Req 5c — Share Camp Plan
5c.
Share and discuss your menu plans and shopping list with your counselor.
Just as you did for home cooking in Req 4c, you need to review your camp cooking plan with your counselor before heading to the store or the campsite. Camp cooking has additional complexity that your counselor can help you navigate.
What to Present
Bring all of your planning materials, organized and clear:
Camp Plan Review Materials
Have all of these ready
- Complete camp menu (2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 snack, 1 dessert)
- The cooking method assigned to each meal (camp stove, Dutch oven/skillet, foil pack/skewer)
- Recipes for all six items, scaled to your group size
- Shopping list with quantities and estimated costs
- Per-person cost calculation
- Equipment and utensils list
- Food safety plan (cooler strategy, cross-contamination prevention, handwashing plan)
- Notes on food allergies or dietary restrictions for group members
- Waste disposal plan (garbage, gray water, food scraps)
What Your Counselor Will Check
Your counselor will look at your camp plan with a sharper eye than your home plan because the stakes are higher outdoors:
- Can you actually cook this at camp? Some recipes that work great at home are impractical outdoors. Make sure every recipe works with the equipment and conditions you will have.
- Is your cooler plan realistic? Do you have enough ice? Are you using perishable items early enough?
- Are the cooking methods correct? Two meals on a stove, one in a skillet or Dutch oven, one in foil or on a skewer.
- Is the quantity right? Hungry Scouts at camp eat more than you might expect. Are your portions generous enough?
- What is your backup plan? What happens if it rains? What if a recipe fails?
Adjusting Based on Feedback
Your counselor may suggest simplifying a recipe, adjusting portions, or rethinking your cooler strategy. Take their advice — they have likely seen many camp cooking plans and know what works and what does not.
Make your adjustments before the camping trip so you arrive ready to execute a solid plan.