I know, I know, the ‘outside food’ is usually on the restricted items list, but let’s face it, the restricted items list on a festival website is more like a really long list of challenge by choice dares. So, that out of the way, let’s talk about why you should be bringing snacks with you to your next rave.

First and foremost has to do with cost. The prices of food inside the festival are going to get ridiculous; it’s like an unspoken rule. However, no one should be forced to spend thirteen dollars on a slice of crappy pizza if they don’t need to. While festival food options are usually pretty diverse, especially at insomnia events where there is almost always vegan and vegetarian options for those of us who don’t eat meat, it is going to be a little pricey. Festival tickets are already expensive, and when you combine all of the costs you need just to get too, and from an event, the last thing you want to do is pay for overpriced food.

Eating beforehand is always a good idea, but if you are in it for the long haul (open to close), you probably need some snacks. If you are a health weirdo like me another reason to bring snacks is that you are very unlikely to find a ton of healthy options available. Again, insomniac is good about having fruit or a few other healthy options available, but if you are watching what you eat, it helps to have your own snacks available. So keeping that in mind here are a couple of snack ideas to keep you full, happy, and most importantly, not on the edge of being broke.

1. Power Bar/ Protein Bar

   There is nothing better than a good protein bar when you are a couple of hours into dancing, or just trapping around a festival ground. Especially now that there are so many small, bars, they are pretty easy to conceal until the coast is clear. As I have mentioned before in the post "PRE-RAVE FUEL," protein is a very important part of preparation and recovery. Your muscles need it to keep up with the strain you will be putting on them, even if you just stand and bop your head to the music.

2. Dried Fruit/ Nuts

   Dried fruit and nuts are never not going to be a fantastic snack idea. You get protein, healthy fats, natural sugars, and vitamins all in one easy to find package. If you hit up the grocery store, you can find pre-packaged mixes, or you can make your own and customize.

3. Electrolyte Blocks

   Now, the bikers here (road bikes not like Hells Angels) might know what I mean by this. These compact gel blocks come in all sorts of flavors and are packed with electrolytes and some of the sugar and calories you need to keep you going. This is another compact one, and since it’s not technically food, you probably won’t need to be sneaky.

4. goldfish/snack crackers

   Yeah, there isn’t a ton of nutrition value here, but carbs are always a plus when you are doing a lot of cardio. Bringing in a small bag of these boys is a great idea, especially if you buy the factory sealed snack packs. It also never hurts to have something to satiate those salty cravings.

Of course, these are all just ideas. No matter what you chose to bring, I hope you will consider trying to bring snacks with you to your next event. If you do, try and make sure that they are giving you a little of what you need to make it through the evening. You don't need to show electrolyte goo down your throat all the time, but having a backup source of electrolytes and vitamins is always an excellent idea. That being said, if you want goldfish, just bring goldfish. It's better to have access to snacks then it is to be at the mercy of whatever food vendors you run into at an event.