Because skiing takes place in the winter and is an energy-torching outdoor activity, bring a lunch that will simultaneously keep you warm and fueled the rest of your skiing day. Whether you will be dining at a mountaintop chalet between downhill ski runs or enjoying an al fresco meal on a back-country cross-country ski trail, bring a palate-pleasing, muscle-refueling, core-warming lunch.
Stews
Savor a thick, hearty stew for a soup-like lunch with a lower risk of spillage --- an important consideration if you're going to be outside in cold temperatures. Also, an insulated container of North African tagine or a vegetable and lamb stew will likely provide more calories and thus more energy than a similarly sized container of soup. Other stew possibilities include Tuscan white bean and traditional vegetable and beef. Also pack rough hunks of whole-grain bread to sop up the stew juices and add a few more carbohydrates to the meal.
Curry Lunches
Bring a curry lunch skiing if you have a taste for Indian food or want to surprise your companions with a colorful meal that contrasts with the snowy landscape. Curry can be spicy or mild and can use virtually any vegetable and meat combination. Include a protein source, such as chicken or paneer (cheese), so your lunch will fill you up for a long time. Pack an insulated container of curry mixed with brown basmati rice and a dollop of plain yogurt for tangy contrast. Sprinkle peanuts or cashews on top of the curry for extra protein and energy.
Comfort Food
Pack a lunch of comfort food, such as chili or macaroni and cheese, for your day on the ski trail. No matter how you make it --- with beans or ground turkey or chunks of chicken --- chili is full of protein that provides long-lasting fuel for strenuous activity. Chili also appeals to a wide cross-section of palates. Pick chili for your skiing lunch if you love Southwest-style cuisine or if you are catering the meal for picky eaters. Alternately, chow down on a skiing lunch of macaroni and cheese. Enhance regular macaroni and cheese with pureed white beans for protein and bulk to fill you and fuel you. Alternate protein sources include extra cheese, chicken chunks, sliced turkey hot dogs, Canadian bacon or even cooked low-fat ground beef. Toss in steamed peas, broccoli or cauliflower and sauteed onions for added nutrition.
Other Lunch Options
Tote along a sandwich if you prefer plain food while out in the cold or if you are too busy to cook a hot meal in advance. Load your sandwich with a flavorful protein source such as vegan "tuna" made with chickpeas or sliced deli turkey slathered with stone-ground mustard. Or pack quick and easy bean burritos --- vegetarian refried beans smeared on whole-wheat tortillas, topped with pico de gallo salsa and slices of avocado. Always pack cold-weather entrees in an insulated container to make sure that ingredients such as tomatoes and mustard don't freeze.
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