Can you bring a cooler with sandwiches, grapes, drinks? Put some frozen water bottles in there to keep things cool.

You need stuff you can eat that is not messy, won't get too warm sitting
out, and things you can munch on in bits. Worst thing is to eat a big
sit-down lunch - you will get sleepy at 3:00. Do eat something for
breakfast even if it is only a smoothie. You should take more than one thermos of tea - bring bottled water with some lemon because you will get thirsty several times a day (from the environmental dust, from talking to a lot of people, and even on a cool day the sun will shine on you).

When I was doing all day events I'd bring some combination of: peanut butter and orange marmalade on squares of pumpernickel bread, dill pickles, apple slices with chunks of cheese, clementines or oranges (be prepared to share because the aroma is intoxicating to passersby), bananas, toasted whole almonds, homemade granola bars, hummus and chips, maybe yogurt cups or salted hard boiled eggs in a 6-pack cooler with one of those mini cold-packs.

I don't have any suggestions because I go there JUST for the food! Actually, that's not true, it's the only fair I attend every year, love Common Ground Fair! I'd love to check out your wares, what should I look for?

eta: never mind, I remember you :)

I am thinking apples. ‘Tis the season. Plus imported citrus might be frowned on. They didn’t used to allow any coffee at all. I believe that has been lifted or at least I hope so. My sister will get really grumpy without coffee.

When I worked parking for Titans games, Music City Marathon, etc. (so much fun! It was my son's marching band fund raiser), I was stuck outside all day in the heat. What did we bring? We brought lots of water and easy to eat items. We had dried fruit, nuts, whole fruit, sandwiches, maybe some cookies for treats. I found that small snacks all day long were easier than eating any meals.

Soup in thermos and sandwiches or wraps, fruit, nuts, granola bars that sort of thing.

I love a babybel and good granola bar.

Specific foods depend on what you like, but good parameters are things that don't require spoons and forks, which assume you'll have a proper place to eat. Things that are easy to put down instantly when there's a sudden rush. Things that don't leave your hands icky or require a lot of rinsing your mouth.

Therefore, tea sandwiches are a good idea, as in cut into three bites sizes. They'll also look nice if you have to nibble one in sight of all in your booth. They go nicely with your wares. You can make lettuce wrapped "egg rolls" if you don't want so much bread. Just don't overfill them, and make sure there's a binder to keep them from leaking all over.

Grapes (seedless) are a good sugary pick-me-up, whereas peaches and plums are a sticky mess. Even apples can be sticky.

Nuts or trail mix make good, nutritious nibble as you go things.

Cut vegetable strips are nice to crunch on.

Get a 1 gallon, plastic bottle of water; pour out about an inch of water; freeze... with lid off.

It will keep a cooler cold far longer than any gel packs. And, you can either drink or wash your hands with the melted water... if there is any. If you are taking a bigger cooler you might want to freeze two jugs of water. Also, take a roll of paper towel... and maybe TP too.

I agree with taking foods in smaller portions; also foods that aren't messy.

Do have a great time at the Fair!

Kate

Salad, apples, almonds, hard-boiled eggs, grapes, dates, Wheat Thins, cooked chicken breast for the salad, packets of apple cider mix or hot apple cider in a thermos if the weather is chilly.

Every year I supervise kids activities for a 2 day festival, and have to work all day, both days. I pack a lunch - usually chicken/apple salad w/ walnuts - & for snacks & refreshments, I like cheese sticks, almonds, bite-size fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt, dark chocolate and iced green tea.

Lots of water and I agree with the trail mix, cut vegies and humus and nothing that will make your breath smell, i.e no tuna or peanut butter sandwiches.

I was stopped short at the "didn't used to allow coffee at all." What! Why would coffee matter?

It looks like you could get food/meals at The Common Kitchen. Is this something you have tried before and did not like?

One thing I like to make for picnics is a braided calzone. It starts like this:

with whatever you might like in a sandwich (I added roasted red bell peppers and sautéed mushrooms) and generally it always has cheese. Here it is after being baked:

It looks messier than it is. I cut it into sandwich size pieces and store it in sealed plastic bags unless I take a cutting board and bread knife with me.

Lars, that's beautiful! Do you just slash the sides and twist?

I make those too, Plllog! Yes, you just slash the sides and pull the strips over the top, alternating side to side as you go.

I also make a shooter’s sandwich - get a good firm pane di casa style loaf of bread, slice in half horizontally and hollow out slightly. Fill with grilled steak and mushrooms, season and place the top on. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge overnight with a weight on top. Slice in strips to serve.

Thanks, Colleen!

I should add that I slice the side strips at a slant, so they’re naturally slanty without pulling them about too much and it looks really braided.

Yum thank you all!! I am thinking from my garden cucumbers and peppers but not cherry tomatoes (splat). Maybe some broccoli and green beans. Nuts and cheese. Granola bars are a good idea. Perhaps some bread.

Lars - I am very very sure I will eat some fair food! Lol! I am just thinking my digestion and budget would prefer not to eat only fair food. I believe the Common kitchen is for the volunteers not the vendors.

Lacy or whoever was wondering about the coffee ban. Years ago when the fair began coffee hit all of the major buttons - extremely exploitative labor practices, environmentally unsound growing, huge carbon footprint and addictive.... That said very few people I knew back then carried on that level of purity at home. I think there are more choices of coffee sources now and maybe the purity of the old guard has lessened.