead of time and store it in a large plastic bottle (no glass allowed). Add ice and dilute with water, and voila!
- Electrolytes/Liquid IV – Hydration is key. Consider electrolyte drinks or powders to replenish minerals lost through sweat
- Alcohol (Ages 21+ only) – Beer cans, wine boxes, seltzers are some examples. We like to bring limes to add to the drinks
Bonus Tips
- A reliable cooler is essential – It can get really hot and ice can melt very fast. A great insulated cooler can keep things cold throughout the entire weekend.
- Freeze your water bottles – Frozen water bottles can hit two birds with one stone – keep things cold, and provide a cold refreshing drink!
Q&A
- How much is ice at Coachella Camping? In 2022, it cost us $10 for a normal 9 lb bag
- Is there food to buy at the campground? Yes! There’s a variety of food vendors at the Campground Hub. Check the official Coachella website for a list of vendors
- How much alcohol can you bring inside Coachella camping? One case of beer or one box of wine per person. If you bring an excessive amount of alcohol, they may make you surrender it
- Is outside food allowed inside the Coachella Festival? No, as of 2024
- How much is food and drinks inside Coachella? The prices range in cost, but tend to be similar to theme park food prices, and can add up quickly. In 2024, we bought a White Claw seltzer for $17. The famed lemonade drinks were also $17 (I used to get these in the previous years, and I must admit they are delicious and refreshing, but they are not worth $17 for me personally)
- How much is water inside Coachella? In 2024, it was $2 a bottle. Water was sold in reusable metal bottles where they could be refilled at the free water stations.
Note: Rules change from year to year, so be sure to check the official Coachella website for the most updated information.
Overall, we had a great time camping at Coachella campground. We brought all of our food to save money and it actually worked out great for us. It’s a great way to be budget-conscious and we definitely will continue bringing our own food for the following years to come.
If you have any favorite foods to bring to Coachella camping, feel free to mention them below.
Happy Coachella camping!
