Insiders Guide To Coachella Food and Staying Hydrated

Ahhh Coachella, April, and Spring.

This means Summer will be here before we know it, but also it means that is the start of Festival season. If you're heading to the desert for Coachella Music and Art Festival, I'm sure you've started to prep... outfits, sunnies, and getting crop-top ready.

With the festival about four weeks out, I've decided to put together a relatively comprehensive guide to preparing yourself for Coachella in Indio, California. After getting yourself there and organizing a sweet place to stay, you'll also need to know what you're allowed to bring in and what to expect when you're there. Most of all, be prepared to have three days of excitement and fun!

The entire Food Lineup at Coachella is equally as impressive as the music itself. From many many years of heading to the festival, here’s my Insiders Guide To Coachella Food and Staying Hydrated.

Cassell’s cheeseburger with fries Cassell’s Burgers [Official photo]

coachella food

Eureka! Fresno Fig burger

Nourish yourself prior to entry

First thing first, you have to make sure you nourish yourself, especially if you plan on staying for the entire day. Have a big, delicious breakfast to sustain you through a fair way of the day. Coachella has food but it has food at high prices, often accompanied by ridiculously long queues.

No Outside Food Permitted

While food is not permitted into the grounds, you might be able to hide small energy or granola bars, fruit leather chews or protein powder pouches in your bag but note that these items may be taken from you if found during a bag search.

Need Special Foods?

If you have a medical condition that requires special food or food at certain times, such as diabetes or anything else a doctor would recognize as acceptable, get a letter from your doctor to cover this and show it to security when waiting to enter the venue. They will help store any medication and food in a secure area for diabetics. The names on any medication must match your ID.

V, VG, GF

Yes! Coachella has food vendors that sell gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan food. More available options has been growing in recent years. In 2008 when I first attended, there wasn’t many options. But this has changed. The annual music and arts festival that takes place in Indio has increasing improved its food and drink selections as an ideal complement to the top tier music acts. And thanks to its proximity to Los Angeles and Southern California, it’s mainly local restaurants and chefs that get to show off to the 250,000 some people who attend the festival over two weeks in April.

Stay hydrated

No one plans on going to an event and leaving with heat stroke, but it’s easier to do than you’d think. One minute you’re partying, and then the next you start to feel sick due to dehydration. Although you might be able to argue for a refund, due to having wound up in the hospital, why risk having to try when it’s so easy to avoid the problem in the first place. Remember to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, even if you do not feel thirsty. Coachella allows you to bring in empty water bottles to fill up. Bring one and keep it filled!

Are you heading to the desert?

Originally published 3/2016 - Updated 4/2019