5 star meals while camping.

[Scoutfish 16]

Okay, I hope I am not the only one with this kind of problem. We are going pack camping in a week, and getting final head counts for food.

 

Our Menu:

 

FRIDAY NIGHT: On your own!

 

SATURDAY: Breakfast - sausage and pancakes w/ syrup

Lunch- Hot dogs and chips

Supper- Cheseburgers for adults, chicken nuggets for scouts

 

SUNDAY: Breakfast- Danish and juice/hot chocolate/ coffee

 

Truth be told, I'd just assume have everybody eat cheeseburgers for supper. but a few leaders whines that their angels wouldn't eat that , but would eat chicken nuggets. One DL is going to bring a fryer and fry all the nuggets.

 

But before you laugh at this - let me tell you how hard it was just to have this.

 

In the past, we'd cook cheeseburgers AND hotdogs for lunch, and make salsa dip, Tostito's diping chips, salad, cookies, chocolate pudding, and jello cups for lunch,

 

For supper we would have Boston Butts or a whole hog or chicken leg quarters with boiled potatoes, green beans, slaw, and yeast rolls.

 

Yeah, I know!

 

Last year, I said enough was enough! This is camping. I mean , reallY? Can't we just eat camp food for one freaking day?

 

So last year, we cooked hotdogs for lunch, and cheeseburgers for supper. Everybody was happy, the scouts were especially happy since they didn't have to turn their noses up to supper, and nobody had to start cooking supper at 1:30 in the afternoon.

 

 

But this year, it's like all of the committee forgot. The CC, ACM and myself (CM) decided on the menu because it was simple, did not require alot of time or work, is definantly a whole lot cheaper, and because...well dammit...we are camping!

 

Eating burgers for just one day won't kill anybody. If you can't bear it, bring your own food.

 

But a few people ( not the ones who plan on cooking, by the way) are saying that since we are camping for fun, we should have an all out dinner.

 

So, we are NOT going all out.

 

And I am going to keep it simple, but I have to ask:

 

Do people act like this in your pack?

 

I'm just saying, One day out of the whole week , you will not eat like you are at OutBack steakhouse. Is it really gonna kill you?

 

Edited because I made half the post BOLD!(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Scoutfish 16]

Now, let me add: I have nothing agisnt a DO competition where you see who can make the best and tastiest on dish gourmet meal, or even having a competition in the troop or pack amogst all the scouts or adults..but to expect the pack to cok like that for everybody is too much!

[OwntheNight 10]

This makes me laugh! When we joined this pack 4 years ago, that is exactly how we ate on Pack campouts. Huge breakfasts, Lavish Dinners. While us parents enjoyed it, the kids could have taken it or left it.

Yes, the cooks (multiples!!!) had to start dinner around 3:00, we had one parent who was our Head Chef, and he loved cooking these great meals. But, it got ridiculous, especially when we would sit down with the budget before a campout and see the numbers being thrown out. All of a sudden, your talking 30-40 dollars for a campout for food, per family.

 

I admit, I got suckered into that mindset after the old crew finally moved on. I was trying to out do the old regime with creative menus. I just ended up with boys who were sitting and waiting for food and more stuff to clean up afterwards.

 

This year, we're going back to basics: friday night- BYOD, Saturday Bfast- Pancakes, Bacon, Breakfast Tacos, Sat Lunch- BYOL or community lunch for each den, Sat Dinner- Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Sunday- Cold bfast

 

I've done a complete reversal, especially after eating with the troop for two years. I don't want to have to carry all that gear anymore to camp for 2 days. I'd rather teach them a skill or show them how to think outside the box for cooking. I do miss the smoked salmon and steaks for dinner though!

[shortridge 184]

One of the most difficult things in Cubs is getting kids to eat camp meals without complaining. But I've seen more than one ultra-picky eater scarf down one-pot stews, foil meals and fresh fruit/sandwiches without complaint. If you keep 'em running around, they'll be hungry enough to eat anything. Just make sure the meals are balanced and you've got some veggies in there.

 

Sounds like one of your chief obstacles is the parents ... ?

[Basementdweller 608]

we do cold cuts and chips for lunch

 

We have done spagetti, tacos, fajitas, hamburgers, hotdogs, Pie iron sandwiches or pizza, stew, and chili for dinner.

 

PB&J is always available for an alternative.

 

Yes people complain, but your right. Is the purpose camping or eating????

 

 

With the size of our pack growing.....how do you deal with the cost of food for the weekend????? What are your typical cost???? I like to keep ours at less than $10.

[LeCastor 641]

I don't have any experience as an adult with a Pack and it's been a LONG time since I was a Cub. However, I have seen a gradual shift my Troop's patrol menus this year.

 

Traditionally, The Scouts have a Mountain Man (egg bake) cooked in a Dutch oven for Sat breakfast. Then, "subs" for lunch and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. Then, on Sunday morning it's cereal. Boring....

 

Now, they still hold tight to the Mountain Man but they are branching out for lunches and dinners now. They made soft shelled tacos one night recently.

 

The "adult patrol" has been more adventurous lately. Sat breakfast is pancakes or a Mountain Man. Lunch is some kind of soup and sandwich thing. Dinner has been roasted veggie primavera (Dutch oven) over pasta; Mediterranean chicken with rice (Dutch oven); one pot stews...

 

Then, I wowed all of the Scouts one Sunday morning recently with a batch of French toast! They were sitting there with their imitation Golden Grahams and drooling over the sight of the fluffy French toast...So they took advantage of my hot griddle and made quesadillas with their leftover cheese and tortillas...

 

You can make good camp food with little cash. We calculate $3 per person per meal and we usually have money left over. That being said, I imagine that Cubs can be more picky about their food...

[perdidochas 658]

Well, with Cub camping, my old Pack generally just camped on Saturday night. Breakfast on your own, the Webelos would make hobo stoves with buddy burners, and lunch would be hamburgers (cheeseburgers also) cooked on the hobo stoves. Dinner was usually hotdogs and chili, with the Webelos sometimes doing foil packet dinners, followed by S'mores. Breakfast Sunday was either on your own, or sometimes a den would do a den breakfast--most popular is zip-lock omelets.

 

 

[kari_cardi 10]

My experience with our pack has undergone a similar yet different path. When my son first joined the pack, we had a couple of dads who went all out cooking elaborate meals at Family Camp. They moved on, and the remaining leaders had not the skill, equipment or desire to cook like that. So the pendulum swung in the other direction. We had super simple meals like you described. Only in our pack, that isn't how most people eat. So parents were bringing extra food along to eat. Not chicken nuggets, but vegetables to roast in foil or baked potatoes, salads in coolers. And I was one of them. I would not be able to eat from your menu beyond the pancakes. So we adjusted again, and I think in a better direction. We chose foods that the guys can help cook or cook themselves as much as possible. Hot dogs on the campfire and pancakes for sure, but also foil dinners, hobo pies, chili and tacos. Lots of fruit available, along with raw veggies with dip. Strawberries and grapes are as popular as marshmallows. And the only parent who needs to pack their own food is the one with kids who only eat chicken nuggets and french fries.

[qwazse 4342]

It's been a while, but yes keep it simple for cubs.

 

Mountain pies: If several families have pie irons (we had 3 and the CM had 6) the boys could make their own pizza's and then cherry or apple pies. You needed adult supervision of the hot irons and making sure kids washed hands before the prepped food. It took a couple of rounds before everyone was feed, but everyone had fun and when you weren't cooking you could run around.

 

Soup is also a good option. Each den makes a different type. Keeping track of cups and spoons is a hassle.

 

It is getting tough to do it all on $10 a weekend, but let parents who are planning know that's your goal.

[ramblinrosey 12]

Long time ago we did Taco's on fri(sometimes brought meat part premade) Sat- breakfast bacon/sausage with what ever, subs for lunch the "taco spagetti for dinner-browned a little extra meat, added leftover bacon/sausage,taco's and jar or 2 of old ragu made a fine meal on a cool nite.Spagetti with a kick. The kids loved it, if there were any vegies from lunch they might land up in there also. Substitute ziti for spagetti if you want. Sun. was usually eggs in a bag.

Of course there were many a time they cooked up a storm, depended on the mix of kids.

[artjrk 11]

Just a thought to think about. Our Pack also does the hamburger/hot dogs for dinner and pancakes for breakfast, everytime twice a year. What happens is that when the boys move up to Boy Scouts, that is all they know about camping food. And honestly, hamburgers are terrible for Boy Scout camping. When a patrol uses a camp stove to cook on, they have no idea what to do with the grease. Pancakes and hot dogs are good and simple and kids can cook 'em themselves.

 

One year I tried to offer to cook donut holes myself for breakfast just to show the boys some variety. They said no cause they didn't want to deal with the extra work. Remember, I said I would do it myself. Sometimes the adults just don't want to put in the effort.

 

There are many menu ideas that can be done for cheaper than burgers and are more appropriate for group camping. Chili, Stews, Soups, Jumbalaya etc. These also are no more work. Unfortunately many treat Pack campouts as a Family cook out and not a group caming trip.

 

As far as kids eating the stuff. of course they will, if its what's provided and parents don't supply extra snacks instead.

[Basementdweller 608]

Yes parents and camping snacks......

 

Had that last Family camp.....dinner was served and non of the kids were hungry.......

 

What the heck????? Seems one of the moms is a Little debbie distributor had brought a large quantity of just about to expire stuff and the kids had been eating it all day..... Heck, I didn't notice I was down at the lake baiting hooks and taking fish off. Or playing pitcher in the kickball game.

 

My son was so sick.....they all learned a lesson that weekend.

[Twocubdad 665]

I'm one of the guys who loves cooking on campouts. To me, that IS one of the purposes of the campout -- the comraderie, teamwork, pride and satisfaction of making a great meal under unconventional conditions is a big part of the fun of camping.

 

If you have guys like me who want to do that, what's the problem? If not, and big camp meals are a hassle for your parents, then stick with the PopTarts and bologna.

 

In Boy Scouts, we have a troop chef who does all the cooking for the adults. He's great. To me, this is an example of leading by example. The boys see how well the adults are eating and want to step up their game as well. By tradition, the SPL eats with the adults and our chef usually has one or two boys working on cooking MB help him, so the lessons are trickled down to the patrols. Plus, during JLT, we divide up into two or three man cook teams with and adult coach and try to prepare the most over-the-top, complicated dishes we can think of. The boys really stretch their limits and it's encouraging to some of those dishes turn up on campouts later in the year.

 

I'll grant you, though, that the Cubs probably don't care and the example is likely lost on them.

 

As to cost, you're feeding a family for $30-$40 for a weekend and folks are complaining? What do they think they're paying for food at home?

[Basementdweller 608]

Patrol cooking for 10 is simple enough.

 

cooking for 100 or 150 is an entirely different issue.....

[Chrispy-chip 10]

In my experience it was a challenge to see how big we could go while cooking. And while hamburgers seem okay they can get really boring after a while. What we have done in the past is: steak, whole turkeys, Hungarian Guolash, and Thai. And once as the scouts get better at cooking they should challenge themselves, it's not as hard as you think, the only problem is getting started when you cook if you can get through the prep work you'll be fine.