Jean in Newcastle Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) I am the director of a small summer camp. 11 days before camp I received a call that the place we use doesn't have a cook and that we will have to figure out our own meals. Help me brainstorm easy-ish meals that will still satisfy kids from 9 to 19 years old. No nuts. Have access to a full kitchen including stove, refrigerator, freezer, microwave and grill. 13 meals. Breakfast - Can do a cereal bar but hot meal items would be appreciated as well. Especially if they can be prepped ahead or made easily. Or we can get things from Costco. Lunch - can do a sandwich "bar" and salad but again some other ideas would be appreciated. Dinner - snacks are already covered. Edited August 3, 2022 by Jean in Newcastle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Breakfast oatmeal with assorted toppings yogurt with fresh fruit bar muffins baked egg casserole of some type or crustless quiche. hashbrown patties (you can bake a bunch on a pan at one time so you don't have to mess with stirring them) Lunch in addition to cold meat sandwiches, chicken salad. hot dogs chicken strips (again easy to bake a bunch at one time) Supper hamburger taco bar (this one would require a bit more work because of the need to chop a bunch of veggies) pasta with choice of red or white sauce baked potato bar mac and cheese could be a side or main dish for either lunch or dinner. Personally I much prefer the boxed kind to anything homemade (probably the only food on the planet that I would say that about) which would make prep much easier. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 How many people do you have assigned to help prep the food before each meal? Can you make food runs daily or is the fridge a commercial fridge? Is the kitchen area always air conditioned/ temperature controlled? (One meal for 35 would fill a house fridge, iykwim.) What kind of budget constraints do you have? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Breakfast: costco muffins, Costco hard boiled eggs yogurt bar (the restaurant store yogurt tubs, fresh fruit, bulk nut free granola from Winco) breakfast sandwiches (frozen from Costco) breakfast burritos (these can be pre-prepped and frozen), fresh fruit pancakes, breakfast sausages (buy frozen from cash and carry) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Taco bar is easy for getting everyone something they like. I’d actually go with chips vs. shells and make it a nacho bar because it is just easier. Your pickiest eaters can just eat the chips or chips and cheese. Healthy eaters can make a salad. Hearty eaters can fill up. With that small of a number chopping everything up isn’t terrible but buying the fixings already prepped is an option too. Mass production of frozen chicken tenders isn’t hard. You can just throw them on baking sheets in the oven and most kids will be happy. Burgers on the grill aren’t too hard for that size group if you have someone who likes to work the grill (I don’t). A couple big pans of Mac and cheese or another baked pasta will serve a lot. Baked potato bars aren’t too hard. My dd went to camp and they had smashed potatoes for lunch the night after the potato bar 😉 I would be happy with setting out some fruit and veggies for the healthy portion of the meal and not fretting when most kids pass them over and not worrying too much about having great veggie choices. I know I run the risk of getting torched for saying that but it is camp and it is only a few days. And kids don’t always eat their veggies at camp. Some will and as long as you have some for the small fraction of kids that really want their veggies I think that is fine. It’s the chicken tenders and Mac and cheese you will run out of. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Dinners: Taco bar Chili & baked potatoes Pasta lasagna & salad hot dogs & burgers burrito bowls Breakfasts Pancakes Quiche muffins Yogurt/fruit/continental breakfast Oatmeal/cold cereal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Lunch: hot dogs, chips, and baby carrots (all Costco) Pre made salad bowls from Winco, French bread toasted in the oven Chicken strips, French fries, fruit cups (all Costco or Winco) pizza (Costco) and carrots and bagged salad sandwiches, potato salad (probably 10# of red potatoes to serve 35, 5 is cutting it short), cookies from the bakery Supper is all dependent on budget and time and manpower. You want people to go to bed satisfied and happy so if you are short here, I would plan on awesome bedtime snacks or desserts like icecream sundaes, s’mores, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 9 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: How many people do you have assigned to help prep the food before each meal? Can you make food runs daily or is the fridge a commercial fridge? Is the kitchen area always air conditioned/ temperature controlled? (One meal for 35 would fill a house fridge, iykwim.) What kind of budget constraints do you have? Right now I have zero people assigned for food because until 30 minutes ago the kitchen staff was supposed to come with the campground. The kitchen is a commercial kitchen. I think that they estimated 2 to 3 thousand dollars for food but I don’t have the exact figures in front of me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 I am sorry that happened to you. Sincerely. I’ve done bulk meals for that many and even with a group of friends to help, it’s a lot to take on. 455 (35x13) meals for $2-3k means you are going to have to budget tightly. I would shift some things like premaking the hard boiled eggs in your instant pot rather than buying hard boiled, and so on if you can bring in friends to help you prep. You could easily flow chart the workload and divvy up prep if you have friends to help. Otherwise you probably need to be pricing out meals today and tomorrow to start your prep and begging space in people’s freezers to store. I would be asking for photos of the fridge space, number of ovens, if thermal jugs for drinks and tableware are provided, and the number of outlets. That’s really going to determine a lot of decisions for you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 For breakfast I'd do a breakfast casserole at least one morning. You want stuff good and hot but also not labor intensive. There is also the balance of labor-intensive vs. budget. People and teens in particular will load up on the meat if given free choice. For example, I'd considered self-catering my wedding. A good friend of mine is a wedding photographer and I asked him. His favorite that he's seen was fajitas. People would get the fajita pre-cooked in the frozen section of Costco or Sam's. Then put a normal amount of the meat inside a tortilla, roll, then wrap each in Al. Foil. The beforehand just heat in a couple of the big roasters. He said if people served the meat themselves one person would put a pound of meat on their plate. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 Dealing with meal issues instead of the teaching prep that I wanted to focus on. Ugh. But people are stepping up. Especially my right hand woman. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) You've gotten a lot of good suggestions. But one thing I've done for breakfast groups (in conjunction with like bagels, toast, fruit, etc) is just a really basic egg bake. Like eggs, some milk, cheese, salt, pepper. Serve with salsa. Can be baked ahead. I usually bake like a dozen eggs in a standard pyrex glass dish, lightly oil the pan. Easy to reheat in oven with foil over the top and will hold several days in the fridge. Bake time is about an hour though so Can throw in like a breakfast meat and veggies, hash browns, etc if that would appeal to your crowd. Or do a few options. You might find recipes under breakfast casserole or egg bake, but I free lance these all the time to use CSA veggies. So easy. ETA Here's a well reviewed basic recipe that could easily be adapted to preferred ingredients. Though I've never used 2 lbs a meat like this wow! I've used 1 lb. You could throw in a bag of frozen hashbrowns, that works well too. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/breakfast-casserole/ Edited August 3, 2022 by catz 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Let Us Now Praise Right Hand Women 33 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said: Dealing with meal issues instead of the teaching prep that I wanted to focus on. Ugh. But people are stepping up. Especially my right hand woman. Bless her. For 35, for lunch and dinner I'd seek to have a couple of enormous vats of carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes, mac and cheese), a Very Simple protein ideally obtainable from Costco (like roasted chicken), a yuge salad and lots of chunk fruit like watermelon and generous quantities of Costco Pie. Costco Pie -- which, for those unfamiliar, is the approximate size of a car tire -- has saved many a late-notice party disaster. 8 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 ITA with the tip about watching portion size. You want 2-3 people serving the food and portioning out rather than the teens helping themselves. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said: I think that they estimated 2 to 3 thousand dollars for food but I don’t have the exact figures in front of me. Do you also have the funds that would have been spent on kitchen staff? It seems that the campsite should be refunding you that portion, which might increase your budget and let you buy more prepared things. Also, do you have a plan for having a food handler onsite? Here, at least, that would be mandatory. Perhaps you have someone already planning to come with that license. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 2 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said: Do you also have the funds that would have been spent on kitchen staff? It seems that the campsite should be refunding you that portion, which might increase your budget and let you buy more prepared things. Also, do you have a plan for having a food handler onsite? Here, at least, that would be mandatory. Perhaps you have someone already planning to come with that license. One of my staff (and possibly two) already have a food handler license. We had toyed with providing our own food at one point but had dismissed it because we really wanted to focus on other things. But of course now we have to pivot. They sent me a revised contract. I have to compare it to the original one to see what the adjustment was. But I can't right at this moment. I have to rush out the door for PT. (And I'm hip deep still in lesson planning, taking care of finances, staffing issues etc. etc. etc. . . . oh and coordinating supplies. . . ) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Quesadillas baked on sheet pans and cut into wedges, served with tortilla chips and dip / salsa. Frozen French toast sticks with syrup and powdered sugar. Grilled cheese baked on sheet pans. Breakfast casseroles. Agree with a PP that I wouldn't worry about lots of veggie / fruit side dishes. Make veggie trays with dip and put out fresh fruit. Desserts can be super simple too. Cookies or ice cream bars. A lot of kids would be happy with "fun" cold cereals for breakfast. I feel for you! It will all turn out okay, I'm sure, but what a curve ball. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 1 minute ago, MercyA said: I feel for you! It will all turn out okay, I'm sure, but what a curve ball. I think that it’s kind of humorous that I am part of a study right now on the effect of stress on blood sugars. .. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 35 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said: One of my staff (and possibly two) already have a food handler license. We had toyed with providing our own food at one point but had dismissed it because we really wanted to focus on other things. But of course now we have to pivot. They sent me a revised contract. I have to compare it to the original one to see what the adjustment was. But I can't right at this moment. I have to rush out the door for PT. (And I'm hip deep still in lesson planning, taking care of finances, staffing issues etc. etc. etc. . . . oh and coordinating supplies. . . ) Those are both very good things! Still, this has to be super stressful and frustrating. I'm sure you'll figure it out though. I'll add meatball subs, with purchased meatballs and sauce, and sloppy Joe's to the list of ideas. 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 I routinely feed 75-100 people total at our camping trips although I only have to do one dinner and everyone takes turns. Meals that have been great hits are: #1 walking tacos. So so easy. Since we are tent camping I pre cook the hamburger and freeze. Then heat with a #10 can of pinto beans per 4-5 lbs of meat to stretch it. Buy the big boxes of Doritos only and shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream and salsa. Easy and always a crowd pleaser. Hawaiian haystacks. Again we precook the chicken but if I had access to a kitchen I would just put it in a slow cooker or roaster in the am. Does require chopping for the toppings though. BBQ pork or chicken sandwiches. Slow cooker to the rescue again in your situation. Sloppy joes. Another tip to save time and energy at the camp is to scramble a freeze the raw eggs in a gallon bag, flat. I do this and put it in a cooler as again I'm tenting but it would save time in the am to have that done. 2-3 doz per bag. I would probably do pancakes if there is an adequate grill top. From a mix for sure. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saraha Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Pancakes could even be done before camp and warmed at camp 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw4321 Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Assign kitchen “capers” (Girl Scout Speak for chores) to 2 adults every meal - one for beforehand and one for after. After will help put away and do dishes. Have one group of kids assigned to each lunch and dinner (probably with their adults) to wipe tables, set out condiments, etc. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 2 minutes ago, lauraw4321 said: Assign kitchen “capers” (Girl Scout Speak for chores) to 2 adults every meal - one for beforehand and one for after. After will help put away and do dishes. Have one group of kids assigned to each lunch and dinner (probably with their adults) to wipe tables, set out condiments, etc. We already have a system where each cabin takes a day for KP duty (all 3 meals). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Breakfast tacos--egg and ham, egg and bacon, potato and egg, bean and cheese, etc. Sliced ham with green beans, potato or pasta salad, and fruit Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches Chicken tetrazzini or King Ranch Chicken casserole Enchiladas, rice, and beans Lasagna or some type of pasta bake Chili casserole topped with cornbread Hamburgers, hot dogs, Frito pie, pulled pork, sloppy Joes 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Any restaurants, pizza places etc. anywhere near the camp? Maybe you can get a couple places to donate a meal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 3 hours ago, happi duck said: Any restaurants, pizza places etc. anywhere near the camp? Maybe you can get a couple places to donate a meal No. We’re in the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Are you going to be able to transport everything in one trip? This seems like an enormous job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 6 minutes ago, lmrich said: Are you going to be able to transport everything in one trip? This seems like an enormous job! I won't. I live over 300 miles away. But some of my staff live close and those are the ones who will be sourcing most camp supplies including food supplies. I am just the one overseeing it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Does the camp have any food service providers that they use that can deliver things like milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables in bulk to the camp? Perhaps it would also be a source for frozen chicken nuggets and other bulk foods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 52 minutes ago, Bootsie said: Does the camp have any food service providers that they use that can deliver things like milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables in bulk to the camp? Perhaps it would also be a source for frozen chicken nuggets and other bulk foods? They told me where they source their food. It's down in the city. I would be extremely surprised if any place would deliver up to the campground on the mountain but I can certainly ask. But I have already had a flurry of texts, emails and one phone call about the food situation this morning and I think that we're getting it sorted out. There is a tentative menu already and two people will be reviewing it and then making a master shopping list from it. I would assume that they would be dividing it into sections depending on where they shop for what. It turns out that we got $4000 returned to us from the campground so we do have a healthy budget to use for food. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Jean - that is crazy! Good for you guys for figuring it out!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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