Many camping trips will include one or more meals that a scout needs to provide for himself. The type of food you include depends on several factors: what kind of camping trip is it, what resources will be available, how much time will the boys have to "cook," and how much is your son likely to eat. You are in the best position to help judge this for your scout.
Meals where we have the luxury of cooking tend to be more balanced than fast, "cold" meals. However, there are ways to eat quickly and still maintain a fair balance of food groups and nutrition. Don't worry too much about high calorie foods on camping trips. More energy is expended (especially in colder weather), so it doesn't make sense to shortchange your body.
The Scout Handbook and Fieldbook have good information on cooked meals along with food lists and cooking instructions. When we cook as patrols, food will usually be purchased collectively and cooking instructions will be provided. Since there is plenty of information available for those situations, this sheet will deal with the "quick and cold" meals or "quick and hot" meals that may only require the boiling of water.
Breakfast (cold)
Dry cereal (with dried milk if you want yours with milk)
Pop-Tarts
Breakfast bars / Granola bars
Peanut butter crackers
Boxed fruit drinks
Instant breakfast drink mix
Fruit (always try to include a fruit to balance the diet)
apples / oranges travel best
Breakfast (quick and hot)
Instant oatmeal
Instant grits
Cream of Wheat
Hot chocolate
Hot tea
Hot spiced cider mix
Breakfast things to avoid -- unless you have time to cook
Eggs (must be refrigerated and cleanup is not fun)
Bacon / sausage (must be refrigerated and cooked thoroughly)
Lunch
Sandwiches
Pay attention to the spoilage rate and the time of year. Mayonnaise is
the worst in terms of spoilage rate -- even one hour sitting out is too long.
Send it in fast-food type foil packets. Mayonnaise based "salad"
sandwiches -- chicken salad, tuna salad, ham salad -- all will suffer
the same fate. If you wish to try meat salads, see if you can find them
in pop-top cans so they can be opened on the spot and spread on the
sandwich bread. Meat and cheese sandwiches will overnight well in
cool weather, but in summer they will not last without a cooler. Peanut
butter and/or jelly will not have a problem. Sub-style bread travels
better than sliced sandwich bread and is more filling
Peanut butter / cheese crackers
Canned tuna or chicken with crackers (you need a can opener on your pocketknife)
Slim Jims or other beef jerky / dried beef
Canned or dried fruit (fruit cocktail, raisins, dried apples, dried apricots, etc.)
Cookies / fruit bars
Beanee Weenees or other similar product
Fresh fruit (apple, orange)
Pre-packed "lunchables"-style lunches
Supper
Freeze-dried dinners
These are especially designed for backpacking. They are lightweight and
usually pasta based with freeze-dried meat and vegetables. Just boil water,
add to pouch, and let sit. Quick, easy, and convenient. Available from
camping supply stores
Ramen noodles in plastic quart Zip-Loc bag
Kind of a do-it-yourself freeze dried meal. Add chicken from a
5 oz. can, add boiling water, stir and wait 3 minutes.
Instant Cup-O-Soup
Fruit
Pudding / applesauce / Jell-O snack paks
Drink mix -- lemonade, fruit punch, etc.
Canned items -- use sparingly
Cans are heavy, bulky, and require trash facilities to get rid of
containers. Avoid canned foods on backpacking trips.
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