Perspective

[lrsap]

Had an interesting moment at a camp-o-ree event recently. It was the first multi-troop, scheduled event camping for almost all the guys in the troop. The guys are still working on developing their cooking skills, so the experienced guys told the young guns to think about quick meals so they aren't late for flag ceremonies, activities, etc.

 

I liked the advice, but admittedly should have paid more attention to the menu, or lack of a menu, they planned for themselves. Long story short, dinner on Saturday wound up being hot dogs and chips. Lesson learned. At this point, an SM from another troop comes by and asks what we are doing for dinner. I actually felt kind of bad when I said the guys were cooking hot dogs for themselves. That's because I kind of got a condescending tone from this guy as he talked about the beef, potatoes and other things his boys would be eating.

 

I felt a little better when, as my guys were cleaning up after their frankfurter feast, I hear this guy from his troop's area yell "Hey guys, get your plates! Dinner is ready". I felt even better the next morning when the young guys in the troop were making their bacon and eggs while Mr. Beef & Potatoes had the boys in his troop lined up with plates as he is making pancakes.

[WAKWIB]

It's been awhile since I have posted or commented here, but I really like your story,lrsap.

Your young Scouts win the "cooking gold-medal" in my opinion, even if was just hot dogs. They were doing for themselves what momma usually does for them, and that's always a good thing. Meal time for your troop was a learning and practicing experience. For the other troop,it was just another chow-line.

[Tampa Turtle]

I wouldn't feel bad about the hotdogs. Better than pop-tarts and pringles. Sometimes the boys want an easy meal. We encourage meal competition amongst the patrols by contest but if the menu is mostly nutritiousness and a little ambitious than OK. The other Troop widened the possibilities menu-wise for the future for your guys.

 

I would be proud if they are cooking for themselves. It is an important life skill and so many boys cannot do a thing beyond opening a bag of Cheetos. Have them try something like a chili or dutch oven thing next time. Yes they are kinda "dump" recipes but you really "cook" something.

 

Last year the NSP did pancakes for breakfast for their first campout. Despite advice about limited through-put for a big group they still wanted to do it and (barely) pulled it off in time. They were pretty proud walking around with pancakes, hash browns, and bacon when the older boys were eating pop tarts. So they gotta want to do it. Sounds like a good start.

[CalicoPenn]

So the neighboring troop's lads essentially got catered meals that weekend? I wonder how many of them were looking over towards you wondering why they couldn't have hot dogs too? Let's face it, a typical 11-year old's idea of a great dinner is a hot dog cooked over an open fire, so it get's than nice, crispy skin (heck - I love slightly charred hot dogs and I'm way older than 11).

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith]

Our troop banned some of the stuff that the boys kept flocking to and required no cooking skills to be learned or used. (poptarts and hotdogs)

 

But we also refuse to cook for them. Leaders make their own seperate meal as an adult patrol and boys are on their own. The only exception to this is the thanksgiving campout during which the leaders spend the entire day cooking a giant feast outside and boy get to play learn some skills get some advancment done and chill.

 

But again other than that its all on the boys because they need to learn the skills. Yyou want to try and promote that they have healthy balanced meals...but its their meal not yours. As long as they offer something from each food group their good.

 

but based on that perpective you were much better off than the other troop.

[OldGreyEagle]

MIB, when you say the troop "banned" who was it? The Adults, the PLC or the youth themselves?

 

Just asking

 

next, for Irsap, the ironic part is both of you walked away from the week end shaking your collective heads over the other troops operation. Now, just between you and me, you are doing things the right way so stay the course. The other guy, known now as OG, probably is talking about meeting your unit now. OG is saying thigs like, they were so disorganized because their Scoutmaster didn't do XXX, (you fill in the XXX) the fact that the scoutmaster is not taxed to do XXX will never enter his cognitive process.

 

Sounds like the kind of unit I would like to be a part of, where are you again? I am looking for a unit, I left the one I had been associated with, they wouldn't know boy lead patrol method if it bit them in the buttt

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith]

Mainly the current SM at the time. But he went to PLC and said why he wanted it done and got a majority agreement.

[packsaddle]

This is off-topic mostly but rather than start a new thread for a single answer, I thought it might fit temporarily here?

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy that infamous 'pink slime' packaged as a product unto itself? Or must I continue to use the closest substitute I can find, like potted meat or deviled ham?

[shortridge]

MIB: I dunno ... I sure learned something when my patrol cooked hot dogs on our first camping trip. Huddled around a boiling pot of water on a bitterly cold day at Assateague Island, hungrily waiting for our lunch, we learned (after being told by a kindly ASM who walked by) that sonofagun, you CAN cook more than one hot dog at a time. (My mother still laughs uproariously about that story more than two decades later.)

 

Packsaddle: Wikipedia says (yeah, I know, I know ...) that it can't be sold directly to consumers, but is rather simply an additive. I just spent a few minutes at the website of the main manufacturer, Beef Products Inc., and couldn't find any reference to consumer purchases.

[Basementdweller]

Now pack....why in the world would you like to do that?????

 

Sworn off ground meat I have not processed myself...

[packsaddle]

The secret to surviving to advanced age: eat food that's LOADED with preservatives.

Seriously, I'm wondering if I can buy that stuff to use as pet food...maybe an occasional snack. Some people have referred to me, in the past, as a hootiecat. Anyone from bayou country probably knows what that is.

[lrsap]

OGE, we're hanging out in Central Florida. I'll be easy to recognize. I'm the guy with the dazed look on his face trying to figure this whole thing out!

 

MIB, so true about the low/no skill meals. That's where I need to be a little more on top of my game. Maybe a walk-by during the patrol's planning meeting with a "You guys can do better than that, can't you?". I just got a present in the mail for them, a really cool foil cooking cookbook.

[OldGreyEagle]

Irsap, Central Florida Council? Have you met Bob the Bear a yet?

[Old_Guy]

The troop my son is a member of needs to pay attention to the menu of the patrol from day one. Some of the Scouts in his patrol are vegetarians. As well, the other patrols in the troop have vegetarians. I have discussed with my son, respecting other Scouts and members eating needs. And dont judge others, but look at it as a challenge and learning experience.

With pre Camp-o-ree just around the corner, he is stepping up to cook a meal. I purchased a vegetarian cookbook for backpacking, requested him to look it over. Hopefully picking out a few recipes/meals, which will appeal to the patrols menu list. Meat will be a side item to add with your vegetarian main meal.

 

[lrsap]

OGE, nope, Gulf Ridge. But we are doing summer camp at La No Che.

 

The vegetarian angle is interesting. One good thing about it I would think is at least you know the menu will have vegetables!