Why We’re Saying Goodbye to Camp Meal Service — and Saying Hello to Something More Nourishing

For years, our camp’s meal service has been a cherished part of the experience — a moment of rest, reunion, and ritual. We’ve loved feeding each other. We’ve loved the effort behind it. And we’ve loved knowing that no matter what the playa threw at us, dinner was waiting.

This year, we're doing something different: we’re not offering a formal meal service.

Before the questions roll in, let us say this isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about returning to something deeper — and more immediate.

Immediacy: Savoring the Present Moment

One of Burning Man’s most potent Principles is Immediacy — the idea that nothing is more vital than what’s happening right here, right now. We believe the act of preparing your own food, in real time, with what you have, when you’re hungry, is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to ground yourself in the moment.

You get to listen to your body. You get to eat when it’s right for you, not when the bell rings. You get to feed your energy, your mood, your vibe — not just fill a slot on a schedule.

This kind of freedom is a gift — and it’s one we want to give back to our campmates.

We Are What We Eat — And How We Eat

Let’s be real: we’re all on different food journeys. Some of us are paleo. Some are plant-based. Some of us snack all day, others fast until sundown. Some need fuel for sunrise hikes, others for 3am dance marathons.

We’re leaning into Radical Self-reliance — and trusting that each of us knows best how and when to nourish ourselves. We want to empower everyone to bring the foods they love, the tools they trust, and the rituals that make eating feel sacred.

This is not just about dietary needs — it’s about autonomy, intention, and honoring the full spectrum of who we are.

The Table Is Still Sacred — It Just Looks Different

We may not have meal service, but we’re still breaking bread — and breaking it together.

Think of this year as an invitation: bring your skillet, your spices, your secret family sauce. Light the stove. Stir the pot. Invite a neighbor to taste. Trade an avocado for a sweet potato. Share what you can. Receive what you need.

We’ll have open communal kitchen space. We’ll have impromptu potlucks. We’ll have coffee and campfire chats. We’ll make dinner when dinner happens — and it might just be the most delicious it’s ever been.

Because in the end, it’s not the menu that makes the meal. It’s the making.

The Real Nourishment

This shift isn’t about food. It’s about connection. Slowing down. Letting go of structure so we can rediscover spontaneity.

We’re not offering meal service this year — because we’re making room for something more nourishing: presence, creativity, and shared discovery.

We trust you. We trust each other. And we trust that together, we’ll feast in every way that matters.

See you in the kitchen — or in the dust, with a snack in hand and a smile on your face.

In radical love,
Your Daydream Family