How much to spend on food

[anarchist]

Ready BW???

Prices from local giant, food lion and safeway...

Menu is off the top of my sorry old head....with the sales circulars from the sunday paper to help...and I bet I can beat these numbers by shopping hard.

 

Friday night - cracker barrel

$3.00 2 boxes snack type crackers

$3.00 bag of pears (or corn chips)

$1.00 Cocoa

__________

subtotal $7.00 (note quick soups and chips @1/2 this)

 

Sat. Morning D.O. Mountain Man

$0.99 18 eggs (more than enough for six boys)

$2.50 1 lbs sausage

$4.00 2 lbs bag chunk cheddar cheese

$3.00 5 lbs potatos (-use 2 lbs)

$1.00 large onion

$0.00 charcoal (see dinner expense)

$1.50 can of biscuits

$1.50 hot sauce

_____________________

Sub total $14.50

 

Sat Lunch $ 6.00 1 1/2 lbs sliced Ham

$ 4.00 1 lb of mont. jack cheese

$ 2.00 2 medium loaves of store brand bread

$ 0.99 small mustard

$ 1.99 Mayo

 

$ 3.00 3 lb bag of gala apples

$ 3.00 store brand lemonade mix

__________________

Sub total $21.00

 

Sat dinner D. O. Pot Roast

$10.00 2.5lbs of round roast

$0.00 3 lbs potatos (left from breakfast)

$1.00 1 lbs carrots

$1.00 large onion

$3.00 1 lb butter

$2.00 1 lbs fresh green beans

 

(salad) $2.00 1+ lbs prepared salad (bag)

$1.50 bottle of italian dressing

$1.00 6 diner rolls /(bisquick?)

$2.00 cocoa (or lemonade left from lunch)

 

$4.00 canned fruit (peaches/cherries)

(cobbler) $1.50 cake mix

$1.00 sugar

$1.00 cinnamon

$10.00 charcoal (40 lbs)

_______________________

sub total $41.00

 

Sunday Morning - (quick out)

$1.50 6 Bagels

$1.00 Cream cheese

$2.99 12 packs store brand of oatmeal

$1.00 10 packs of cocoa

_________

sub total $6.50

 

 

TOTAL $90.00 plus tax(?) with no major 'searching for economies' no bulk purchases...could easily be cheaper with less food (portions)or chicken or better sales...this is more food than most boys will eat, uses two or three D.O.s, has quick lunch which could be cheaper with noodle soups (Rammen)...and quick low drag Sunday breakfast

 

and gosh its $15.00 per boy...

 

And gosh it Equals $15.00 per scout has lots of veggies and fruit

Hey BW...wanna go again?

anarchist

 

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by anarchist)

[lynncc]

Anarchist,

 

That was a great post. I enjoyed seeing the menu broken down that way. I'm new to all this and need step by step instructions.....lol....Really. Not being sarcastic...Once I see something I can run with it and tweak it for what I need but I have to actually see it first. Books of recipes just isn't the same. Don't know why. Anyway, thanks again

lynn

[anarchist]

Lynncc,

 

I try to show boys thatcooking and meals should be fun and creative. Further, in todays culture of overweight, vid gaming, couch potatos, I feel that showing them real,good tasting food is not beyond them.

 

We start our New Scout Patrols (NSPs) with this exercise the night they cross-over as part of the welcome package. The parents are given two menus. One similar to this (with out prices) and one that is basically "bunch of eggs", "some taters",etc.,... the parents are then asked to sit down between the crossover and the first BSA meeting and using the local newspapers sales flyers walk their son through pricing and serving amounts... just to get the wheels turning.

 

Their first meeting (this coming Monday) will be preparing for the shakedown campout (NSPs, guides and instructors only) (yeah, and adult leaders). Their guides will be helping them design their first menu, shopping list and then schedule a 'whole patrol' shopping trip...Our NSPs are strongly encouraged to shop as a patrol for most of their first year (grubmasters simply 'lead' the shopping trip)...after the first few trips it gets easier...

 

and we usually have an ASM along to keep 'too helpful' Moms and Dads on the sidelines ('course we call it 'adult-centered, patrol method education')...the Guides can handle the NSP boys!

 

And finally (for now)...we don't require totally balanced meals for the whole weekend...every weekend... (though the SPL encourages lots of cooking schedule permitting) we simply try to discourage the junk food and sweets...

 

One of the reasons the adults FEED SO WELL on our trips is to give the boys ideas as to what they can do...

When a lad asks the 'fat guy with a beard' to try some of the smoked or poached fish or D.O. ribs that HE cooked ...I feel we are getting through...

 

I can smell the smoke already....

 

And BW...do I get a lolly pop?

[Backpacker]

Anarchist,

 

Great post, I love it when a plan comes together, my PLC with my help have developed similiar lists with similiar costs and we have received excellent comments on the quality and quantity of the food on our outings. It can be done well and on a budget within everyones reach

[LPC_Thumper]

Nice posts, let me introduce our troop twist...

 

The menu has to be approved by certain adults before the shopping trip. These adults don't fall for the "But Mr. Thumper as we all know Ketchup is made from tomatoes and spice. We all know tomatoes are vegies, therefor we should be able to count ketchup as a vegie!" logic.

 

We seen all sorts of good food happen for the under $20.00 per boy for the weekend. When we can't get kids off the Noodle meals, we let the adult group grub master know. He then finds a REAL nice D.O. lunch, that will smell really nice. This almost always brings the nood crowd around. We smile at them and tell them we can help them prepare for the next camp out after we get home... (We don't say "Get those noodles away from my meal", but we think it.)

 

 

[Bob White]

Anarchist

 

You misunderstood. I thought your price range was one of the more reasonable amounts and I was hoping you would share the menu to show that. While I think it is a fairly good menu (way to much sugar and milk solids for my liking), I think it is far more reasonablyt than the $5 figure that was shared.

 

I will have to check prices in our area I really doubt that aome of those items are available at such a low price.

10 pkgs of cocoa for $1? I have a recipe for instant chocalte that doesn't even break down that cheap, let alone pre-packed prices.

 

BW

 

 

[baschram645]

When we go camping each patrol is responsible for their own menu, shopping and funding. During patrol corners at a troop mtg each patrol writes up their own menu, 3 weeks prior to the trip. They must have their menu approved by the SM. All meals must be balanced or back to square one. Each patrol collects about $10.00 per member, and then they go shopping. We have taught them to comparison shop and to use coupons as well. This amount of money also allows them to buy exhaustable items they need as a patrol; foil, salt & pepper, dish soap, scrubbie pads, etc. The NSP is taught at troop mtgs prior to camping about menu planning, and shopping. Each patrol member is required to take a turn shopping and this is started as a NSP.