Meal Planning

When planning out meals for you group there are a number of things you need to keep in mind including: group size, allergies, costs, equipment, skill levels, and the dietary needs do to weather and activities. For example active vs lounging around camp and cold vs hot weather. Regardless if it is cold or hot hydration needs to be a priority. Also don't forget about space and weight to get you, your gear, food, etc to the camp site. This becomes even more critical if it is a backpacking trek.

When I am planning out a menu I sit down and on a chunk of scratch paper write down each meal we will be having. Lets say we are going out Fri after dinner and coming back Sun after lunch. Don't forget to keep in mind what you will be doing, maybe in middle of the day when its lunch time you will be hours from camp, so need something you can take with you. You can also do different types of cooking camp stove, fire, charcoal, dutch oven, alternative, etc.

Here is how a basic menu might look.

Fri Dinner:
eat before we depart

Sat Breakfast:
     bacon
     eggs
      fruit
     oj

Sat Lunch:
trail lunch – bring your own

Sat Dinner & Snack:
     spaghetti
     garlic bread
     kool-aid

peach cobbler

Sun Breakfast:
     oatmeal
     dried fruit
     tang

Sun Lunch:
     sub sandwiches
     fruit
     chips
     kool-aid

Then under each one of those headings I would list what we are going to eat, drink, snacks, etc as well as the supplies needed to make that meal. This list of supplies becomes your shopping list.

Another thing to think about... what can you do at home before you leave. The less you have to do in camp the easier cooking and clean up may be. Also don't forget to do a duty roster so that everyone knows what there camp chores are.

Here are some other good resources:

http://insanescouter.org/c/67/cooking.html
http://insanescouter.org/p/8/67/Meal_Planning_Forms.html
http://cookingwithjoe.wordpress.com/
http://www.inquiry.net/OUTDOOR/skills/b-p/planning.htm
http://www.troop1523.org/Planning/cookpage.htm

I would like to hear about how you plan for camp meals, types of things you do, eat, types of cooking you do, etc. Tell me all about it in the comments section below.