Girls camp is a time of adventure, friendship, and growth. Food is not the main focus of camp. But it can make or break the experience. These camps create memories and forge bonds that can last a lifetime. When I was asked along with my wife to be in charge of the girls camp meal prep I had three main goals: 1. Make sure nobody went hungry 2. Ensure nobody got sick from the food and 3. Try my best to have them enjoy the food.
Feeding a group of hungry campers is no small feat. Limited supplies, basic cooking equipment, and the task of keeping food fresh can be daunting. Add in the challenge of catering to various tastes and dietary restrictions, and you’ve got a recipe for stress. But fear not! I’ll show you my path to planning and preparation so that girls camp food can be successful and, hopefully, a little less stressful.
I’ll walk through the process of planning, prepping, and executing meals for girls camp. Whether you’re a seasoned camp cook or a first-time meal planner, you’ll find valuable insights to make your camp dining experience a success.
Remember, while food isn’t the primary purpose of camp, it plays a crucial role in the experience. Good food can energize campers, boost morale, and even become a highlight of the trip. On the flip side, poorly planned meals can dampen spirits and ruin the experience. By meal planning for camp, you’re ensuring that nothing stands in the way of a fantastic experience.
Facilities and Tools: Understanding What’s Available
Before diving into meal planning for camp, it’s crucial to understand the cooking facilities and tools available. This knowledge will shape your menu choices and preparation methods.
Start by contacting the camp administrators to get a clear picture of what’s on-site. Is there electricity? Are fridges available? Is there a dedicated cooking area? How far/difficult is it to get water? Are any stoves, campfires, grills, firewood, etc. available for use? Is anything specifically not allowed? Knowing these details in advance will prevent unwelcome surprises and help you plan more effectively.
You may also be able to search for the campsite and look at photos on Google. Some camps even have preview weekends where you can go up ahead of time to scope things out and get the lay of the land. Be well informed and you are already starting out ahead of the game.
Assembling the Cooking Arsenal
Once you understand your camp’s facilities, it’s time to assemble your cooking arsenal. Essential equipment might include Dutch ovens, pots and pans, mixing bowls, cutting boards, knives, measuring cups and spoons, serving utensils, and plenty of plates and eating utensils.
Our campers were tasked with bringing their own mess kits in mesh bags. This reduced a lot of waste since we had a clothing line set out for drying after they were washed.
Don’t forget can openers, bottle openers, charcoal towers, and a reliable lighter or matches for starting fires and stoves.
Your cooking methods will largely depend on what’s available at the camp and what you can bring. Common options include camp stoves, campfires with grates, charcoal grills, and Dutch ovens. If you’re lucky enough to have access to electricity, slow cookers, microwaves (mostly for defrosting), and electric griddles can be game-changers for easy girls camp meals.
Don’t forget to pack aluminum foil as well – it’s incredibly versatile for cooking, wrapping, and storing food. Lastly, if you’re using propane or charcoal, always bring extra fuel to ensure you don’t run out mid-meal.
Storage Ideas
Storage solutions are another critical aspect of meal planning for camp. They make it easy to pack in and out as well as being an essential part of keeping for safe to eat.
For perishable items, using high-quality coolers is an absolute must to ensure food stays cold and fresh. Consider using separate coolers for items that are frequently accessed, as this will help maintain consistent temperatures and make it easier to find what you need. Try to organize the coolers thoughtfully so that all food designated for the same day is stored together in the same cooler. This approach can streamline meal prep and make serving more efficient.
For dry goods and non-perishables, utilizing sturdy plastic bins with tight-fitting lids will effectively protect food from moisture, pests, and curious wildlife, while also making it significantly simpler to pack in and out of your campsite. We used a combination of the black bins with yellow lids paired with the collapsible carry totes that we purchased from Costco.
Additionally, it’s wise to have a plan for potential leftovers after meals. However, be sure to let those leftovers cool down (safely!) before adding them to the coolers to prevent any spoilage. If a refrigerator is available at your campsite, consider yourself very lucky, as this can greatly simplify keeping things cold.
Meal Planning for Camp Success
When it comes to camp meal planning, simplicity is key. Avoid overly complicated recipes that overwhelm you or need intricate cooking techniques. This will look different for every camp chef depending on your own skill level.
Remember – with girls camp food you’re cooking outdoors, often for a large group, so choose recipes that are scalable and forgiving. I also find it helpful to choose meals that can be customized with a lot of separate toppings. This way food allergies can be taken into account and everyone can decide what they want for a personalized meal.
Choosing the Girls Camp Food
Once you know what facilities and tools will be available, start coming up with lists of meals, snacks, and desserts that you’d be able to make. You can use some of my ideas from below, search for other sites, and ask previous camp leaders to come up with meal ideas. Then you can begin to finalize from there.
To get the campers excited about the meals, involve them in the planning process. Take the list of potential meals and let the girls choose. This not only ensures that the menu will be well-received but also gives the campers a sense of ownership over their camp experience.
Before finalizing your menu, it’s essential to gather information about any food allergies and dietary restrictions. This might involve creating a simple survey for campers or their parents to fill out in advance. Plan meals around those needs or ensure you have suitable alternatives.
Budgeting and Planning Amounts
Budget is another important factor in meal planning. Determine your overall food budget and break it down per meal. Look for ways to stretch your budget without sacrificing quality or nutrition. This might involve choosing recipes that use similar ingredients across multiple meals to be able to buy in bulk. My spreadsheet linked below has a section to enter the budget and it will add up all of your estimated costs to give you an idea of how close you are.
Accurate portion sizing is crucial to ensure everyone is well-fed without excessive waste. It’s also one of the most difficult aspects of meal planning since it will take a little guesswork. I ended up doing a lot of Googling for portion sizes and estimates. Then multiply based on your camp’s headcount. Remember – it’s always better to have a little extra than to run short, but try to strike a balance to avoid overbuying.
I also recommend using collaborative tools like Google Docs to streamline your planning process. This allows multiple organizers to contribute ideas, update shopping lists, and keep track of everything in real-time. Multiple people can look at and edit the same document during planning meetings. It’s an efficient way to ensure everyone is on the same page and that no important details slip through the cracks. I’ll have some links to the docs I made in the section titled My Girls Camp Menu Ideas and Prep down below.
Meal Prep for Girls Camp and Packing
The key to lower-stress (because it won’t be stress-free…) camp cooking lies in thorough preparation. Maximize your home kitchen time to minimize camp kitchen hassles. Chop vegetables, pre-cook certain ingredients, and assemble dry mixes for things like pancakes or seasoning blends. This will save time at camp and allow you to use tools that wouldn’t be available there – for example, I used a smoker at home to make pulled pork.
Make Ahead Camp Meals
Preparing as much as you can at home before heading out to camp is a game-changer for saving time and energy. Think of anything that could be easily reheated at camp that makes sense to pre-cook.
Proteins, soups, and sauces can be prepared at home, frozen flat in freezer bags or quart deli containers, and used as ice packs in your cooler. As they thaw, they’ll help keep other items cold, and by the time you’re ready to eat them, they can be easily defrosted in a pot of hot water.
We had a food prep activity to involve the girls. I spent the day making a lot of the girls camp food (tomato soup, ground beef taco meat, pulled pork, etc.). The girls then came to help make some more food and to pack it all up. We have an extra fridge and deep freezer, so we were able to store everything until camp time. But you can look towards other leaders of girls families to store everything if you don’t have the space.
Packing the Girls Camp Food
Creating a comprehensive packing list is crucial. Include all ingredients, cooking equipment, and serving items needed for each meal. Double-check this list before departing to ensure nothing essential is left behind. Consider organizing items by meal or day to streamline the cooking process at camp. My ingredient spreadsheet has a column for marking whether an item was packed or not.
Proper food storage is paramount for safety. Use high-quality coolers and plenty of ice to keep perishables at safe temperatures. Or use a fridge if you are lucky and the campsite has one available. Pack raw meats separately from other foods to prevent cross-contamination. For dry goods, use lidded containers to keep out moisture and critters. Don’t forget to pack a food thermometer to ensure meats are cooked to safe temperatures.
Seasonings can make or break a meal, so don’t leave them behind! Create a spice kit with small containers of your most-used seasonings. Include versatile options like salt, pepper, garlic powder, and maybe a premixed blend for specific dishes.
Quick Tips for Smooth Sailing in the Camp Kitchen
Here are a few quick tips that didn’t really fit in any of the other sections:
- Make sure to bring snacks – Snacks are unsung heroes of camp life. Between main meals, campers may need an energy boost. Pack an assortment of healthy, satisfying snacks. We included apples, cutie oranges, bananas, trail mix, and applesauce packets as options. We needed less than we thought, but they were helpful to have available.
- Flexibility is key – Despite your best planning, unexpected situations arise. Perhaps an activity runs long, or weather refuses to cooperate. Be prepared to adjust your meal schedule or cooking methods as needed. A positive attitude and quick thinking can turn potential culinary disasters around. I had to swap meals around when the potatoes were not cooking quickly enough for baked potato night.
- Have simple backup meals available – Pack some easy-to-prepare alternatives like instant soups, peanut butter and jelly for sandwiches (this was our go-to backup), or canned foods that can be quickly heated. These can be lifesavers for feeding extra-hungry campers or for extra-picky eaters.
- Always be getting ice – Have anyone coming up mid-camp bring up ice for your coolers. This helps maintain safe food temperatures without requiring you to leave the camp or store large amounts of ice from the beginning.
Embrace the challenges, celebrate the successes, and don’t stress too much about perfection. With these quick tips in your camp cooking toolkit, you’ll be well-prepared to handle whatever adventures await.
Actually Cooking the Girls Camp Food
Now down to the nitty-gritty – cooking the food while at camp. This will depend largely on what out of all the girls camp menu ideas made it to your final list. Just be sure you fully understand the cooking method your meals involve. And be sure you’ll have all of the tools and ingredients at camp.
To ensure food is done at the right time, have a schedule in place. I literally wrote down everything that I would need to do for each meal. Then I planned out when I would need to begin each step to get done on time. You can see my planning in the next main section.
Setting Up For Girls Camp Meal Prep
Setting up a functional camp kitchen is the first step to successful meal execution. After hauling all of the stuff into the campsite, choose a flat, dry area away from tents and sleeping quarters. Establish hand and dish-washing stations with soap and water. Remember, a clean kitchen is a safe kitchen, so make sanitization a priority throughout your camp stay.
Use foldable tables and shade tents to set up a nice camp kitchen area.
Safety should be at the forefront of your camp cooking efforts. Ensure all cooking equipment is stable and secure. If using a campfire, keep it contained and supervised at all times. Have fire safety equipment and buckets of water readily available. Teach campers about kitchen safety rules and make sure they’re followed consistently.
Involving the Girls
Transform meal prep for girls camp into a team activity by involving the girls in the process. Assign roles and responsibilities based on age and skill level. Consider them as a bunch of sous chefs, waiting to help you. This not only lightens the load for camp leaders but also teaches valuable life skills and fosters a sense of community.
They helped wash dishes, chop, peel, mix, set out, clean tables, cook, stir, and everything in between.
Our camp had girls divided into smaller groups. Each group was assigned to be in charge of multiple meals throughout the week. They would show up about 30 minutes before mealtime and help with whatever we needed. They were also in charge of cleanup after the meal they were assigned. This was very nice, so that I had to do very little dishwashing – my least favorite kitchen task.
This made for a rotating schedule of kitchen duties so that everyone got a chance to participate. Don’t forget to praise efforts and celebrate successes – a little encouragement goes a long way in building confidence in the kitchen.
My Girls Camp Menu Ideas and Prep
When tasked with meal planning for camp, I knew that collaboration and detailed planning would be key to success. It can seem pretty daunting at first. Just break it down into smaller tasks and it can be manageable:
- Figure out the facilities and tools you’ll have available
- Decide on the girls camp menu ideas that you can make work with those facilities and tools
- Finalize the menu
- List out the ingredients you’ll need for each meal
- Calculate how much you’ll need and estimate costs
- Schedule out when and how you’ll make everything
- Purchase everything – sometimes in stages
- Make ahead camp meals and ingredients that you can
- Pack and drive to camp
- Set up your camp kitchen
- Follow your schedule and involve the girls in the process
- Rest and recover
My Planning
I started by creating a Google Doc to serve as our central hub for meal planning. This document became an invaluable tool, allowing me to jot down initial ideas, pose questions to other leaders, and gather input from the campers themselves.
Then, I created a comprehensive Google Sheets document. In this spreadsheet I detailed every aspect of our meal plan. I listed all ingredients needed for the meals, guesstimated the amounts for our group size, and estimated prices to stay within budget.
One of the most useful features of the spreadsheet was the daily meal schedule I created. This timeline accounted for all our planned activities, ensuring that meal prep and cooking times wouldn’t clash with other camp events. It also helped me plan when to start making the different parts of each meal.
I then used my ingredients list to filter to what I would buy, when, from what store, and what amounts. I used this to make a separate doc as a shopping list.
By the time camp arrived, we had a clear, detailed plan. This made the process much smoother. It helped break down the daunting task into simpler items I could work through.
Links to My Documents
I want to share the documents I used in this process in case you find them helpful. If you have any questions or concerns about them, please let me know and I’ll try to help out. These links should let you make a copy of each document for yourself:
- Prep Doc – used to ask initial questions and let the girls choose the meals
- Planning Spreadsheet – used to plan out ingredients and schedule
- Shopping List – used to list out what to buy, when, from where
Some Easy Girls Camp Meals
Here are some actual girls camp menu ideas that you can use to help plan food. You can also search elsewhere online for more ideas or pull from recipes you know and are comfortable with making. I have also linked to some of my recipes, and some of the other recipes I used from the web for planning out those meals. For any linked recipes, those are what I used to inspire my cooking at camp.
Breakfast:
- Campfire Hash
- Breakfast Tacos
- Pancakes (Berry Syrup) (Chocolate Syrup)
- Yogurt Parfait
- French Toast Sticks
- Overnight Oats
- Breakfast Burritos
- Bagels
- Costco muffins
Lunch:
- Tomato Soup (link 2) with Grilled Cheese
- Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Quesadillas
- Pasta Salad (link 2)
- BLT Sandwiches
- Walking Tacos (Ground Beef Taco Meat)
Dinner:
- Campfire Chili
- Grilled Chicken
- Taco Bar (Ground Beef Taco Meat)
- Beef Stew
- Potato bar
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Smoked Pulled Pork) (BBQ Sauce 1) (BBQ Sauce 2)
- Nachos
- Burgers
- Foil Packet Dinners
Dessert:
- S’mores
- Campfire cones
- Fruit kabobs
- Rice Krispies
- Brownies
Drinks:
- Water
- Lemonade
- Gatorade mix (Amazon link)
- Hot cocoa
- Special soda/mix ins night
Snacks:
- Cutie Oranges
- Applesauce packets
- Apples
- Bananas
- Granola bars
- Campfire popcorn
- Trail mix
- Jerky
- Cheese/crackers
Final Thoughts on Meal Planning for Camp
As we wrap up our journey through camp meal planning and preparation, it’s clear that food plays a crucial role in the overall camp experience. Well-planned and executed meals fuel the physical activities of camp and can also serve as focal points for social interaction, learning, and memory-making. The effort put into meal planning and prep pays dividends in reduced stress, increased enjoyment, and more time for camp activities and bonding.
Remember, the key to camp meals lies in thorough planning, smart preparation, and flexible execution. Don’t be afraid to involve the campers in the process – their participation can turn simple meals into cherished memories.
Now, we’d love to hear from you! What are your go-to camp recipes or meal prep strategies? Have you tried any of the ideas we’ve shared? We encourage you to share your experiences, tips, and favorite camp meals in the comments below. Your insights could be just what another camp planner needs to hear.
Don’t forget to come back and let us know how it went – your success stories and lessons learned can inspire and help others in our community.
Remember, great camp food isn’t just about satisfying hunger – it’s about creating moments of joy, fostering community, and fueling unforgettable adventures. Happy camping and good luck!
