As the cook at Saltash Mountain Camp, I have lots of experience making plans for yummy, healthy food. When cooking at camp for 60, 100, or 200 people, menu planning is essential. It allows me to shop for food efficiently and ensures that I have a balanced menu. The same is true when cooking at home. Without a menu in place, it’s very easy to fall into a rut and make the same things again and again. Purchasing food also becomes more efficient and less haphazard when you can make a shopping list based on a menu. Note: A menu is a dynamic thing. If an ingredient is not available, if the weather shifts, or if you’re just not feeling it, change it up! If there’s no rice at the store, there may be barley or couscous available.
Here is a sample menu for two weeks’ worth of meals from the Farm & Wilderness head cook’s binder (including some snacks, desserts, and beverages). Not everything will translate to your kitchen, but it may give you some new ideas. Try to avoid serving particular foods (eggs, tomato sauce, beans, etc…) more than once a day, unless your family has a special love for those foods.
My next post will be recipes for some of the foods listed below. Until then, happy cooking!
Breakfasts:
- Pancakes, syrup, butter, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- French toast, syrup, butter, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Bagels, cc, butter, tomatoes, onions, basil, deviled eggs, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Scrambled eggs, toast, butter, jam, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Peach crisp, oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Fried eggs, English muffins, sliced cheese, fried ham, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Oatmeal, blueberry coffee cake, hard-boiled eggs, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Potato egg cheesy casserole (with optional sausage), cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Scrambled eggs, hash browns, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Granola, yogurt, fruit salad, applesauce cake, scrambled tofu, OJ, milk
- Scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Grits with cheese, fried eggs, biscuits, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Eggs in a hole, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
- Bagels, cc, butter, tomatoes, onions, basil, boiled eggs, cold cereal, milk, OJ, two fruits
Breakfast fruits could include red or green grapes, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries, pears, peaches, plums, and fruit salad.
Lunches:
- Grilled cheese and tomato soup, vegetable sticks with hummus, apples
- Corn chowder, biscuits, three-bean salad, sautéed kale, watermelon
- Salad bar: all vegetables plus several dressings, cheeses, meats, cottage cheese, crackers, applesauce, etc…
- Quiche (meat and vegetable), PB & J, sautéed green beans, oranges
- Sandwich bar: turkey, hummus, tofu salad, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, corn chips, pickles, marinated cauliflower, olives, peaches
- BLT’s and tempeh LT’s, Asian cabbage slaw, carrot sticks with dip, fruit salad
- Quesadillas with beans, cheese, and meat, salsa & sour cream, green salad w/a lime vinaigrette, melon salad
- Teriyaki chicken wings and tofu cutlets, peanut noodles, spinach salad, orange slices
- Tuna melts, non-meat version, kale chips, tomato salad, plums
- Chicken & veggie pesto pasta salad, ants on a log, Waldorf salad, bananas
- Baked potato bar; onions and peppers, fried mushrooms, steamed broccoli, salsa, sour cream, some kind of meat, cheese sauce, tossed salad, pears
- Sandwich bar: pita bread, curried chicken salad, potato salad, falafel, lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, broccoli salad, olives, apples
- Leftover lunch (or English muffin pizzas and salad)
- Leftover lunch (or bagel pizzas and salad)
Dinners:
- Pizza w/meat and vegetable toppings, salad, salad dressing
- Stir-fried vegetables, sautéed chicken, marinated baked tofu, rice, grated cheese, soy sauce
- Tacos with meat, refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, olives, salsa, sour cream, and lettuce, cooked corn, cucumber salad
- Chicken baked with lemon and thyme, baked tofu, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and carrots
- Baked meatloaf, peppers stuffed with rice and beans, roasted red potatoes, steamed green beans
- Baked breaded fish, baked tofu, baked potatoes, sautéed zucchini and summer squash, tartar sauce
- Lasagna, french bread, sautéed snow peas, and red peppers
- Spaghetti with red sauce, meatballs, garlic bread, salad w/dressing
- Roast turkey, tofu loaf, oven-roasted vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce
- Baked macaroni and cheese, baked ham, steamed carrots
- Hamburgers and hot dogs, vegetarian versions of both, rolls and condiments, baked beans, cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and onion, potato salad, coleslaw
- Burrito bar: tortillas, beef, beans, cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, cheese, chunky fresh salsa, sour cream, flavored rice, tomato salad
- Chicken breast and tofu baked with barbeque sauce, red beans, and rice, cooked greens, corn on the cob
- Meat and vegetarian chili, rice, salad w/dressing, sour cream, cornbread, watermelon
Good snacks
Small apples, small oranges, half or whole bananas, slices of melon, any leftover baked goods, gorp or trail mix, sesame sticks, rice cakes and peanut butter, popcorn, goldfish crackers, dried fruit, crackers, frozen grapes, etc…
Some desserts
- Pumpkin, apple, or blueberry pie
- Chocolate chip, molasses, oatmeal raisin, or pb&j cookies
- Birthday cake, carrot cake, gingerbread, lemon squares, brownies, or blondies
- Ice cream in bowls or cones or ice cream sundaes
- Chocolate dipped frozen bananas
- Apple, rhubarb, or berry crisp
- Watermelon
Beverages
- Iced herbal tea (raspberry, lemon, mint, etc…)
- Juice (apple, grape, orange)
- Lemonade; ideally diluted with iced tea
- Hot herbal tea
- Milk
- Hot cocoa
- Fine Vermont well water!
Happy cooking!
Sam Arfer, Admissions Director and SAM Camp Chef