8 Comforting Après Ski Dishes Skiers Love After a Long Day on the Slopes

To ski is to eat.

The calorie-intensive sport has a reputation for drumming up big appetites. How these cravings are settled differs. Some budget-minded skiers rely on clever, if unglamorous, workarounds, eating granola on the chairlift or hoovering chili from Ziploc baggies. The upper crust instead turns to the high-minded restaurants that have appeared in ski country. What both camps share in common is that they spent all day skiing, and they’re hungry.

Is there any one best meal to eat after skiing, though? Of course not. Food may be the most subjective of all tastes. But in service of dreaming a little more about the meals we can’t forget, we decided to catalog the après ski foods we love.

These are our eight favorite dishes to enjoy after the lifts stop spinning.

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

Chili 

When it comes to total post-skiing satisfaction, chili is undefeated. Beans, tomatoes, and ground beef—each key ingredient delivers flavor and nutritional value in equal measure. Another draw of chili is its flexibility. Yes, most associate the dish with slabs of ground meat. But you can, if that’s your thing, make a tasty vegan chili. Other dashes of personal flair up the intrigue.

No two chilis are alike, and everyone has their own, sometimes closely guarded, recipe. Trying to sample them all is the best approach. The only issue with sucking down a steaming bowl of chili is the flatulence you’ll generate in the gondola the following morning. Technically, that’s not your problem, though. Everyone likes their own brand. 

Ramen

Go to Japan for the powder skiing, they say. It’s welcome and accurate advice, but the snow might not be the island nation’s greatest draw. Instead, that title could go to its food, ramen in particular. Like chili, this dish is comforting, hot, and filling—all traits we seek after a cold day on the mountain. While the best ramen is usually found in hole-in-the-wall Japanese eateries, customizing some instant noodles with bonus ingredients can still deliver a similar, albeit lesser, high. Pair your creation with a powder day at home, and you might be able to pretend you’re in Japan. Some store-bought sake can help.

Poutine

The Quebecois know how to feed skiers. Cheese curds and gravy are craving-worthy. So are French fries. Why not marry all three of them? Canada, of course, is the place to go to satisfy the gravy and cheese curds itch. Poutine could even be considered the national dish of the skiers who reside there. You can still find it in U.S. states that border the Great White North, though. Wisconsinites, for instance, know their way around dairy products.

Fondue

In the Alps, locals prefer a goopier, deconstructed form of cheese. These steaming pots are veritable portals to après bliss, especially when served alongside a lager or red wine. Traditional fondue dipping foods include bread, pears, and apples. Remember, though, you are the master of yourself. Anything edible can end up in a pot of fondue—and later your mouth—if you’re brave enough. Don’t be shy. Try putting some Oreos or beef jerky in there. These experiments might fail at first, but it’s impossible to reach new culinary heights without making some mistakes along the way. 

Hamburgers

What would become of skiers if it weren’t for hamburgers? They’d be less nourished, that’s for sure. The standard hamburger isn’t ostentatious. Instead, it’s reliable. You can wander into almost any ski town restaurant, order a hamburger, and avoid disappointment. There’s power in this simplicity, especially for state-trotting skiers who prefer routine.

While we’ll always invite you to expand your comfort zone (by, for example, combining Oreos and fondue), there’s nothing wrong with the culinary ski town workhouses. And hamburgers, of course, can be elevated beyond the ordinary with expert guidance from a skilled grillmaster. You’ll know this hallowed patty when you find it, and you won’t forget it. 

Related: The 6 Best Après-Ski Drinks: From Beloved to Controversial

Pizza

File pizza into a similar cabinet as the hamburger. What’s the saying? Pizza and skiing are similar? When both are bad, they’re still pretty good. Even slices that recall cardboard served at 7/11 can hit the spot in the right circumstances. Pizza’s a big tent, too. Detroit, New York, and Chicago are only a few of the countless pizza varieties on offer. They all cater to different tastes and different skiers. Shop around. Find the pie that makes you feel the most alive.

Nachos

Like skiing itself, nachos are better shared. Gather a few friends, go to the mountain, and then, afterwards, order a heaping pile of chips and douse them in the accouterments of your choice. By the time the flotilla of tortilla and cheese disappears, you’ll hopefully have shared some memories from the ski day that came before. Nachos aren’t just a conversation piece, though. In a pinch or a moment of desperation, they can serve as a full-fledged meal for one. While dining on chips might not cover every major food group, it will, at the very least, taste good on the way down. 

French Onion Soup

The pungent flavors and gooey textures of French onion soup are not for everyone. If this soup were to run for the presidential office, it might struggle in swing states and with coalition-building. It doesn’t have the universal appeal of, say, pizza. There’s something to be said for occupying your own lane, though, and French onion soup is a true maverick that has a special place in many skiers’ hearts. Plus, you can order it at Applebee’s, which is known for shocking (and perhaps horrifying) deals like the $1 margarita, aptly known as the Dollarita. 

Related: 7 Ski Town Dos and Don’ts for a Better Trip