Menu Planning with Webelos

Why Do Menu Planning with Webelos?

My Webelos dens always enjoyed camping at district camporees. At a den meeting before our campout, we did menu planning.

If this were a Scouts BSA Troop, the youth members would sit down with the grubmaster and do their menu planning without any adult interference.

But since these were Webelos and they did not have much camping experience, I did it with them. For one of my groups, I only had four in my den. One time I remember is when I did it with just two – ZM and one of his friends – it went pretty quickly.

What’s on the Menu?

I have lots of recipes I’ve used in the past on my Camp Recipes page. So I started by talking about some of those which I thought the two of them could make mostly on their own. And that they would enjoy. Then they picked the ones they thought sounded the best.

The camp we were going to was about 90 minutes away, so we decided they would eat before leaving and then we would have a good snack after we setup our campsite. So they picked Walking Tacos and fruit. We also toasted some Peeps.

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Breakfast was sausage and pancakes.

For lunch, we usually headed over to the Scouts BSA side of the camporee and the troop provided lunch for us.

Dinner at this particular campout was Pizza Quesadillas, salad, raw broccoli and carrots with ranch dressing, and more fruit. ZD’s friend brought some brownies.

Breakfast on Sunday morning has to be quick, so we just had donuts and more fruit.

Webelos Like Having Choices

It was fun to see them discussing all of their options. The two of them both tend to have strong opinions and there was a lot of give and take before they came up with a menu they were both happy with.

So my advice for menu planning with Webelos is to give them some reasonable options and let them make the decisions.

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Comments

7 responses to “Menu Planning with Webelos”

Karen

April 16, 2011

I LOVE this blog!! Our pack has always had “bring your own food” campouts, but at our next campout we are going to try a den specific meal on Saturday night. This is new to me!!! I have 8 Bears – is it possible to get them to agree on one menu? I had planned for the adults to decide and the boys to make it (probably the hot dog in the bun in the Bear book but the Pizza Quesidillas sound good, too). What are your thoughts?

Reply
1. Scouter Mom
  
  April 16, 2011
  
  See my camp cooking page for some of our favorite camp recipes. I’d recommend you try to get the Bears involved in the menu planning. Give them a list of choices the adults can live with. I had 8 Cubs in DS’s den and they always managed to work it out. In fact, they were very considerate of each other’s feelings. They’ll be much more excited about cooking it if it is something they really want to eat.
  
  Reply
  1. Edwina
    
    March 23, 2015
    
    The link for your Camp Cooking Page isn’t working! Any chance you can update it?? I have been a WEBELOS leader twice before and am now the cubmaster. Although I already know quite a few recipes the boys like to make, I’m always open to finding new recipes to try with them!
    There’s the usual tin foil dinners, shish kabobs, breakfast on a stick (shish kabob stick with bacon folded in half & cooked over a camp fire, half a piece of cheese laid on the bacon, and a canned biscuit stretched around the bacon and cheese, then browned over the fire. banana boats, upside down cake baked in a dutch oven (apple pie filling with spice cake baked over top is REALLY yummy! A little extra cinnamon sugar sprinkled into the pie filling makes it even better!!) and the old standby- s’mores to name just a few recipes.
    
    Reply
    1. Scouter Mom
      
      March 24, 2015
      
      I am in the process of reorganizing the site for the program changes. Use my recipes page (under ideas on the top menu) instead.
      
      Reply
Leslie

April 16, 2011

great ideas! Love the Peeps!!

Reply
Karen

May 1, 2011

Wanted to let you know everything went great. The boys were able to figure out their menu with minimal help – they decided on the Cheese and Chicken Quesadillas. One of the parents commented that he had been leery of letting the kids take charge but was surprised at how well everything went. Thanks for the tips! And they loved the roasted Peeps!

Reply
1. Scouter Mom
  
  May 1, 2011
  
  Yes, they can do it if you keep it simple. For many kids, it is the first time they have truly cooked a real meal themselves.
  
  Reply