Embedded Files
One of the most fun times you can have while camping is cooking for the group. Cooking is generally done over a fire, on a stove or on a grill. You should bring foods that are easy to store and keep fresh. You should include snacks for the trail as well as foods to prepare for each meal. Perishable items that need to be kept in a refrigerator are discouraged but sometimes we have a cooler so some items can be kept on ice.
Breakfast
Start your day off right with a breakfast that will get you ready for a day of hiking or exploring. Most scouts do not want to get up in the morning, but this is the most important meal of the day for the youth. Breakfast can be as easy as instant oatmeal and as complex as a breakfast wrap. One of the leaders' favorites is the following: Slice up some mushrooms, onions, bacon and potatoes and grill in a skillet on the stove until done. Mix eggs with a little milk and pour over the mixture to heat until the eggs are fully cooked. This is a great skillet meal that is easy to prepare and clean up. Another easy meal to prepare is a breakfast taco. Cook some eggs and place inside a tortilla with cheese and picante sauce.
Lunch
Keep lunch simple and easy to prepare and clean up so you get back to your adventures. Sandwiches are a great lunchtime treat using easy to store and prepare foods. Sliced lunch meats with vegetables on pita bread make the perfect pick me up. For a hot side dish to accompany the sandwiches take some frozen French fries, chili and cheese sauce; combine them in foil, wrapping it tightly. Throw the package on the fire and cook until the fries are cooked through and then enjoy your gooey chili cheese fries. Most scouts like cup a soup or hot dogs.
Dinner
Dinner consisting of a meat, starch and vegetable is a great option. Boil in the bag premade meals are the easiest for Scouts. Freeze dried meals or military MRE’s (meals read to eat) are always an option for some, but these can get expensive. Teaming up with other scouts is a great way to have good meals and share costs.
Trail Snacks
No camping trip is complete without snacks to prepare and bring while you are out on a nature hike. Walking and hiking is hard work so you should bring some foods that will help boost your energy. Popcorn popped over an open flame is a fun way to prepare the next day's snack. Trail mix is a traditional option and is limited to only your imagination. Use a combination of hearty ingredients with sweets. Combine granola, raisins, chocolate chips, M & M's, cereal, dried fruits and nuts. Use whatever combinations you like.
Cooking while camping can really be a lot of fun. Preparing foods should be easy and require little clean up and use few pots and pans.
Meal Ideas
French Toast, Eggs, Bacon/ Sausage.
Biscuits and Gravy, Sausage, Eggs
Breakfast Wraps (much like an omelet)
Cereal, Oatmeal, Fresh Cinnamon Rolls
Omelets in a bag (omelets made with plastic bag and boiling water)
Premade egg and sausage/bacon and cheese sandwiches wrapped in foil and can be reheated in the foil
Fruit, juice, tea, coco
Lunches
Sandwiches, Ramen Noodles
Hotdogs, cup-a-soup
Tacos (premade beef or chicken frozen)
Vegetables, dried fruit, juice
Dinners
Grilled Cheese, Chili (no cans)
Hamburgers and Hot dogs
Spaghetti and meat sauce, Frozen boil in the bag meals.
"Stewp" (thinner stew)
Grilled Chicken
Steak and mushrooms
Desserts
Apple Crisp, Grasshopper pie
Snacks
GORP
Granola bars
Fruit leather
After you have your meals worked out make a list of all the items you need to purchase, set up a shopping list by grouping similar foods together. Make sure you stay within your budget. Try to keep similar items together since they will be found in the same aisle at the store.
Shop for the campout and keep track of the cost as you go to make sure you stay within your budget. If you go over your budget, put back some unnecessary items such as snacks and deserts or cut back on quantities. Put all refrigerator items together so that you can put them in the freezer until the campout and in the cooler when you get there. You may want to pack the other food by meals so it will be easier to distribute when cooking Remember what you bought must last the entire trip. Don’t give out what is not on the menu for that meal or for a snack. Please make sure all boil in the bag meals are in Ziploc or Glad freezer bags. Dollar store freezer bags melt in boiling water. Please do not pack any cans. If you have something in a can you can place it in a freezer bag and freeze the meal and then place it in boiling water to heat.
Remember: Keep meals as easy as possible for prep and clean up. In the winter or cold whether you will need to take in twice as many calories to keep yourself warm as in the spring or fall. Also what you pack in you pack out.
No junk food allowed (pop, chips, candy)
If you need help with food feel free to talk any leader.
Menu helper
Friday Mug up
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Saturday Breakfast
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Saturday Lunch
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Saturday Supper
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Saturday Mug up
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sunday Breakfast
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Snacks and Drinks
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Shopping List
Ziplock freezer bags, Powered Juice, hot chocolate, garbage bags, hand Sani, ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Food is what youth run on at camp, and all youth will be cooking all the food they bring for the weekend. This maybe the first time they will be cooking on their own or the first time they are preparing their food for the weekend. Please pack all food in a separate backpack or bag (no plastic bags) Here are some suggestions for meals on the weekend. Please note that all boil in the bag food must be in a heavy duty Freezer “Ziploc” bag. Dollar store bags tend to melt when put into boiling water.
Pre-freezing food helps with preservation, along with ease of packing.
Google Sites
Report abuse