Our summer camp use to have the BEST food in the dining hall, 20 years ago... For the last 5 years or so, the meals have all been heat-n-eat type meals, and there is never enough to go around. Portions are very small, food is bland, and nutritional value is questionable.
Many Troops leaders had discussed the poor food from the dining hall in the past, but we always met with the same answers: Cost, staffing, leftovers, meals are approved, meals are nutritious, blah, blah, blah.
We researched extensively and determined the average meal at our camp was costing less than $1.40 per camper, per meal.
We were tired of our boys going hungry all week, so we petitioned the Council to allow us to cook at camp last year. After much discussion, they allowed us to do so. They knocked off $40 per boy for camp fees (about $2 per meal). You can see right away our main concern on food quality and quantity was justified. Council was allotting $2.35 per meal, but only spending $1.40 per meal.
We collected the full camp price for each camper, but held back $40 per person to purchase food for the week. After all, we felt that $2.35 per meal was a fair price to start with. Our boys had cooked often as Patrols and as a Troop on other outings, so we felt confident they would be able to handle the week.
Our boys planned the meals, bought the food, prepared, cooked, and cleaned up very well after each meal. We ate four-star meals EVERY meal, with plenty of leftovers, even after seconds, and feeding the occasional visitor from another Troop. We even had three coolers full of snack-foods and bottled juice / cola on ice. We had most of our own cooking necessities; parents or local restaurants loaned others. We went $56 over budget on food costs, but none of the boys went hungry. They even voted unanimously to cook this year! With some minor menu adjustments (mostly snacks they were so full from good food, they didnt eat the junk food) we should be under budget this year.
Since no one had cooked at camp in about 30 years, we had a lot of people interested in our endeavor. Because we had food in the campsite, we had to be inspected by the camp staff twice per day, and health department twice per week. We passed with flying colors! It actually ticked off our Council because they did not feel we could do it. We provided healthy, nutritious meals at a cost of just over $2.50 per meal. Our boys impressed so many at camp last year that we have had many other Troops contact us for information on how they can do it too.
