Budget Food Ideas

[K2SO]

So, I've had a bit of an unexpected expense recently which has eaten a little bit into my budget for the festival, so I'm thinking of taking a little more food than usual for myself to save buying lots of food at the festival and sinking my money.

 

I'm bringing a camping stove as it is to make tea, so I'm considering bringing baked beans as they're easy to make as well as filling, but I don't know how well they would keep - even in a cool bag in the tent.

 

I'm aiming more for a heavier breakfast to avoid a big lunch (probably take belvitas, etc for that) and then I'll buy my dinners on site.

 

Any suggestions on good options?

Edited June 11, 2025 by K2SO

[hjwright]

1 minute ago, K2SO said:

So, I've had a bit of an unexpected expense recently which has eaten a little bit into my budget for the festival, so I'm thinking of taking a little more food than usual for myself to save buying lots of food at the festival and sinking my money.

 

I'm bringing a camping stove as it is to make tea, so I'm considering bringing baked beans as they're easy to make as well as filling, but I don't know how well they would keep - even in a cool bag in the tent.

 

I'm aiming more for a heavier breakfast to avoid a big lunch (probably take belvitas, etc for that) and then I'll buy my dinners on site.

 

Any suggestions on good options?

Baked beans would be fine in a tent, they're meant to be kept at room temperature in the tin. 

 

The other easy option is pot-style noodles. Loads of posh ones about that are half decent. 

[Skip997]

Hare Krishna food tent 

[bob323]

I pretty much took all my food last year, some stuff i took

Cous cous

tinned oranges

pot noodles

tinned chilli

snacks/ crisp/ cereal

 

carrying the extra weight in was a pain

 

 

Edited June 11, 2025 by bob323

[AlanFish23]

Buy one of those all-day breakfasts in a can to set yourself up for the day. Maybe add a couple slices of bread....

Hunger Breaks All Day Breakfast 395g | Sainsbury's

.....then a can of veggie chilli later on in the day. Again with a couple slices of bread.

Stagg Low Fat Vegetable Chili Medium 400g | Sainsbury's

 

Edited June 11, 2025 by AlanFish23

[Justiceforcedave]

2 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Hare Krishna food tent 

Yeah this is a great shout! They give out hot food for free/a small donation throughout the whole festival.

I always find that apples are pretty hardy for a fruity/veggie/healthy option! Lots of supermarkets do little individually wrapped pastries. Not great for the environment but good for festival-proofing. I always bring some nuts and jerky for protein on the go and Pringles because the tin stops them being crushed to sh*t.

[mandana]

I think the coop will have meal deals and offers so do check there, I know its not the most adventurous but will keep you fed and can balance that with something nicer from one of the stalls later. I plan to take chia seeds and hydrate them with ginger, lemon and water for breakfast which can be quite filling and good for fibre. 

[Justiceforcedave]

Peanut butter and pitas also survive tents pretty well.

[Pateen]

Bagels n cold meats or sliced cheeses. Great morning filers

[bob323]

>Buy one of those all-day breakfasts in a can to set yourself up for the day. Maybe add a couple slices of bread.... 

 

I loved those all day breakfast (or maybe my expectations were very low) they're not cheap tho

 

so I also bought cans of beans and susages - much cheaper

Edited June 11, 2025 by bob323

[Superscally]

22 minutes ago, K2SO said:

So, I've had a bit of an unexpected expense recently which has eaten a little bit into my budget for the festival, so I'm thinking of taking a little more food than usual for myself to save buying lots of food at the festival and sinking my money.

 

I'm bringing a camping stove as it is to make tea, so I'm considering bringing baked beans as they're easy to make as well as filling, but I don't know how well they would keep - even in a cool bag in the tent.

 

I'm aiming more for a heavier breakfast to avoid a big lunch (probably take belvitas, etc for that) and then I'll buy my dinners on site.

 

Any suggestions on good options?

Buy a bag of Huel hot. The chilli is good. 7 portions for about 20 quid. Buy the white huel shaker. Chuck two scoops in there and have it in your bag to cook. Tastes fine at room temp, then wash out bottle and use as your water bottle for day. 

[TheBoz]

Soreen or the Aldi/lidl equivalent. Any trail mix of your choice. 

I like the Nakd pressed fruit bars and I think lidl do a version of those too. 

 

Basically anything energy dense 

[Mish1268]

Marks and spencer do some pretty decent tinned stews and curries. My sons didn't complain. Doqn with some packet rice just mixed in on the stove?

[Someoni]

16 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Hare Krishna food tent 

This is the best answer. Solid meal and a donation is appreciated.

[FKA SOSOTWS]

17 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Hare Krishna food tent 

That is near Park Stage, right?

[Gnomicide]

2 minutes ago, FKA SOSOTWS said:

That is near Park Stage, right?

 

In Pennards next to the track down from Strummerville/Worthy View.

 

Edited June 11, 2025 by Gnomicide

[Skip997]

8 minutes ago, FKA SOSOTWS said:

That is near Park Stage, right?

On the run up to the Tipi field from the Glade crossroads 

[K2SO]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions so far, will give them all a good look this evening!

[giantkatestacks]

I was going to say the tins of chicken tikka from sainsburys are actually pretty decent. Bloody heavy though.

Edited June 11, 2025 by giantkatestacks

[clarkete]

The beauty of life's rich tapestry is I don't like some of these suggestions and I'm sure others don't like some, but they'll be ebtirely different to mine 😊

 

I can say, if you're boiling water for noodles, even if it takes aeons make sure it is boiling - as crunchy noodles are grim 

[Simsy]

I was a broke student when I first started going to glasto, so would take a camping stove & things like pot noodles. Found it hard to force myself back to the tent (past all the delicious food stalls) and take up valuable festival time making dinner.

 

Would recommend possibly taking a thermos so you can boil the water when you're at camp in the morning, then take it (& your noodles/cous cous/cup-a-soup/whatevs) out with you for later in the day.

[K2SO]

16 minutes ago, Simsy said:

I was a broke student when I first started going to glasto, so would take a camping stove & things like pot noodles. Found it hard to force myself back to the tent (past all the delicious food stalls) and take up valuable festival time making dinner.

 

Would recommend possibly taking a thermos so you can boil the water when you're at camp in the morning, then take it (& your noodles/cous cous/cup-a-soup/whatevs) out with you for later in the day.

 

That's why my plan is leaning towards a bigger breakfast, take some cereal bars, etc to have during the day and then buy a decent meal in the evening.

 

I'll also take pot noodles/pasta to stick on when we get back to the tent at night just in case

[Adam75]

As a family of four it can get pretty expensive. We go with breakfast at the tent. Cereal for the kids. Maybe a cereal bar for us. Then make sandwiches. Ham/cheese/tuna to take with us Judge what can last in the cool box plus what you can buy in the coop. Sausage rolls (cheese and onion equivalent) crisps fruit etc for snacks. Then buy dinner. It is a bit of a pain, but saves money. Plus ensures we always have options for the kids when they need 50 snacks a day!

 

 

[The Other Steve]

2 hours ago, K2SO said:

So, I've had a bit of an unexpected expense recently which has eaten a little bit into my budget for the festival, so I'm thinking of taking a little more food than usual for myself to save buying lots of food at the festival and sinking my money.

 

I'm bringing a camping stove as it is to make tea, so I'm considering bringing baked beans as they're easy to make as well as filling, but I don't know how well they would keep - even in a cool bag in the tent.

 

I'm aiming more for a heavier breakfast to avoid a big lunch (probably take belvitas, etc for that) and then I'll buy my dinners on site.

 

Any suggestions on good options?

 

When buying dinners opt for the £6 meal options. Some really great food and some not so good.

 

https://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/260684-the-£6-meal-deal-thread/

Edited June 11, 2025 by The Other Steve

[Olshansky]

Honestly, the Hare Krishna food tends to be really delicious.  I have relied on it when I was skint, but now that I'm not I still have one once a festival because I just like it.