Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Post by pondo ROCKS on Nov 29, 2009 8:12:52 GMT -5
first off, to help with ice, freeze some of your bottled water you take...they work well as additional ice and as they will also become drinkable and stay colder...
I always bring too much food. Last year, I tried to eat more of the "exotic" foods that I never eat during the year and I had some AWESOME food. I agree with several of the above people about eating a breakfast that is big, but if you camp far away from centeroo, it is hard on the old body to walk back and forth a ton. My recommendation is to bring nonperishable items if you can but also allow money to eat some stuff in case you just dont feel like walking all the way back
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we brought a ridiculous amount of groceries and had the best intentions of cooking every meal. cooked the first day and ate snacky type things the rest of the time we were there. we brought home SO much groceries. i planned on making pancakes every morning and crap. we literally had sandwiches when we got there, and made popcorn and spam to snack on late one night. we ate some yogurt and veggies and chippys as snacks but the rest of everyting else came back with us. giant waste of space and gas.
two things for your friends to keep in mind that we learned at roo: 1. you will not eat nearly as much as you think you will. its so hot you will drink a ton of water and your stomach won't have room for food. also being really full in the heat is gross. 2. cooking in the heat or when you're dirty and tired blows.
we spent less on festival food (i actually did the calculations when we got home) than we did on the groceries we brought along and 90% of that was useless to us. also we waste money on ice to keep that crap cold knowing after day one we woudl just br bringing it home. next year we're bringing cereal and other non perishables, plus maybe some yogurt and fruit for the cooler, and of course drinks. that's it. there's more than enough cheap festival food (and not all fried stuff) that i don't want to even bother with cooking next time. we'll bring the party grill for stuff like marshmallows and popcorn, but no big meals. if there's room in the cooler i might stash enough to make a few sandwiches and some pasta salad to munch on after we set up our campsite but that's it really.
also, thanks to whoever suggested box wine when i was in my planning stages last year. :-) by day two security was getting a little more relaxed and didn't make us dump out our water bottle. fyi pinot grigio in a green plastic bottle looks exactly like water. much cheaper than festival-priced beers.
we spent less on festival food (i actually did the calculations when we got home) than we did on the groceries we brought along and 90% of that was useless to us. also we waste money on ice to keep that crap cold knowing after day one we woudl just br bringing it home. next year we're bringing cereal and other non perishables, plus maybe some yogurt and fruit for the cooler, and of course drinks. that's it. there's more than enough cheap festival food (and not all fried stuff) that i don't want to even bother with cooking next time. we'll bring the party grill for stuff like marshmallows and popcorn, but no big meals. if there's room in the cooler i might stash enough to make a few sandwiches and some pasta salad to munch on after we set up our campsite but that's it really.
also, thanks to whoever suggested box wine when i was in my planning stages last year. :-) by day two security was getting a little more relaxed and didn't make us dump out our water bottle. fyi pinot grigio in a green plastic bottle looks exactly like water. much cheaper than festival-priced beers.
Pasta salad is a really good idea! The only meal I will be cooking everyday is breakfast.....pancakes, bacon, maybe hashbrowns. And then already put together snacks, fruit, fiber one bars and sandwhiches the rest of the day. Last year I had planned to cook a lot more food than I did........I'm hypoglycemic and am always afraid that my blood sugar will drop and I'll pass out in situations like that, but I really had no problems with it. Plus, we were camped all the way in the back, there was no time to walk 30 minutes there and back just to cook a couple hot dogs. I think I will be more than fine with breakfast at camp, snacks, sandwhiches and maybe one meal from one of the vendors late at night.
I agree with the original post to an extent. I always spend WAY more time and money on food beforehand than is worthwhile. Snacks and lunch meat are my new staples. I don't mind dropping 10 bucks a day on food; I would spend at least that if I was trying to feed myself all weekend.
Post by candynickel on Dec 2, 2009 12:58:24 GMT -5
I found it to be SO much simpler to just eat vendor food. Plus I only ate 1-2 times a day and snacked the rest of the time because it was so hot. Breakfast was usually a screwdriver or 2.
I am off the mindset that this is one of my vacations for the year, so I bring anything I feel like will be a good snack/small meal and then have an okay sized budget for whenever a vendor strikes me as delicious. That as been my strategy at other music festivals, so this should be the same!
Plus I think it is a better idea to consume mostly self bought alcohol and energy drinks due to the higher prices these go for at most festivals. As long as I mainly get regular drinks and one or two meals, my budget won't get bad.
We are returning to Roo (our #3, missed last year) and we have decided all we are bringing is beer, boxed wine, oranges and maybe some granola bars.
I felt that having a grill and all that forced us to spend more time at the camp, and really Year #2 I didn't want to be there except to sleep, change clothes and maybe chill a bit in the AM. There was a stand near our camp that sold the most bombdiggidy breakfast burritos - $5 and could feed 2 peeps.
People in our group spent so much time and money grilling up food, I think they missed out on the Roo experience. Bringing your own food is cheaper, but we have decided to budget in Roo food this year and scrimp in other ways.
Post by weneedavacuumsolo on Dec 15, 2009 15:26:27 GMT -5
we didnt bring any food other than granola, fruit snacks, and i think cheese its. we couldnt fit any coolers. there were for adult in a small honda civic from new hampshire to the farm. we also brought tons of booze and powdered drink mixes.
each day we'd wake up at 7am, eat corn, grab some of or snacks for breakfast, turn into booze bags by 10, a little more corn, make our way to centeroo, catch a few bands, eat from any vendor we wanted around while took the taxi back to get more corn, taxi back (10 minute round trip), catch a few more acts, eat around 7pm, buy a beer watch that nights big acts while eating more corn, go back to our site around 1am, snack, drink, have corn, and party till we passed out. rinse and repeat.
roo is my summer vacation, i get one week a summer off. i work in food service, no way am i doing what i do at work while im on vacation. and it wasnt that expensive either.
Ha, i had the cajun meal too. It was delicious, but my mouth is too sensitive for spicy food. I was sweating twice as much.
yea, i got three bites into it and could not handle it. i managed to trade with some guy that had thai food. nom nom nom. so if the guy i traded with reads this, thank you a million times!!!
Bring comfort food - chocolate milk in the AM, fruit, packaged snacks.
TALK to those you are coming with - SHARE what you all are bringing to snack on or eat. Not a bad idea to have some simple meal planned for Thursday night and Friday Breakfast.
After Friday AM - take advantage of ALL the vendor - those in the camp grounds, those in Centeroo. PLUS - those camped near you that have never been to roo and have WAY to much food and want to share. A great way to meet people and talk about the fest - share a meal with those near you that are cooking. If you are desparate and NEEDING to share food you are begging - but if you are just being friendly and have open eyes you will see many people that are way cool and the extra food they have cooked is just an excuse to say hey. If you are not comfortable with this, skip it, but it can be a cool adventure.
For $8 to $10 you can feast and it is easy and helps you see all that you wanted to see with the music. Utalize the vendors in Centeroo. You can pack less in your car and everyone is more comfortable traveling.
I've been to roo the past four years and this coming year will be my fifth year. Including ticket, I spend less than $500 for travel, hotel (on Wednesday), ticket, food and gifts. Not a bad deal for a six day vacation.
Don't plan on cooking. Don't plan on coming and going to your camp for food.
Lastly, on Sunday evening my tribe has played a game - "what can you get for a dollar". We go to vendors as the last acts are playing and ask them "What can I get for a dollar" and negotiate. The amount of food that comes back from each of us is amazing and the whole idea is fun as hell. The negotiating skills are outstanding. Ever had a PILE of fries with a pile of BBQ meat and a HUGE mound of grilled vegies for $1?
On a more serious note, after attending for the past 4 years, the food we found most useful (and least wasted) to bring were breakfast stuffs and snacks.
We really enjoy all the different foods offered by the vendors, that's another part of the 'roo experience for us.
We found breakfast to be very useful to bring however, not having to venture out in the morning when we wake up hungry. We brought a mini grill last year with egg beaters and turkey bacon (we brought real eggs too, but egg beaters were much easier) We also brought beef for burgers (not used) and Hot dogs (used).
Basically anything that is quick and easy worked well.
P.S. if you didn't try the whole foods frozen fruit bars last year - they are DELICIOUS and highly recommended!
Post by crazykittensmile on Jan 3, 2010 17:52:58 GMT -5
$200 is usually what i bring as well, for drinks/food/etc... that should be plenty unless you see some insane souvenirs you can't live without...but that's what the atms are for (i've never had to use em)
Post by questionablesanity on Jan 5, 2010 14:00:18 GMT -5
I budgeted $30 a day for food and maybe spent $20. Spicy pie saved my life. I simply can't get enuff of that pizza. I always take too much money and don't spend half of it. I think I will buy one of the puzzle boxes this year and maybe some more art work.
A Thieve's Parade 2/24 Conspirator 2/26 Kevin Smith 3/11 Keller 3/17 Papadosio 3/18 JJ Grey 3/25 Bela Fleck/Edgar Meyer 3/26 Toubab Krewe 3/27 O'Death 4/11 Budos Band 4/22 EOTO 4/28 Summer Camp 5/6-29 All Good
Post by sthomas1312 on Jan 5, 2010 23:07:59 GMT -5
2008 we bought a ton of food with good intentions of cooking a lot of meals at camp, didn;t happen so much. Last year brought a little less cookable items and more snacks, and ate in Centeroo more.
I agree with most people that breakfast is the one thing you should bring an ample amount of for camp/cooking. Pancake mix is clutch, bacon and eggs are pretty easy to keep and cook if you have a cooler/grill. Pop tarts and such are good anytime also.
Post by JustSoYouKnow on Jan 9, 2010 23:07:59 GMT -5
I'm a female been to the past 4 'Roo's and pack for my entire group( 3 guys-bf, brother and drinking buddy - and me), except their clothes... seriously, i pack their toothbrushes! Every year, I pack less and less food and no one notices or cares.... and every year, we have less and less time to cook. I think i will pack just 4 meals to cook the entire time on a camping stove... 'cause it's nice to be able to sit down if we're all their spontaneously(I have to prepare for spontaneity... hence why i pack everyone's things).
Eating out costs next to nothing if u want it to be, at 'Roo.
Post by billclinton on Jan 10, 2010 18:04:40 GMT -5
Granola bars, Cheez its, case of water a piece, munchies (laffy taffy anyone?!?!?), and beer to your drinking. Other than that Centeroo is where all my food comes from.
