Family Campout Menu Ideas

[scoutldr]

For Cub camping, KISS.  Big pot of spaghetti, sauce made up ahead of time.  Loaves of crusty bread.  Bulk bags of salad from Costco.  Paper bowls and plates that can be burned in the fire.  Bug juice.  Minimize prep time.

[meyerc13]

We have our Pack's first winter camp coming up this weekend, and had a fall camp back in October.  I can tell you that menu planning in 2016 is a lot harder than it was when I was a Boy Scout in the late 80's.  Now I have to design a menu that will be enjoyed by:

• Picky Eaters
• Vegetarians
• Those on a Gluten Free Diet
• Those who are Lactose Intollerant (unfortunately, this one is me)
• Peanut, Tree Nut, Egg, and a handful of other allergies/sensitivities

It really is quite impossible to make one meal that everyone can/will eat.  With that said, I've tried to design a menu that is flexible, allowing those with one of the above issues to use some of what we make, while perhaps substituting some of their own ingredients where they can't eat what we have.  The one I don't mess around with is the nut allergies... no peanuts on our menu (sunflower butter instead).

 

So, here is what our menu was for fall camp:

• Dutch Oven Stroganoff (With Ground Beef for the meat eaters, mushrooms only for the vegetarians) with Garden Salad (the really picky eaters, like my kids, were offered plain old buttered noodles without the good stuff added)
• Breakfast Buritos (Onions, Bell Peppers, Mushrooms, Salsa - make your own to your taste)
• Foil Packet Meals (Onions, Zuchini, Bell Peppers, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Ground Beef, Seasoning, Butter - make your own to your taste)
• Pulled Pork with Coleslaw and Baked Potatoes; pudgie pie pizzas (we found the kids liked these instead of the pulled pork)
• Pancakes with Sausages

For this weekend, our menu is:

• Spaghetti (Meat Sauce or meatless), Garlic Bread, and Garden Salad
• Pancakes and Sausages
• Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup
• Taco Bar (with a Veggie Mix for the vegetarians)
• Oatmeal or Cereal

As much as grilled cheese is knocked above, it is a meal that works for the vegetarians and picky eaters, can be made to work with gluten free bread for the gluten intolerant, and for those of us who are lactose intolerant, I guess it's Lactaid and take my chances because I couldn't come up with any other meals that worked for everyone.  With the addition of a homemade tomato basil soup, I'm hoping we are elevating the meal appropriately.

 

This is an important topic, one that a lot of Packs are experiencing for the first time with the new camping requirements tied to advancement.  With all of the dietary restrictions that exist today, that we didn't really have 20 years ago, it is beyond frustrating to create a menu that will work for most without having a dedicated kitchen staff making 3-4 options for each meal.  I've found that I do the best that I can, avoid the life threatening allergens, and inform those with 'sensitivities' (like me) so that they can make the appropriate accomodations for their own personal meals. 

 

What I don't want to do is what our summer camp kitchen staff told our vegetarians last year "For vegetarians, just don't eat the meat."  I try to make the meals something that works for vegetarians (or those who like me are watching their cholesterol) while at the same time offering a variant with the meat for those who don't need to avoid it.

Edited February 18, 2016 by meyerc13