Limits on Camp food costs

[SemperParatus]

A few years ago, we had a camping trip that was heavily attended by 'parents'. The 'parents patrol' ate very well - lobster, steak, etc. while the scout patrols salivated from behind their hotdogs and hamburgers. It really was not a pretty picture, especially as more than a few scouts migrated to their parents for a piece of the feast resulting in a breakdown in normal patrol functions - the result being a large amount of scout leftovers being wasted. Not much later, an adult from the 'parent patrol' took his scout out shopping for the scout's patrol and ignored the patrol's shopping list, stocking up on some rather expensive foods that most normal kids don't eat. Our response to all of this was to put a ceiling on food costs of $8 per weekend camping trip. Patrols set their menu with this in mind and scouts shop with their parents knowing the maximum amount that can be spent. Parents are not reimbursed for amounts in excess of $8 per participant. If they want to buy and add a special Patrol treat not on the menu they can do so with the understanding that they will not be reimbursed for any costs in excess of the $8 per participating patrol member. This has taken away some of the patrols' flexibility but a scout should be thrifty.

 

How do you all handle food costs, reimbursements, dollar limits, etc? While this 'troop policy' seems to be working for us, I am wondering if there are better ideas out there.

[Trevorum]

ooh, good topic!

 

And welcome to the forum, Semper! (I jost got here a while ago myself.)

 

Here's the way we do it. Two weeks before each campout, each patrol plans it's menu based on number of meals, food groups, etc. and elects a grubmaster for the month (this rotates). The following week, the grubmaster collectes a fixed $10 per camper. Using the menu and the number of campers, the grubmaster develops a shopping list (eg. 8 bage

[Trevorum]

... bagels, 2 tubs cream cheese, etc.). On Thursday night before the outing, the grubmaster's parent take him shopping. The parent can teach but is not supposed to do the shopping. If any money is left over, it goes to the Patrol kitty. If the money is short, the grubmaster is supposed to refigure quantities and keep within the budget. Sometime he has to borrow from the Patrol kitty. This way, the whole patrol knows what is supposed to be on the menu. I

[Trevorum]

... If it isn't or if they are hungry, they learn to do it better next time. (The adult patrol usually has enough extra to ensure that no one goes hungry!)

 

(sigh... truncated post syndrome strikes again)

[SemperParatus]

Trevorum,

What is the 'patrol kitty' - is that like petty cash - who holds it? or is a separate account (like a scout account) that the troop treasurer maintains?

[Trevorum]

The way we work it, yes, it's a petty cash / slush fund. The patrols keep their own accounts (or not ...) and when they need a new griddle or dining fly, that's the starting point. One patrol used it for a party, I think (cokes, chips etc.) which is OK too, 'cause it's theirs.

 

Usually the small non-food purchases (new spatula, lantern mantles, etc.) are obtained by the grubmaster as the need arises. Or not ... Lately, we've had a problem of one patrol consistently forgetting to purchase matches or trash bags or scrubby pads or something. Month after month they have mooched off other patrols and us leaders. I have faith they'll learn though. I've asked the SPL to remind all grubmasters about this stuff and the other patrols have said (only half joking) that they will charge a fee next time. Sooner or later it sinks in.

[evmori]

Our camping trips usually cost between $10-$15 per Scout. If there are a lot of adults going, we will get our own food. If not, we eat the same food the Scouts eat!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[acco40]

We have a $10 per weekend outing guideline for food (Fri. snack, Sat. 3 meals & snack, Sun. breakfast). We don't charge separately for food, the outing has one cost. Food is bought/prepared/eaten by patrol. The adults belong to their own patrol. Food purchaser is reimbursed for food costs - recept is needed. If over $10/person goal, action may be taken. A Scout is thrifty.

[Eamonn]

Our Patrols /Troop did a lot of camping and it seemed that we always ended up with tons and tons of stuff left over. Every time they would go shopping they would buy more Brillo pads, another 5 pound of sugar and another ginormas bottle of ketchup. They were of course supposed to empty their Patrol Box after each weekend, but there were Patrols that would camp almost every weekend during the summer. Then to make matters worse the QM thought we would save money if we started buying some of the staples in bulk!! Now we were buying teabags and coffee in wholesale lots.

We would have the Great Patrol Box Clean Out, in late October or early November. With 15 Patrol Boxes, this was a big job. By the time we were done we would have 1,000's of tea bags, 100's of Brillo pads,jars of jam and a ton of very lumpy sugar. I seen this as one big mess, the QM seen it as money in the bank.

Eamonn.

[CA_Scouter]

We set a limit of $5/day for food, so a typical weekend trip is $10.

 

Patrols submit menus to the ASM's the final meeting before the trip, and a scout is for each patrol is assigned to do the shopping. The shopper has to stay within budget, or eat the overage. If they are under and they pocket a few bucks, no big deal, its only a few bucks anyway.

 

We do, however, actively discourage hamburgers and hot dogs because it seemed that that's all the boys ever wanted. We let them still do it now and then, but we also at times require that they cook a dutch oven meal, or something that takes a little effort and skill, so they learn how to actually cook a nutritious meal. We've created a library of dutch oven recipes from which the boys can choose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KoreaScouter]

We don't set limits on how much they can spend. It's their money and their menu, and if we want them to get creative with menus, the shackles have to come off. They figure it out for themselves, and for a typical weekender, the patrols get $10 from everybody, and that seems to be pretty close. If there's a discrepancy, they work it out internally.

 

As long as they're using the pyramid in overall meal planning, I don't care if their protein is a hamburger or pheasant under glass. In my opinion, the process is more important than the product here. They can learn from bad examples, too. On our last campout, our Leadership Corps (JASM, SPL, ASPL, Guide) camped together, and thought it would be clever to bring a pallet of carryout cheeseburgers so they wouldn't have to actually cook or wash dishes. I could have put the kibosh to that, but didn't, on purpose. After the first day, with the now-cold and hardening cheeseburgers weighing heavy on their plates, they would have traded them to one of the patrols for just about anything, especially as the aroma of their meals wafted over. Lesson learned, I think...knuckleheads.

 

My predecessor actually collected all the campout food money himself, then doled it out to the grubmasters. I don't like handling money, so I pushed that down to the patrol level.

 

KS

 

KS

[anarchist]

UUUUUMMMMM FOOOOOOOD!

 

1. Adults eat at adult kitchen...and they eat anything they darn well want!

 

2. Scouts can too, at their own kitchen, and only if they all (not mom and dad) come up with the extra money...we have general guideline of $15 per scout per weekend or less and the parents are told this at each parent meeting and it is in the parent info package. Parents going along for the shopping trip are reminder of the money thing and that they are not there to do the shopping...that is the scouts job.

 

Generally scouts eat for $12-$15 per weekend...and they can eat well for that. Patrols develop menus and their 'work/duty details/rosters, make shopping lists, collect money (in advance-don't pay don't play) and explain it all to an ASM. They generally do well after a few minor mis-fires...Each patrol aways has PB&J for 'emergencies' ...and remember no one ever starved on a weekend campout. Most are not interested in the extra time to do the elaborate and expensive meals.

 

That time honored scout custom of 'mooching' is not simply permitted from the adult kitchen (and chief adult cook lets all new parents know...scouts eat with scouts, period...)only two exceptions SPL and ASPL can eat with the adults if they would like... (and They Always Do) .

 

The ASM's also redirect the younger scouts inclination for burgers and dogs...towards stews, roasts, and/or one pot meals. D.O. cooking is really encouraged unless time is a problem (district camporees etc).

By the third year most of our scouts can cook along side most of the adults...when they really want to, in any case.

 

We also have an annual Scout Master challenge cooking contest with a really nice prize held at a community picnic event. This demonstration 'camp' cooking event really excites a lot of our scouts... and the meals produced are truely fine!

[Its Me]

For cub scout campouts our den uses $2.50 - $3.00/meal/person for budgeting. That includes paper plates.

[SemperParatus]

Thanks for the input everybody. It sounds like what we do is done elsewhere in some modified form. I guess its time we bump the dollar limit up to $10 per weekend. Give them a little more to sink their teeth into.

[EagleInKY]

We plan on $3 per meal. That also includes enough for snacks and a cracker barrel or dessert. It doesn't include supplies (cleaning equipment, cooking utensils, etc.), that comes out of the troop budget.