Max and Lily Ritter, authors of "Ski Snacks"
By Hannah Truby
Just because food tends to taste better when you’re out on the mountain, that doesn’t mean it has to be all crushed granola bars and half-frozen gummies, as proven by “Ski Snacks: Easy, Tasty Recipes for Powder Days and Mountain Adventures.”
“Ski Snacks” is Lily and Max Ritter’s second adventure into the cookbook world—packed with 65 original recipes designed to fuel your days on the mountain. Lily (editor at The Ski Journal) and Max (gear editor at Powder Magazine) are the duo behind “Beyond Skid”, their breakout debut cookbook dubbed “the cookbook for ski bums.”
This time around, the focus is on portability—but these are far from your average trail bites. From Pocket Quiche and Espresso Energy Balls to Japanese Onigiri and Handheld Apfelstrudel, the book serves up a globe-trotting menu of on-the-go, make-’em-yourself eats inspired by the Ritters’ ski adventures. “Ski Snacks” also offers "Skid Hack" cooking shortcuts, stories from the slopes, and handy ski icon labels that highlight the ease of each recipe. Plus, they share practical tips for cooking at altitude, stocking your pantry, and packing food for long, cold days in the backcountry.
I caught up with the couple—from their van mid-road trip—to chat about skier food, their favorite recipes, and why a good snack can make or break a powder day.
Q: Your first book, Beyond Skid, focuses on hearty, easy meals after a ski day. What inspired this follow up, and why the focus on portability this time around?
Lily: After our first book, we realized that so much of what we were bringing skiing was just packaged snacks—granola bars, candy. Which is all awesome and very convenient, but also expensive and wasteful. We love good food, and it made sense to start bringing better stuff into the mountains with us. It really enhanced the whole experience.
Q: You write that these recipes are “crafted for skiers, by skiers.” What does "skier food" mean to you?
Max: Skier food is fuel, first and foremost. Whether you’re in the backcountry or just lapping groomers, skiing is hard work—you’re burning calories, trying to stay warm, and moving through the mountains all day. Being well-fueled makes a huge difference in how you feel and how much fun you’re having.
Lily: There’s nothing wrong with packaged stuff—I love a Snickers or a Goo as much as anyone—but there's something special about pulling a homemade muffin or pastry from your pack. It’s more nourishing and way more fun to eat. And it’s a great way to share joy on the mountain—bring good snacks, impress your ski partners.
Max: A lot of our recipes are actually inspired by ski trips. For instance, we became totally obsessed with onigiri (Japanese rice balls) while skiing in Japan, so we made a recipe for them. And skiing in the Alps inspired some amazing sandwiches with really good bread. This book is kind of a global snack tour through the lens of skiing.
Q: Did you test all of these recipes on real ski days?
Both: Oh, 100%. Every recipe was eaten in the snow! Our friends loved it—especially on bad snow days when we bribed them to come ski just for the food.
Q: Any crowd-favorite recipes you’ve made during these “test tours”?
Lily: The energy balls are always a hit—super easy, healthy, and they hold up well in the cold. We have a few variations.
Max: I love the surprise factor. Like pulling out a pocket quiche on a ski tour—that’s fun! And the butter mochi is amazing. It looks simple but has this rich, dense flavor.
Q: What’s it like co-authoring a cookbook and sharing a life together? Any kitchen conflicts or arguments you’re willing to admit to?
Lily: We started during COVID in a tiny house with a tinier kitchen. "Ski Snacks" was smoother, though—we divided it by our strengths. Max is the sandwich king, and I handled more of the baking.
Max: Lily’s definitely a bit of a kitchen perfectionist. Sometimes I’ll be cooking and she’ll swoop in with, “Oh… you’re doing it that way?” But we’ve learned to trust each other’s instincts.
Lily: I bribe him with banana bread when I want him to wax my skis or fix my bike. That’s actually in the book—Bribery Banana Bread.
Q: Between The Ski Journal and POWDER, you’re both steeped in snow/ski storytelling year-round. How do you keep creative energy up in the off-seasons?
Max: As I’m sure you know, there's not really an off-season in publishing, in media—we’re always prepping winter stories during the summer. But when we’re wrecked after skiing, writing and cooking are great creative outlets.
Lily: And we spend a lot of time with our community around food. That helps keep the inspiration going.
Q: Do you approach food the same way you approach ski days—planned or improvised?
Max: Opposite, actually! I guide in the winter, so ski days are very planned. Cooking? Total chaos. A lot of our best recipes came from improvising with whatever we had on hand.
Lily: Except baking. That’s chemistry. You can’t wing it... unless you like cleaning your oven.
Q: What’s one snack that lives in your pack all season long?
Lily: Espresso energy balls. I eat and share those constantly.
Max: Those, plus candy—Snickers, gummies. We’re not food snobs. We think a mix of homemade and store-bought keeps it fun and sustainable.
Q: You mentioned how your travels have inspired many of your creations. Do you think living in the mountains shaped how you think about food?
Lily: For sure. We have a short growing season in the Tetons, so we really appreciate fresh produce when we can get it.
Max: A lot of ingredients are harder to find here, so we’ve learned to be more resourceful and plan ahead. Improvising is a big part of our process.
Q: Last question! What do you want readers to know most about "Ski Snacks"?
Lily: Food is about connection. Every snack in the book is tied to a memory with friends. Bring better snacks, share them, and ski longer. That’s kind of the whole point.
Q: Kidding, this is the last question: Where and when can people buy the book?
Max: It launches September 1st and will be available everywhere—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, and our publisher’s site. We’ll also have it on our own website, and it’ll be in plenty of shops around the Mountain West.
🏔️ Hungry yet? Ski Snacks launches September 1st—grab a copy and elevate your ski-day snack game. Because no one ever regretted bringing pocket quiche.
