An inevitable part of UK festivals is spending an extortionate amount on a pint and bite to eat. Admittedly, for most of the weekend at Leeds Festival we lived off of Co-op meal deals (a life saver, and just £3.50 with a membership card) consisting of the classic main, snack and drink combo. But we did treat ourselves a few times during our time in Bramham Park, so here are our thoughts on the food options we tried at Leeds this year.
A sign which caught both of our attention on the opening day was the big red letter which read ‘Mac ‘N Cheese’. We knew immediately that at some point during the weekend we would have to try it, and it seemed as though everyone we had a chat with was recommending it. So on the Saturday evening, we caved and each got a portion of the regular mac ‘n cheese which came with crispy onions and was topped with extra cheese. The bowl was priced at a rather steep, but predictable, £12 and honestly, it was worth it. It was a considerably large portion and was packed full of cheesy goodness which more than satisfied our cravings. The van also offered chorizo, BBQ and Mexican variants of the dish.
Before a long day of standing at the Main Stage on Sunday, we got some dinner (or lunch, whatever you call the middle meal of the day) and tried different things this time. I (AP) went for loaded salt and pepper fries which were topped with cauliflower bites. Each dish also had optional garnish of sesame seeds, ginger and spring onion. You could choose a sauce to coat the fries so I went with curry sauce, but for me the cauliflower bites were the star of the show. I will say that this was probably the item least worth the money, coming in at a costly £12.50.
I (GC) went for a burrito from the entirely plant-based stall, which was selling vegan kebabs, pizzas, burritos, and more. The vegan doner kebab was a populer choice, but the burrito was calling me, and it was definitely the right choice. I waited nomor more than 5 minutes and was handed the biggest burrito I’d ever seen; it was almost cube shaped! This ongkos £12.50, and was filling enough to feed two people with small appetites. I couldn’t finish it, but it was perfect for a cold final day at the festival. However, can a burrito ever be worth £12.50?
We ended the weekend with Kinder Bueno crepes which were £9 each. They were sickly sweet but jam packed. The stall had a range of fillings for the crepes although workers were coming out while we were queuing to cross things off the boards because it was so busy! Loaded brownies and cheesecake lollies were also on offer which sounded intriguing, but after a long weekend we didn’t feel like experimenting and just went with an old classic with the crepe.
Ultimately when at a festival or any outdoor music event, you must expect that the prices are going to be quite high. This being said, there were endless options on offer at Leeds Fest so there really was something for everyone. For the most part, the portions were huge and the quality of the food was good too. Plus, when you’ve been standing in a field for 10 hours it’s only right to treat yourself a few times across the weekend!