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Want a quick and easy way to save money on your next ski trip?
Pack your own lunch.
Ski resort food is notoriously overpriced, and if you’re taking your whole family skiing, it’s easy to spend $100 on just your lunch. So if you’re looking for a way to add some fun and variety to your ski day, pack an awesome lunch before you go, and enjoy some ski tailgating in the parking lot.
Luckily, ski lunches don’t just have to be a smashed peanut butter sandwich like you may have grown up with. Below, we’ve listed over 20 ski lunch ideas for great lunches to take skiing that you can make ahead of time. Our goal when we pack a lunch for skiing is to make our food SO GOOD, that no one feels like they’re missing out on anything the lodge is serving.
With all the changes that have happened in the last few years, many ski resort lodges are closed or have limited food options, so this is the year to take advantage of that and fully embrace ski tailgating and bringing your own lunch skiing.
What foods work best for ski lunches?
The best foods to pack for a ski lunch require little to no preparation at the ski hill and provide lots of nutrients and energy. Skiing is a very intense activity, so plan on the whole family being quite hungry by lunchtime. Our general rule of thumb is that we pack 1.5 times as much food when we’re skiing as we would eat on a normal day at home. That includes plenty of snacks, in addition to a hearty ski lunch and we always try to bring hot chocolate in a thermos.
Recommended Reading: FREE Printable Ski Packing List and How much does skiing cost?
Soup and Chili for Skiing
Our family absolutely LOVES a warm lunch after a morning of skiing, so this is our go-to. We pack up an insulated jug full of a thick soup or chili and serve it with some breadsticks or rolls we grab at the store. With kids, we’ve found that it’s easier to give them a cup of soup than a bowl (they’re less likely to spill), and that thick soups work better (a thick stew is less likely to spill than a broth-based chicken noodle soup).
If you’ve got older kids, you have more flexibility here, but with younger kids, make sure to keep it thick. Bring along your own cups/bowls for easy serving.
Sandwiches and Salads for Skiing
For years, our go-to was a peanut butter sandwich for the kids, but as time has gone on, we’ve all expanded our tastes. We now choose sandwiches packed full of lots of meat and tons of veggies, so that no one feels like they’re missing out on what the resort is serving. In fact, our goal is to make our ski resort lunches so good, that the whole family is thrilled that they’re eating at the car instead of at the lodge.
Hot Cocoa for Skiing
This is a must-have. We always take a generous amount of hot cocoa (for our large family this means several large jugs), since everyone usually wants some hot cocoa at lunch and then again at the end of the ski day. When compared to the $7 a cup you could pay at the lodge, this is an absolute STEAL and is one of the best ways to save money on ski food. We love to pack our hot chocolate in our thermos. This one is great for the whole family.
What are the best snacks to take skiing?
When you’re packing snacks to take skiing with kids, plan on food that can easily be grabbed and eaten quickly. If your kids are anything like mine, they won’t want to miss any skiing time, so keep snacks simple and easy. Sometimes I even wear my backpack to pack even more snacks and water. Our main go-to, are oranges and clementines. We can peel them really quickly, and it gives the kids a bit of a sweet fix while avoiding the sugar of candy.
These Clif Bars always come with us, since our kids are absolutely obsessed with all the flavors that Clif Bars have. I love that they’re packed full of high-quality ingredients that will help boost their energy throughout the day.
We also throw some treats in our pockets in stasher bags as rewards to give the kids on the chairlift. We usually take Lifesavers, TicTacs, or M&M’s – basically, any candy that doesn’t turn rock hard when it freezes (chewy candy has a problem with this).
How can I keep my ski lunch warm?
There are lots of great options for keeping your ski lunch warm so that when you get to the car to eat, you have a nice warm meal to enjoy. Our favorite way to keep food warm is in an insulated jug. We’ve been using this HUGE insulated jug for over 7 years and have NEVER had it leak, and it easily keeps food HOT for at least 8 hours. We also are getting this jug because it’s an awesome deal, and looks super easy to pour.
Another way that you can keep your food warm while skiing is with a 12V powered slow cooker that plugs into your car cigarette lighter. These are super handy and a surprisingly great deal, and are a great option for keeping a ski lunch warm.
Also, as long as you’re plugging things into the car, you should probably grab this car-powered electric blanket, which is the perfect way to warm up in the middle of the ski day.
What do I need to take with me to ski tailgate?
If you’re planning on eating your ski lunch back at the car, then it’s time to fully embrace ski tailgating. While you don’t need to bring a full grill and parking lot games, there are a few things you can easily bring on your family ski trip to make lunch a little bit more fun.
First of all, make sure that you bring a few folding camp chairs. After a full morning of skiing, your feet deserve a rest, so make sure to bring a few camp chairs in your car with you. We drive an SUV, so we open the back and let the kids sit back there, while the adults enjoy the camp chairs.
Next, make sure that you’ve got a battery powered speaker to play some music. Ski tailgating is only done right when there’s music involved, and it’s even more fun if everyone creates the playlist together in advance. You can even bring along some games to play while everyone is eating.
Best Soups To Make Ahead for Skiing
Below, you’ll find a list of the best soups that you can make ahead for skiing. They’re all amazingly delicious, and many of them can be assembled the night before and left to cook in the slow cooker while you sleep. If you’re in a time crunch or want to keep things simple, these dehydrated soups are easy and work well for a ski lunch as well. Keep them in an insulated jug for a piping-hot lunch while skiing.
Best Ski Lunches: Soups
All the very best soups to make ahead of time and bring to the ski hill in your favorite insulated jug or thermos.
Stove Top Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
This Stove Top Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe is made with rich cheese tortellini, spicy Italian sausage, nutritious tomatoes and vegetables, and flavorful herbs. It’s a hearty, cozy, filling soup that keeps well in a thermos!
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili (GF, Pantry Meal)
Ready for a warming, filling and comforting meal for skiing? You will love this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe. It is so easy to make entirely from pantry staple and keeps great in a thermos.
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Warm up with this Instant Pot Turkey Chili. It is a protein packed, healthy chili. This cooks quickly in the pressure cooker. It also freezes nicely for later. Garnish with your favorite chili toppings!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe is rich and creamy, laced with warm spices, and has a sweet earthy flavor that’s enhanced with a touch of brown sugar. It’s the perfect fall soup, and the best part is, it’s made from start-to-finish in the Instant Pot with just 15 minutes of hands-on prep time!
Slow Cooker Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone
If you love minestrone soup, then you'll love this Olive Garden copycat recipe. Packed full or veggies, herbs, and spices, this soup will be perfect for a cold day!
The Best Crockpot Gluten Free Chili with Green Chilies
This is a great chili to throw in the crockpot the night before and grab it in the morning on your way to the ski hill. This recipe is extra thick so it's perfect for giving to kids on the go (less spilling), but is also an amazing comfort food that will refuel you on your ski day.
Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup With Cannellini Beans
This Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup recipe takes a classic Italian-American soup and adds a pack of protein. The cannellini beans add protein so you can use less meat in the recipe. And, by using store-bought meatballs and cooking the soup in an electric pressure cooker, this hearty soup can be prepared in a little over 30 minutes – perfect for a ski lodge meal that can be placed in a thermos to take to the slopes.
Stovetop 15 Bean Soup With Chicken
This 15 bean soup with chicken has a little Southwestern flair. And, it’s a creamy one-pot dinner that is packed with protein. A perfect warming soup for a ski trip.
Healthy Chunky Chickpea Soup
Keep warm with my healthy chunky chickpea soup. It’s full of flavor, easy to make and with very simple ingredients but WOW result!
Vegetable Barley Soup - Instant Pot or Stovetop
If you're looking for a soup packed with vegetables, here's a great option for your ski day.
Easy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew
Keep warm and full for longer with this gorgeous stew. Perfect to take with you on the slopes to recharge and top up your carb levels.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
This simple Mac and cheese cooks in the slow cooker in just 1.5 hours. Perfect to put in the slow cooker before hitting the slopes to be ready for lunch or cook in advance and pack in a thermos.
Ham and potato soup
This ham and potato soup is sure to be a crowd pleaser on the ski hill.
Best Sandwiches, Wraps, and Salads for Skiing
If you don’t need a hot lunch for skiing, these recipes below will likely blow your mind. These great spring skiing lunches are all much more than your typical sandwich.
Best Ski Lunches: Sandwiches, Wraps, and Salads
Ready for a quick ski lunch that you can grab and go so you don't miss any time on the ski hill? Then you'll love these ski wraps and ski sandwiches, that are packed full of delicious ingredients and will fuel you with lots of energy for your ski day!
Avocado Chicken Wraps 5 minute meal
These protein loaded avocado chicken wraps are the perfect lunch for your next ski trip! You can eat them warm or cold (tastes delicious both ways), they store well, and have so much flavor! Packed with healthy ingredients these wraps will give you all the energy you need so you can hit the slopes.
Rainbow Hummus Veggie Wrap - Tortilla Wrap
This quick, easy and healthy Hummus Rainbow Vegetable Tortilla Wrap is packed full of colorful veggies that is perfect to prep ahead for when you are out and about.
Easy Halloumi Wraps [Vegetarian]
Make the halloumi wraps that everyone loves - kids and foodies included! - and be the envy of the slopes! With halloumi cheese, red pesto (store-bought is fine), avocado and walnuts these wraps are packed with flavor, done in 20 minutes and super easy to make.
The Perfect Steak Sandwich
Packed with protein, a steak sandwich will give you all the energy you need to keep going all day on the slopes. My own perfect steak sandwich is a classic, but you can mix this one up with all sorts of different fillings to complement the steak - and with different types of bread depending on taste!
Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich
My favorite Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich is loaded with hummus and feta cheese, fresh vegetables and topped with sprouts. You won’t miss the meat in this vegetarian sandwich recipe
Easy Chicken Salad with Quinoa, Tomatoes, Lemon and Basil
This gorgeous salad is perfect as a hearty packed lunch, and it's fabulous served warm or totally chilled. Full of power ingredients to keep you fueled up, but it won't leave you feeling over-stuffed and sluggish!
Granola Crunch Apple-Peanut Butter Sandwich Wraps
These crunchy Peanut Butter Sandwich Wraps come together in just moments and are completely adaptable – no need to measure exact amounts! Perfect for on-the-go meals and make-ahead lunches, they’re full of nutrient-rich fruits, whole grains and lots of protein to keep you energized all afternoon!
Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich w/ Vegan Mozzarella & Pesto
This Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich is built with three layers of deliciousness...creamy vegan mozzarella, cheesy pesto & smoky-sweet peppers.
Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Panini
Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Panini makes a great lunch packing your favorite Mediterranean flavors into a warm, flavorful sandwich. Garlic and Herb hummus is spread on your favorite bread and topped with smoked turkey, roasted red peppers, spinach, sliced tomatoes, artichokes and Havarti cheese to create the ultimate sandwich.
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Kabobs (Grill or Oven)
These grilled cilantro-lime chicken kabobs are quick and delicious. High in protein, they'll keep you full for hours while you hit the slopes.
Whatever you decide to make for your skiing lunch, the options really are quite endless.
If you’re wanting a delicious, homemade apres-ski meal that the whole family will love, we’ve got some great apres-ski food recipes for you right here.