Beyond the Culinary Station: Eating at DR:MI

Going to a larp event can be intimidating, even more so when you don’t know how you’re going to feed yourself. Is there a kitchen? Or is your only heating option a campfire? What options will keep you energized? While we’ve gone over our cooking amenities and rules in the past with our Cooking FAQ, we wanted to provide some further insight and tips on how to keep yourself fueled throughout the weekend.

Incorporating Meals Into Your Game Time

Before we dive into options that will keep you going during the weekend, we want to talk about why it’s important to make sure you’re prepared. Have you ever accidentally skipped a meal and found yourself hungry, maybe with headaches, tiredness, nausea, even irritability? It sucks! Now imagine compounding that with running through the woods, getting smacked with foam weapons, or being in an emotional roleplay scene. You probably won’t be having as much fun as you could be. 

Eating can easily be pushed to the backburner when you have so much you want to accomplish over the weekend. We like to keep you busy at DR:MI! But, hunger can really mess with your emotions and physical wellbeing, and that can poorly affect your game.That’s why it’s so important to take time out of your day and have a meal. There’s many ways to incorporate your meal times while you’re playing. 

  • You can take a break and eat while sitting in the Trophy Room and regaining Body.

  • Take a moment to sit with another PC, and have some roleplay over a bowl of spaghetti loops. This is a great time to use Proficient Social Influence and cure some fractures!

  • Plan an in-character potluck with other players and have a feast! Worried about baddies interrupting? Take turns keeping watch- but make sure everyone gets a chance to eat.

  • Need to cook? Ask someone to sit with you. This is also a great opportunity to roleplay and have personal moments with other PCs.

  • Take a moment to sit in a quiet place and eat. A pause like this can really help you regroup and re-energize mentally out of game.

  • On NPC shift? Ask your Ops guide for a meal break. We never want you to feel bad during your shift, so if you need to recharge with some food, just let someone know!

There are even more ways to incorporate eating into your weekend that doesn’t break up your game. Consider setting a timer if it’ll help you remember meal times. It’s also important to note that while genreing your food containers is appreciated, it is not in any way required. We are more concerned about you eating than what the can you’re eating from looks like. It can not be emphasized how important it is to take moments and give your body the fuel it needs to continue playing. When you feel good, you have more fun!

Easy Meals and Snacks

So we’ve gone over when to eat, but that leaves us with what to eat. The best answer: make it simple. A grand meal sounds great in practice, but when you’ve been cooking for two hours while watching everyone fight NPCs, it can be a mood killer. Here are some easy eats for you to consider.

Snacks

  • Apples

  • String Cheese

  • Granola Bars- I love you all but this cannot be your only source of food

  • Trail Mix (Peanut Free for DR:MI)

  • Pretzels

  • Goldfish/Cheez-Its

  • Baby Carrots and Ranch

  • Jerky

  • Dried Fruits (bananas, apricots, raisins, etc.)

  • Chocolate (this is very helpful for keeping blood sugar up)

Breakfast

  • Oatmeal (Microwave or use the hot water tap from the coffee machine)

  • Donuts

  • Bagels/Toast (We have a toaster!)

  • Fruit- apples, bananas, oranges, etc

  • Yogurt

  • Have a griddle? Bacon and hash brown patties are easy to flip and eat.

  • Extra: Consider bringing coffee creamer to put in the provided coffee!

No Prep Foods

  • Bagged salad

  • Pre-packaged pasta salad

  • Coleslaw

  • A baguette or loaf of fresh bread- tear off pieces throughout the day for a carb lift

Microwave Meals

  • Microwave cups (Mac & Cheese, Ravioli, Soups, etc)

  • Spaghettios

  • Pre-made soup

  • Pre-cooked hot dogs (hot tip: put microwave mac & cheese on them for a delicious twist!)

  • Freezer meals (Lean Cuisines, Stouffers, etc)

  • Ramen cups (hot tip- use the hot water from the coffee machine)

  • Mini frozen pizzas

  • Melt cheese in a tortilla for a simple quesadilla

  • Melt cheese on tortilla chips for nachos, then just add salsa or guac!

Easy Meals for Griddles, Crock Pots, and Rice Cookers

  • Grilled Cheese

  • Hot Dogs

  • Soups (pre-make them and bring in tupperware for no at game prep)

  • Rice is a great carb to keep your energy up

Beverages

  • DRINK WATER. Have a dedicated water bottle, even if it’s a disposable plastic one you keep refilling!

  • Use electrolyte packets like Liquid IV or drink sports beverages like Gatorade to keep your PH levels balanced

  • Juice is a great source of natural sugar

  • Bring a few cans of pop or energy drinks for caffeine and/or sugar. Just don’t overdo it with these, as they can dehydrate you too!

  • Take advantage of the provided coffee and hot chocolate!

There are many more options to explore as well, so ask around the community and see what you can find! You may find a group that does a meal plan and be able to buy into it. You can get your own stock of food and split the cost with a friend to lower the bill. There’s also the possibility that someone will be cooking for in-game currency. There’s a lot of choices when it comes to eating at an event, so consider your options, and please don’t only drink Monsters!