Patrol cooking

[Horizon]

As an adult leader, my role in Patrol cooking:

 

1) Checking the menu if a Scout is working on Cooking MB (which I counsel) or Trail to First Class sign-offs (signed by the Patrol, but I like to see the boys in action - admittedly carrying my camera). Mmmmmm - food tasting!

 

2) Being the enforcer for a Patrol Leader having problems getting money out of a campout drop-out. If you commit, you owe. Period. The PLC voted that you owe the money if the Grubmaster has spent it, sometimes it takes my entry into the discussion to ensure that the Grubmaster is paid.

 

I remember cooking for 2 as a Scout when the rest of the Patrol bailed on us. It was fun, and one of my favorite campouts. We had one tent, one dining fly, and pretty good food (I raided my parent's pantry for the stuff mom had bought but never used).

 

Our Troop is pushing for more scratch meals on backpacking stoves so that a Patrol can choose to not use their Patrol box. Starting to get some traction in a couple of the patrols.

[Thomas54]

We have fallen into the following:

 

One is a buddy meal system. This is usually used on backpacking trips and canoe trips. Here two scouts get together to plan and cook their meals. The SM's approve the plan but beyond that there is no troop involvement. The boys arrange to buy the food themselves and agree to settle the cost. The campout fee does not reimburse the scout for their meal purchases. So if they have steaks on the list OK. Let them work out it with mom. Most parents seem to prefer this and will spend more knowing that its for their boy and his good friend.

 

The second method works as follows. Let say their are four meals to be cooked on a campout two breakfasts a lunch and a dinner. These get divided up into one patrol takes a meal and cooks for the whole troop. The SM's approve the plan assist with the quantities and establish the budget. The PL is responsible for the purchasing list, the cooking and cleaning. The gru master is reimbursed for the food. We have three patrols so the adult patrol takes a meal too. This weekend the Adults are doing a breakfast. Most of the time the adults try and take the easiest meal.

 

These meals plans work for us. Because the adults will be eating at every meal the plans are pushed to be more than just hot dogs. Knowing that they only have to do one meal the scouts seem to muster up the where-with-all to clean the pots for one meal. The buddy meal plan works because there is no hiding and its either you or him that has to cook or clean. Two guys are more likely to work this out than 6-7.

 

Like I said this works for us.