To the relief of cooped-uppowder hounds everywhere,skiing has proved to berelatively safe during the pandemic, thanks to the abundance offresh air and natural social distancing on the hill. But oneaspect of a day at the resortstill poses significant COVID risk: the ski lodge.To avoid crowded indoor spaces,many ϳԹ editors have beentrading their slopesideburgers andchicken fingers for meals prepared at home.
But whichbrown-baglunches are best for getting you through a day at the resort? We rounded up the ϳԹstaff’sfavorite to-go meals, below, then asked , the director of sports nutrition for Stanford University athletes, to weigh in on ourchoices.Gravani, a former college ski racer, says there are three componentsofa goodto-go meal:
- The right balance of nutrients. Generally, you want your mealto be higher in carbohydrates, with a moderate amount of fat and protein.Carbohydrates are a skier’smain fuel source, anda little fat and protein help stave off hunger longer while providing slowly releasedenergy. (Exact proportions will vary depending on your individual nutrition needs, but typically,the more intense and sustained your ski day is, the more this ratio will skew toward carbs.)
- Ingredientsthat sit well inyour stomach. If you know that spicy chili makes you sprint for the bathroom, leave the beans at home. The less your stomach is churning, the more you can enjoy your turns.
- Food safety. If you’re carrying a meaty burrito around in your pocket, that’s the ideal habitat for bacteria that causes foodborne illness. Ideally, you want to keep perishable foods cold, or just stick with shelf-stable options.
With those criteriain mind, here’s what Gravani thinks aboutϳԹ editors’ ski-day lunches:
Breakfast Burritos
Pandemic or not, my go-to is a homemade breakfast burrito: a ten-inch tortilla, hash browns, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and green chili. It’s really two meals in one. I eat one half on the drive to the mountain, then wrap the other half in tinfoil and stash it in my jacket for lunch. That, plus an energy bar in reserve—I’m a fan of flavor—always gets me through the day. —Chris Keyes, editor
I have two go-to ski lunches, depending on how muchI rallied that morning. If I’vegiven myself enough time to get a breakfast burrito from my favorite spot in Santa Fe (hello,!), I will eat exactly one-thirdof it for lunch, with a Modelo on the chairlift. (The first thirdis consumedon the drive up in the morning, and the last third on the drive down at the end of the day.)Betterday burritos are made up of fivekey ingredients: tortilla, egg, cheese,andchile. Sometimesbacon, too.If my morning is rushed (or my bank account strained), I’lleat a for lunch—it’smy favorite on-the-go snack. Itsmacros are pretty well-balanced, so it feels less like a sugar orprotein bomb and more like a meal. I also wash thatdown with a Modelo. —Abbie Barronian, associate editor
GRADE:B
“You’ve got really good combinations of carbs, fat, and protein,” says Gravani of the two burritos. The tortilla and hash browns provide a nice boost of carb-based energy, while the eggs and cheese round things out with protein and fat. Gravanithinksthe GoMacroand Perfect bars arealsosolid choices. Food safety in regards to the burritos, however, docks thema grade. “When you put a warm burrito in your pocket,keepingthat moderate temperature as it’s cooling down over timeputs it at risk for microbial growth,” she says. If you’re going to go with a perishable lunch, it’s better to refrigerate it first.
Quesadillas
Mygo-to lift lunch is the eggadilla. First, fry two eggs, making sure to break the yolksso they don’t run all over your gloves when it’s time to eat. Then sautéwhatever veg you have on hand—onion, bell pepper, zucchini, etc. Finally, stackyour eggadilla on a tortilla, with a layer of cheese on the bottom, your egg and veg in the middle, and another layer of cheese on top, and then add the second tortilla. Heat the whole thing in a large frying pan, or just microwave it. Cut it into quarters, and put it in a Ziploc bag, so you can throw in your pack or even ajacket pocket. It’s portable, squish-proof, delicious, and filling. —Luke Whelan, senior research editor
An excellent ski lunch consists of a few triangle-shaped sections of leftover, cold, homemadequesadilla—I use flour tortillas, sautéedmushrooms, chopped chicken breasts, Mexican-blend cheese, and canned green chile. It carries well, because it’s already flat. I also take along some good salsa in a small, leakproof container. —Alex Heard, editorial director
GRADE: B
“I love the addition of vegetables here,” says Gravani. “Along with that lean protein and carbs, it seems like a nice combination.” The quesadillas, above, have a similar protein-fat-carbs ratio to the breakfast burritos, making them a well-balanced choice for a midday ski meal. But they also lose points for the elevated potential to bring on a bout of foodborne illness.
Frito Pie
I always bring a thermos of good-quality chili,like Annie’s, and a bag of Fritos. When I’m feeling fancy, I’ll top the chili with shredded Tillamookwhite cheddar. Bonus: it’s gluten-free, which is a must when you have celiac like I do. —Aleta Burchyski, associate managing editor
My boyfriend and I are known for only bringing Frito pieson backcountry and camping trips. It’s what we ate growing up at the Santa Fe ski area, and we’ve been continuingthe tradition during the pandemic. Webring a bag of Fritos, a thermos of hot beef chili, and sometimes also a bag of shredded lettuce and cheese.It’sfull of carbs, protein, and salt—what more could you ask for! Weaccompany the meal with a thermos of hot chocolate or tea.And as any ski day should have, a candy bar will always be on hand. —Petra Zeiler, art director
GRADE: B-
“I give them points for being able to navigate that meal and bring it heated,” says Gravani. And while themacronutrient balance is decent, this meal’spotential to cause tummy troubles warranteda grade reduction. The combo of fat, fiber, and spice can lead to an upset gut. “Especially with beans, it cancause GI distress for some people,” she says. Being at a high altitude doesn’t help the stomach situation either.Some people may have no issue with the magical fruits, and GI problems are very individual,but if you’re unsure about your reaction to beans,you may want to save yourself—and everyone in your group—the trouble.
PB&J
I keep it simple with an almond butter and jam sandwich, usually on Trader Joe’s Super Grain and Seed bread. I pack on the almond butter, and go light on the jam so it doesn’t get all sticky,and put it in a small Ziplocbag. It’s great fuel, and I can cram it in a ski-jacket pocket and eat it on the lift. It doesn’t matter if it gets smashed. In fact, it tastes better smashed a bit, because the jam marinates the bread. I also always keep some peanut M&M’s or a Kind barin my pocket for extra fuel when needed. —Mary Turner, deputyeditor
PB&J all the way! This sandwich is a classic and might be the ultimate-adventure pocket snack; we even have articles to prove it. ButI don’t make just any old PB&J—if it’s going in my pocket, it has to be a “dub”PB&J.Instead of loading up just one side of the sandwich with peanut butter, I prefer to coat each slice of bread with a thin layer of peanut butter, and then addthe jelly in the middle. This is key for keeping your PB&J al denteall day, an improved sandwich structure for zero sogginess and better pocket durability for the inevitable yard sale. If you’re looking for something a little more gourmet, just add bacon. —Jackson Buscher, video producer
GRADE: A
It’s hard to beat the humble PB&J. Not only does it meet the right balance of nutrients that you need to keep skiing through the afternoon, but it’s also easy to digest and shelf-stable. Gravani herself likes to pack a PB&J when she hits the slopes. “Having a less heavy lunch, and being able to supplement with some snacks, sets you up to avoidthat post-lunch slump,” she says. Chairlift grazing not only reserves more time for skiingbut also can keep you energized throughoutthe day.
Cold Pizza
During ski season, Friday nights at my house are usually pizza nights. Homemade pies loaded with cheese, veggies, and pepperoni arethe ultimate comfort food and the best way to cap off a stressful workweek. The leftovers also make the best ski lunch imaginable. My boyfriend and I always make extra to bring to the mountain the next day. A few slices fit neatly into a Ziplocthat lies flat in my jacket pocket, and they’re easy to eat one-handed (and glove-handedif it’s frigid and I’m really desperate). It feels more indulgent than the usual PB&J or energy barbut is still easy to snack on during lift rides without making a mess. Plus, cheese and bread are good endurance fuels, right? —Ariella Gintzler, associate editor
GRADE: B-
A cheesy slice contains morefat than would be ideal midway through a ski day, according to Gravani. That means you may feel sluggish after eating it, as fats tend to sit heavier in the stomach and digest slower than carbs and protein.
Tortilla Wrap
With a kid at home, I’m all about efficiency on the slopes. My go-to lunch is a simple flour-tortilla wrap with peppered salami, cheddar cheese, avocado, and hot sauce. It’s easy and tidy to eat on the run, but the protein hit gives me sustained energy without bogging me down. —Will Taylor, gear director
GRADE: A-
“I do love that hechose a shelf-stable meat, and the rest of the components are really quality, too,” says Gravani. Salami is still a fattymeat, though, so swapping it out with a low-fat alternative like turkey would make this meal perfect and help avoid post-meal sluggishness.
Cheese and Crackers
Since I won’t be able to treat myself with chicken fingers and ranch dressing this year—the absolute best ski lunch, in my opinion—I’ll be packing my favorite backpacking meal: cheese and crackers. I prefer a solid hunk of cheddar cheese paired with Wasa Multi-Grain crispbread. And I’ll throw in a beef stick or jerky if I get really hungry. —Kelsey Lindsey, associate editor
GRADE: B+
“This one is lower proteinand higher fatthan is ideal,” says Gravani. Adding in a lean meat like turkey jerky to increasethe protein would achieve a better nutrient balance.