Family-friendly festival guide

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The festival season is fast approaching, so I thought I'd put together a guide to surviving (and enjoying) family-friendly festivals with kids.

Mr O and I have been going to music festivals since we were 18 (and that's a long time ago!). Once Miss Ony came along, we decided that festival camping with a baby was a step too far, but we still went for a day at the V festival when she was about 6 months old - we even got featured in the local paper, as she was one of the youngest festival goers there. We had a bit of a break from 'proper' festivals for a few years after we had Miss Kahonie, as the thought of taking a baby and a toddler to a festival (and all the stuff they needed) seemed just a bit too much effort.

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Once Miss Kahonie was toilet trained and dry at night, we started festival-ing again.The girls love going to festivals now and delight in assembling their festival outfits and accessories before we go each year. One of their favourite festival activities is crazy dancing, which believe me, raises a smile from even the most hardened festival goers!

We always choose family-friendly festivals, generally within a couple of hours' drive. I do a bit of research beforehand to make sure that they have decent toilet facilities, showers and kids' activities. If you can, try and arrive reasonably early to get a decent pitch in the family-camping area (if there is one). We've found to our cost that trudging around a festival site with a tent and two kids, is no fun when you can't find a space to pitch.

My top tips are: 
Take a bucket and some loo rolls for night time situations! You can empty the bucket down the loo (or down the chemical disposal point if there is one, in the morning). A bucket with a lid such as a nappy bucket is best! 
If you take a light fleece blanket for each child, you can roll them up and take them out in the evenings to wrap the kids up in if they are tired (and use as an extra layer over their sleeping bags at night). A waterproof picnic mat is also useful as a make-shift bed for your little ones to lay or sleep on if they're tired in the evening...it's amazing how they can sleep through the music, noise and flashing lights! 

You might want to invest in a pair of ear protectors for young or noise-sensitive children (including those on the autistic spectrum). I can recommend Peltor Kids Ear Defenders which come in a very funky bright pink and lime green. I bought a pair of them for Miss Kahonie when she was little, as she was sensitive to loud noises. She used to get loads of compliments when she wore them (which she couldn't hear of course!). 

Essential equipment

• A tent - make sure you're able to put it up before you go!
• A fold up trolley/wheelbarrow etc to transport stuff and/or some big IKEA type bags 
• Air beds/sleeping mats/campbeds - with battery powered pump if needed
• Sleeping bags
• Fleece blankets
• Pillows (we always take one proper pillow each, as inflatable pillows just aren't the same!)
• Waterproof picnic mats and/or fold up chairs
• A battery powered light and a torch, plus extra batteries
• Basic first aid kit with kids' paracetamol, plasters, anti-septic wipes, bite-cream etc.
• A pack of baby wipes (always useful no matter how old your kids are).
• Toiletries - small bottles/tubes of shampoo, anti-bacterial handwash, washing up liquid, tooth paste, tooth brushes, sun cream etc.
• Light-weight towels
• Toilet bucket and toilet rolls
• Washing up sponge scourer/cloth
• A few pegs, to peg out damp towels on the guy ropes
• Fully-charged mobile phones

Clothes

• Good warm PJs and a vest/thermals each
• Clothes which can be layered up, as even on hot, sunny days, it can get really cold at night.
• Warm fleece jacket or hoodie each
• Wellies/walking boots, plus some light shoes (pumps, sandals or trainers)
• Waterproof jacket each
• Festival wear (optional!) - colourful clothes, fluorescent leg warmers, socks, tutus, laces and, of course, a festival hat.
• Dressing up clothes for the whole family -  check if there's a dressing up theme for one of the days.

Festival catering

Most festivals cater well for vegetarian and vegan guests. Festival food is generally very tasty, but it does tend to be pretty expensive, so you might want to think about taking some of your own food, especially if your kids eat non-stop. Chill or freeze all perishable items and pack into the coolbox just before you leave. My vegetarian and vegan camping food and kids' camping food pages will give you an idea of simple meal ideas...

Equipment

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• Coolbox (no ice packs- freeze any milk/juice cartons/water bottles you're taking and use them as ice packs). 
• A refillable water bottle each
• Camping stove plus gas canisters
• Camping kettle and small frying pan/saucepan
• Spatula or spoon
• Small fold up camping table.
• Paper or plastic plates and cups 
• Plastic cutlery

Food and drink

• Small cartons of juice
• Portable but filling snacks - biscuits, crackers, cereal bars, dried fruit etc.
• Breakfast foods - bread, cereal, eggs, veggie bacon/sausages, pain au chocolat etc.
• Tinned foods such as soup, baked beans and spaghetti with ring-pull lids.
• Packet foods such as dried veggie burger/sausage mix, rice, noodles etc.
• Small bottle of vegetable oil.
• Alcoholic drinks in plastic bottles or cans (optional!) - most festivals don't allow glass bottles onto their sites.
• Basic ingredients for simple meals: camping recipes.

Fun extras

• Glo-sticks (pound shop)
• Light-up balls/toys (pound shop again)
• Temporary tattoos
• Spray in hair-colour
• Drawing/colouring books and pens/pencils/crayons
• Top trumps cards
• Walkie talkies
• Solar fairy lights and a flag to decorate your tent!

If you have any further festival tips or recommendations, please add them in a comment below. Try sites such as Festival Kidz, eFestivals and Virtual Festivals to find festival dates and information.

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Vegetarian and vegan camping recipes

There's something special about eating outside. I don't know what it is, but food just tastes better in the great outdoors, whether that's in the back garden, on a picnic, or during a camping trip. I know it's a bit early in the season to talk about camping, but the sun's been out and the holidays are just around the corner, so I'm posting this before it starts raining again!

I reckon that the key to great camping food is good planning!
I plan our camping meals in advance and write them down as a meal plan, so I know what to take and what to buy on site.

We generally take these staple foods and buy fresh ingredients as needed:

• Small bottle of olive oil
• Small jar of Marmite, jam or Nutella in a small pot
• Tins of beans/chopped tomatoes/sweetcorn
• Packet of microwave rice
• Packet of tortilla wraps
• Bread rolls
• Small bottle of tomato ketchup
• Small portions of dried herbs/spices in little bags  
• Tea bags
• Litre carton of fruit juice, frozen to use as ice pack in the cool box
• Packet of dried burger/sausage mix or frozen burgers/sausages/veggie bacon

We also take the following cooking equipment with us:

• Camping kettle
• 2 x 1 ring gas stoves
• Small frying pan
• Small saucepan
• Small sharp vegetable knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Can/bottle opener
• Tongs/spatula/spoon
• Skewers
• Foil 
• Plastic cutlery/picnic set
• Small chopping board

All of the recipes/ideas below either require no cooking, or can be cooked on a one/two ring camping stove.

Breakfasts

• Fried eggs/omelette/baked beans/veggie bacon/veggie sausages/hash browns/tinned spaghetti with fresh bread.
• Warmed croissants/crumpets/mini pancakes/waffles/pastries.
• Scones with jam.
• Cereal with or without milk/non-dairy milk.
• Cereal/flapjack bar.
• Fresh/tinned fruit.

Lunches

• Filled sandwiches/baguettes/bagels.
• Tinned/packet soup and bread.
• Baked beans/tinned spaghetti and crusty bread.
• Instant noodles.
• Crudites, breads and dips - Buy tubs of dips (hummous, tzatziki, salsa etc), bread-sticks, pitta bread etc. Make cucumber, pepper and carrot crudites.
• Pittas stuffed with ready-made falafels and salad.
• Veggie burgers, hot dogs or sausages in bread rolls.
• Ready-made onion bhajis/vegetable pakoras/samosas with naan.

One Pan Camping Meals

Garlic mushrooms - heat a drop of oil/butter in a pan. Add sliced mushrooms, a chopped red pepper and a large clove of crushed garlic. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve on warm ciabatta or garlic bread.

Quick veggie chilli/curry - Fry a chopped onion in a drop of oil. Add either 2-3 tsp mild chilli powder/fajita seasoning OR 1 tbsp curry powder/paste. Add a tin of ratatouille (or some chopped veg and a tin of chopped tomatoes) and a drained tin of beans/chickpeas/lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve with wraps/nachos or naan bread.

Macaroni cheese - Buy a pot of 'fresh' cheese sauce and a bag of fresh pasta. Cook the pasta and drain. Pour the sauce over and heat through.
(Vegan option - use a tub of 'fresh' tomato and basil sauce and egg-free pasta.)

Quorn & vegetable pilaf - Make a simplified version using packet rice: Fry a chopped onion in a little oil, add some chopped veggie sausages or meat-free pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1-2 packets of flavoured microwave rice and a drained tin of sweetcorn. Heat until piping hot, stirring regularly.

Vegetable fajitas - Make these with paneer/halloumi cheese, or Quorn pieces. Simplify spices by just using mild chilli powder or fajita seasoning.
(Vegan option - omit the cheese and add extra beans.)

Veggie couscous - a drop of oil in a pan. Fry 1 chopped onion until soft. Add a drained tin of chickpeas and heat through. Stir in 1 or 2 packets of instant Moroccan flavoured couscous. Add the required amount of boiling water, cover and leave to heat through as directed. 

Sloppy Joes - Make using ready-made bbq sauce. 

Quick Mexican quesadillas/burritos - Heat a tortilla wrap in a pan, spread with some tinned refried beans a dollop of tomato salsa and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Roll up the wrap and flip over to warm through. Or try these green vegetable burritos or the very tasty Hawaiian quesadillas  (vegan option - use vegan melting cheese.)

Middle Eastern pittas -  Heat a wholemeal pitta in a pan, split open and spread the inside with some olive paste. Fill with a few ready-made falafels, a chopped tomato and some crumbled feta cheese. Pop back in the pan to heat through. (Vegan option - omit the feta.)

Pesto spaghetti - Don't panic, I realise that pesto generally contains Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, which contain rennet, but I've found that the cheaper supermarket brands contain vegetarian 'hard cheese' instead (eg: ASDA smart price pesto.) Cook some fresh or dried spaghetti. Drain and add a good dollop of pesto. Stir through and serve.
(Vegan option - use vegan pesto or sun dried tomato paste.)

Cheese fondue - Add a glug of dry white wine and a handful of Gruyere cheese to a tub of fresh cheese sauce. Heat until bubbling gently. Alternatively, double wrap a whole Camembert cheese (plus box) in foil and cook on the bbq or stove for around 15 minutes, turning once or twice. Serve with chunks of ciabatta or breadsticks to dip in.

Frittata - Fry a chopped onion and a pepper in some oil. Add a drained tin of sweetcorn and break in 4 eggs. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until the eggs are cooked through. Serve with crusty bread.

Cheat's patatas bravas - Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan/frying pan. Shallow fry some (partially-defrosted) frozen potato chunks, turning every few minutes until golden-brown and crispy. Throw in 1 jar of tomato and chilli sauce and heat through. 

Baked beans with portabello mushrooms & halloumi - Heat 2 cans of baked beans and a tin of ratatouille. Add 4 tbsp of spicy barbecue sauce and heat. Serve with barbecued Portabello mushrooms, halloumi and garlic bread.

Two Pan Camping Meals

Noodles and stir fried vegetables - Buy a pack of stir fry vegetables, a sachet/jar of black bean or sweet and sour sauce and 2 small packs of 'quick noodles'. Boil a pan of water. Add the noodles, bring back to the boil, cover and remove from the heat.  Meanwhile, heat a drop of oil in a pan. Fry the veg for 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce and heat through. Drain the noodles and top with the veg and sauce.

Sausage and bean stew -  Chop an onion and fry in a drop of oil. Add some chopped veggie sausages and brown for a few minutes. Add a tin of tomatoes, a tin of baked beans, a small tin of sweetcorn and some mixed herbs. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile make up some instant mash, or cook some pasta, new potatoes or rice.

Mexican rice burritos - Fill wraps with a combination of Mexican rice, refried beans and grated cheese.

My barbecue food, kids' camping food, camping dessert recipes and family-friendly festival guide posts contains more ideas for campsite catering. If you have any other camping food suggestions, please do add them below.

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Multicultural measuring cups

Some of my recipes use cup measurements rather than weights. I'm a big fan of measuring cups as they are so easy to use (and are great when you've got the kids helping in the kitchen).

Confusingly an American cup holds 237ml and a metric cup (used in Australia, Canada and the UK) holds 250ml. Just to be different, I use a 200ml measuring cup for my recipes, as that's the size of the one which came with my bread maker...after some careful research (OK I Googled) I have found that this turns out to be a Japanese cup!

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