Author: Tony Ellard

Grubmaster Documents

Introduction

Attention Grubmasters: Managing the food-buying task for your patrol is a very important job!

Your patrol members are going to be hungry and unhappy if you don’t buy enough food and
leftover food is often wasted if you buy too much. A Scout is Thrifty is an important Scout Law to
remember. You must keep track of which Patrol members are attending the campout so you
know how many people you are feeding. Knowing your budget ($25 per person), planning your
meals, and managing your funds are big parts of being successful in this leadership task.

Save All Your Receipts

Place receipts in an envelope labeled with your name, Patrol name, and the total cost of the
food, ice, and supplies. Buying food for the Patrol is supposed to be a break-even situation. As
Grubmaster, it is your responsibility to stay within your food budget.

Planning and Shopping

1. Scouts are often ravenous, but sometimes, they don’t eat very much. Ask the
   Scouts/Scouters within your Patrol how much they will eat. For example, will they eat
   one sandwich or two sandwiches? How many slices of cheese do they want on their
   sandwich(es)? How many eggs will they eat if you’re making scrambled eggs? Be sure
   to note these details on the menu plan for use when you do the shopping. If you’re
   unsure about the counts, a good rule of thumb is to double the listed serving size.
   
2. Make sure to follow the budget. If you need to save money (remember, the budget is
   $25 per person), you can cut down on costs by taking snacks and/or desserts off the
   menu and choosing cheaper brands and/or fewer varieties of meats, cheeses, and
   sides. To make the most of your funds, shop at Aldi first and then get remaining items at
   a name brand store if needed.
   
3. Be sure to purchase pre-cooked sausage if you’re purchasing sausage.
   
4. If you are buying snacks, buy snacks that have a longer “shelf life” and give the extras to
   your Patrol Leader to store and track for the next campout. (Don’t just distribute and/or
   eat the snacks because there are extras.) Each grubmaster should check with their
   Patrol Leader to see if it is necessary to purchase new/additional snacks.|
   
5. Be sure to evaluate the costs when considering single-serve snacks.
   
6. Additional drinks for lunches, dinners, and snacks are not recommended. Scouts could
   have juice or milk with breakfasts but should focus on water at other times.
   
7. Condiments and other items that can be stored for use later should be stored by the
   Patrol Leader and tracked so that it can be used at the next campout/when needed.
   Each grubmaster should check with their Patrol Leader to see if it is necessary to
   purchase new/additional condiments.
   
8. If unsure about the amount of food and you have money in the budget, always buy more
   rather than less.
   
9. Consider the weather when determining your meal plans — if it’s cold, ensure that you
   are making hot foods. If it’s hot, you may not want to make hot foods for breakfast or
   lunch.
   
10. Dutch oven meals provide warm meals with little prep work or oversight. Check out a
    Dutch oven cookbook and try some new recipes.
    
11. Make sure you have fruits and/or vegetables with each meal.
    
12. Ensure that you purchase wood if you are cooking by fire and/or want/need a campfire
    (or several campfires). Foraging for wood is wise if possible in your camping location,
    and you will need to forage for kindling. Keep the weather in mind when determining how
    much you plan to forage and how much you may need to purchase.
    
13. Don’t forget to consider how you’re cooking the food and to get charcoal if needed; don’t
    try to save money by buying cheaper charcoal — it won’t work well. It is recommended
    that you purchase Kingsford charcoal. NEVER purchase charcoal with the lighter fluid.
    
14. Don’t forget to buy ice (or fill and freeze empty bottles or Ziploc baggies in advance) to
    keep the cold items cold. You’ll need more ice the hotter it is outside, but you always
    need ice.
    
15. Make sure to check with the quartermaster to ensure that you have enough propane if
    you’re using the camp stoves. The quartermaster should have this inventory from the
    last campout.
    
16. Grubmasters should purchase/bring two rolls of paper towels.
    
17. For some campouts, especially at Richwoods and Camp MacClosson, the grubmaster
    will need to purchase/bring toilet paper as well.
    `
18. The grubmaster must lead the shopping efforts, not the grubmaster’s parent,
    grandparent, guardian, etc. However, the adult may/should certainly make suggestions
    and offer guidance.
    
19. Save your receipts and be sure to submit them to the Treasurer
    (778gtreas@gmail.com).

Preparation and Packing

1. If you have time, cut items (for example, peppers and potatoes) before you pack them
   and take them to camp, premeasure rice or other items, pre-cook meat so it only has to
   be warmed up at camp. It saves so much time!
   
2. For food safety, use a cooler and ice.
   
3. Instead of purchasing bagged ice, you can also use gallon Ziploc bags. Fill them partway, seal them, and lay them flat to freeze. If you’re using jugs, fill them three-fourths full of water and freeze the jugs several days before departing for camp. Remember to keep the jug’s cap off during the freezing process. By having frozen water bags or jug(s), you can avoid melting ice making your Patrol’s food in the cooler all soggy.

4. Remove excess wrappings to reduce weight and trash at the campsite. Ziploc-type
   plastic bags are an excellent choice for different packaging.
   
5. Pack bread and squishable items on top.
   
6. Make sure you have physical copies of recipes, duty rosters, and other papers you need
   easily available so you can reference them at camp with or without signal.
   
7. Be sure to email the duty roster to your patrol prior to the campout.

At the End of the Campout/Following the Campout

1. The grubmaster should review food/non-perishable items with their Patrol Leader. The
   Patrol Leader will keep a list of what the Patrol has available in order to share that
   information during the next campout’s meal planning and ensure items are not wasted.
   
2. The Patrol Leader will store the items and bring the selected items to the next campout.
   
3. The grubmaster will need to report items that are low (e.g., propane, Ziplocks, trash
   bags, sanitizing tablets, etc.) to the Scout and adult quartermasters. They will be able to
   determine whether the Troop will replenish the supplies or whether the appropriate
   Patrol Leader should be contacted to make a note that the next grubmaster will need to
   purchase/bring the applicable supplies for the next campout.
   
4. Don’t forget to send receipts to the Treasurer (778gtreas@gmail.com) if you have not
   already done so.