Cub Camp Cuisine

This activity is designed to be done with a trip to the grocery store and a campout.   

Before the meeting: 

1. Gather copies of the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record on each participant (youth and adult)
2. Review Annual Health and Medical Records for any restrictions that may impact participation
3. Become familiar with the food groups using USDA My Plate.  
4. Learn how to make foil packets for cooking on a campout by watching “Foil Cooking – Boy Scouts of America Handbook Hacks.” 
5. Coordinate with your pack leadership that your den will be cooking dinner during the campout for this Adventure to allow for proper planning. 
6. Identify a local grocery store for the den to meet at to shop for the ingredients for the balanced meal, chicken fajitas.  Confirm the date, time, and location of the visit to the grocery store. 
7. Inform Cub Scouts, parents, and legal guardians of the date, time, and location of the visit to the grocery store and the details of the campout.  Request that parents participate with the visit to the grocery store to provide additional supervision. 
8. Check with each parent or legal guardian for Cub Scouts to check for food allergies or dietary restrictions and make any necessary adjustments. 
9.  Secure funding for food shopping with your pack leadership. 

During the meeting: 

1. Bring copies of the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record on each participant (youth and adult)
2. Gather the Cub Scouts at the entrance to the grocery store. Remind them that everyone is expecting them to follow the Scout Oath and Law during their visit.  Make sure everyone has a buddy. 
3. The path that you take as you walk through the grocery store will be determined by how the store is set up
   
   • Tell them that for the campout they will make chicken fajitas.   
   • Walk to the meat department.  Gather Cub Scouts and ask them what food group this section represents, protein.  Go to a sign for ground beef.  Share with the Cub Scouts that meat like this is priced by the pound.  Show them where to find the price per pound on the package or sign for ground beef.   Show them the sign for a New York strip steak.  Show them the price per pound. Compare that to the price for ground beef.  With their buddies have them look for the least expensive and the most expensive type of protein. Give them 5 minutes to do so and gather back for them to share what they found.  Share with the Cub Scouts that in addition to meat and seafood, there are other sources of protein such as beans and eggs.  Tell them that for the recipe you want to find a 1 lb. 6 oz bag of pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips.  Getting something pre-cooked will save us time at the campout.  You may need to go to a frozen food section.  
   • Walk to the dairy section.  Gather Cub Scouts and ask them what food group this section represents, dairy.  Go to a sign for milk.  Share with the Cub Scouts that milk is priced by the gallon.  Show them where to find the price per gallon.  Have them compare the different types of milk and the price per gallon. Walk over to where the cheese is located.  Share with the Cub Scouts that cheese is priced per pound.  Show them where to find the price per pound.  Have them compare the prices of the different types of cheeses per pound.  Ask them what type of cheese they should have with fajitas.  Come to a consensus and have them find the cheese they want.  This is a good opportunity to look at the different brands and differences in price per pound.  Walk over to where the sour cream is located.  Share with them that some people may like sour cream with their fajitas.  Finally, have them identify a sour cream that they think the den should buy.  If no one in the den want’s sour cream, don’t buy it. 
   • Walk to the produce department.  Gather Cub Scouts and ask them what food group this section represents, fruits and vegetables.  Ask the den if anyone knows what the difference between a fruit and a vegetable is.  (Fruits have seeds and start as flowers on a plant) Share with them that you have to pay close attention when buying fruits and vegetables.  Some items are priced by the pound and others are priced per item.  Show them an example of an item sold by the pound and an item that is sold per item.  Ask them what types of vegetables they need for fajitas. (lettuce, onions, and peppers).  If someone says tomato, ask them if tomatoes have seeds.  Tomatoes are a fruit, but we often treat them as vegetables.  Go to where the onions are and have Cub Scouts assist in looking for a yellow onion and green onion for the recipe.  Go to where the peppers are and have Cub Scouts assist in looking for a green pepper for the recipe. (If someone wants a jalapeno or hot pepper include it as a side option). Go to where the lettuce is and have Cub Scouts assist in looking for lettuce. (To save time at the campout you may want to opt for a bag of shredded lettuce).  Go to where the tomatoes are and have Cub Scouts assist in looking for a tomato for the recipe.  
   • Walk to the bakery department.  Gather Cub Scouts and ask them what food group this section represents, grains.  Ask the Cub Scouts what do you need in this section for your fajitas, tortillas.  Have Cub Scouts locate the tortillas, checking for the price and comparing brands.   
   • Walk to the condiments section.  Most grocery stores have a layout where the meat, dairy, and produce departments are on the back walls of the store, and you may not have to go down any of the aisles. If your store is laid out this way make a note to the Cub Scouts that a good tip for eating healthily is to shop in the outer section where the fresh food is.  In the condiment section ask them what condiment they may want for their fajitas, fajita/taco seasoning, salsa.  Have the Cub Scouts compare prices, brands, and level of heat to choose a salsa (or two or three) (mild, medium, hot).  Have the Cub Scouts pick out a fajita or taco seasoning packet.   
   • If needed walk to the other sections of the grocery store to pick-up heavy-duty tin foil and any other necessary items. 
   • Before checking out gather the Cub Scouts around the grocery cart filled with your selections.  Ask the Cub Scouts if what you have is a balanced meal?  Have them identify what is the protein, what is the vegetable, what is the fruit, what is the dairy. 
   • Check out and share with the Cub Scouts what the total cost was, now divide that by the number of people this meal will feed.  Compare that cost to eating out at a restaurant. 
   • Thank parents for helping and reminding everyone of the date, time, and location of the campout.

During the Campout 

1. Bring copies of the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record on each participant (youth and adult)
2. Work with the Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) trained leader to prepare a proper space for preparing food.  Have tables with cutting boards and sharpened chef knives for Cub Scouts to chop onions, peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes.  
3. Have everyone wash their hands. 
4. Gather Cub Scouts and parents and demonstrate how to chop the onions, peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes.  Allow Cub Scouts to volunteer to finish the job of chopping with their parent supervising.  
5. Lay out the pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips, onions, and peppers in a row so everyone can fill their foil packets. 
6. Next demonstrate how to create a foil packet. 
7. Have everyone make their own foil packet
   
   • Add 3 oz of chicken 
   • 1 tsp of seasoning 
   • 1 tablespoon of onions 
   • 1 tablespoon of peppers 
   • Seal the packet and place on grill for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is heated and onions and peppers have softened. 
8. As packets are heating up lay out the tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and salsa. 
9. When packets are finished have everyone make their fajitas and top with their choice of toppings.  
10. When finished, properly clean up by washing kitchen knives and cutting boards and other utensils and plates that may have been used.  Work with the Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) trained leader to ensure everything is properly cleaned.