THE food situation at a festival is always interesting. 

If you’re camping, there are two ways you can make sure you feel full when you’re in the arena. 

Number one -- you pack heavily and scoff crisps, bread, pot noodles and other snacks at camp before you leave for the main stages.

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Or two -- you spend your hard-earned pennies on the food inside the arena.

If you went with number two, you may have noticed a few things about the grub this year. 

This is what it’s like to eat at Reading Festival. 

It’s a bit expensive

On the Friday I was looking for something tasty to eat before I set about interviewing people. 

I settled on a burger van where I got a quarter pounder for and a bottle of water for £8. 

What I received was incredibly disappointing. 

Reading Chronicle:

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I was given a burger where the patty was tough and tasteless, with a pitiful piece of cheese on top. 

The bun on top of the patty was half the size of the meat and was hard -- not what I wanted for £8. 

I grabbed some noodles in the evening which were nicer but still quite pricey at £8. 

Reading Chronicle:

Although the portion filled me up, it wasn’t that exciting and it was greasy grub. 

There are a lot of places to get food but not a great deal of variety. 

If you’re a Reading native, you’ll know Blue Collar Food does an outstanding food market in the town centre two days a week where they have a great range of food options in a small space. 

But in the arena at Reading Festival you are largely limited to dozens of vendors selling either pizza, noodles, burgers, fish and chips or chicken. 

Reading Chronicle:

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A special shout should go to the carvery-esque van to the far left of the main stage east, which serves up giant yorkshire puddings filled with meat, gravy, potato and veg. 

I’ve been meaning to get my hands on one of these as they look delicious, if a little bit messy. 

Other honourable mentions serving up a bit of diversity are the nachos van and the BBQ vendor I came across. 

The queues are long (if you go at the wrong time)

This one is a bit obvious but if you’re going at peak dinner time when the main acts are getting ready to come on stage you’re bound to get caught in a large line. 

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The smart move is to grab food at the main stage opposite to the one where someone is performing, as you’ll have less trouble getting your food quickly, then. 

Thankfully due to the introduction of cashless payments the queues do move fairly quickly -- at least in my experience. 

There’s a Nando’s yard on site

This one blew my tiny my a little bit.

A Nando’s! At Reading Festival! Serving glorious Piri-Piri chicken!

The food yard is located next to the green camp entrance from the arena and has proved very popular with festival-goers, as you can imagine. 

Reading Chronicle:

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It even has its own DJ booth above the kitchen where the tunes play into the night. 

And to top it off, the chefs were cooking up ‘Merky Burgers’ for one weekend only -- a new menu item in tribute to Stormzy. 

Reading Chronicle:

The treat is made up of two pieces of garlic bread with halloumi inside. 

The vegan options could be improved?

There are a few vegan vendors dotted around the arena but they are few and far between. 

I spoke to one vegan festival-goer who was less than impressed with what was available to him. 

Reading Chronicle: Harry Wickens (left)Harry Wickens (left)

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“Harry Wickens, from Oxford, told the Chronicle: “I’m furious, in this day and age how can you have so few options at such a big festival?

“It’s disgusting.

“I’m living off trail mix and bananas. 

Reading Chronicle:

“I think every vendor should be selling vegan food, and no animal-based food products whatsoever. 

“Festivals should be leading from the front. 

“They’re supposed to be open-minded places. It’s the way of the future.”