027 550 0611School camp meals, menus and recipes can make or break a visit.
The main rule is busy, hungry students and plenty of simple, filling food. Excellent facilities such as at the Tangihua lions lodge make it so much more pleasant and easier for parents and staff
In most cases there are many parents who are more than happy to be involved.
The best option is to draw up a menu and put one person in charge with plenty of help. There is plenty of storage (fridge – freezer pantry walk in chiller). On longer camps there are often people coming in so additional supplies are not a problem.
There is always a need to take into account allergies.
Kitchen – A good kitchen make s life so much simpler
We have an excellent kitchen set up to commercial standards. It has everything you require except tea towels and dish washing liquid etc.
Here is a tried and proven menu
This menu has plenty of variation and cheap and easy to prepare. The volumes will vary on the number at camp and the students age. It has been used here for over 30 years but individual cooks always have their own options!
| Meal | Day one | Day two | Day three | Day four | Day five |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Arrival and settle in | Cereal Toast Yoghurt Fruit Baked beans Spaghetti Hash Browns | Cereal Toast Yoghurt Fruit Baked beans Spaghetti Hash Browns | Cereal Toast Yoghurt Fruit Baked beans Spaghetti Hash Browns | Cereal Toast Yoghurt Fruit Baked beans Spaghetti Hash Browns |
| Mid-Morning | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink |
| Lunch | Filled Rolls Soup/ buns | Filled Rolls Soup/ buns | Pizza buns Soup/ buns | Pasta Bake Soup/ buns | Filled Rolls Soup/ buns |
| Mid Afternoon | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | Home Baking Fruit Muesli Bars Drink | leave Camp |
| Dinner | lodge lasagne Mashed spuds Salad | Chicken Casserole Rice/spuds Peas / corn/ Cauliflower | Beef stew Jacket spuds mixed veges/ Broccoli | Hamburgers Wedges salad | feet up time, to relax and a large Gin |
| Puddings | Chocolate pudding Milk/ ice cream Cocoa/ biscuits | Custard Ice cream Cocoa/ biscuits | Apple Crumble Ice cream/ milk Cocoa/ Biscuits | Chocolate pudding Milk/ ice cream | another Gin and a good nights sleep |
Dishing out onto plates as the student come past avoids waste and enable staff to see who is eating what. Have the students fill their own rolls from the counter. Seconds are better than over filled plates.
There is a zip. Tea and coffee can be made available for parents, teachers at any time in both lodges
Recipes
Lodge Lasagne
( Probably adapted from an Alison Holst recipe)
Serves 4 older students or 5 younger students and can be premade ready for reheating if meal times are uncertain.
1 large Onion, 1 tablespoon butter, 500g minced beef, 1 packet tomato powder or a tin of Pasta bake sauce, 4 cups of water, 1 cube of beef stock, 1 cup frozen veges or peas, 100g lasagne noodles, ¾ cup grated cheese.
Sauté onion in butter. Add mince and brown. Add packet of soup and water or pasta bake, (you will not need as much water if using pasta bake), instant stock and frozen veges, bring back to boil.
Either
Gradually add noodles or crinkly lasagne and then cover and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes stirring occasionally and then as serving sprinkle with grated cheese.
Or
If using this recipe do not add water to mince if using Pasta bake option. Make only 1 (top) layer of lasagne.
Boil pasta until ready (15 mins) and drain but do not leave to cool
Make cheese sauce:
1 table spoon of butter, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon of flour, salt and pepper to taste.
Melt butter in sauce pan add flour and seasoning, and stir until well mixed. Gradually add milk and once nearly boiling add cheese.
Place the mince mixture in a dish, pour on lasagne and then pour over top the cheese sauce. Heat until ready in oven.
Lions camp Casserole (Chicken)
Most young students do not appreciate stronger flavoured dishes. If making several dishes, adding Chilli sauce or additional flavourings (e.g. apricots in the chicken) for adults is an option.
1 or 2 pieces of chicken per person – For 4 to 5 people: 1 medium onion, salt, pepper, 2 cups of water, 2 chicken oxo cubes, 1 cup mixed vegetables, 2 carrots.
Finely chop onion, dice carrot. Heat water and add flavouring soup, add the rest of the ingredients, and cook until ready, about 1½ hours. Check to ensure it does not become too dry. Serve on rice.
Tangihua Chocolate Pudding
100g butter, 1 cup milk, 1½ tsps Vanilla essence, 2 cups flour, 2 tsps Baking powder, 2 tablespoons Cocoa, ¾ cup sugar
Topping: 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 3 cups hot water
Select a deep casserole or roasting dish of about 2 litres and grease lightly. Melt butter and milk together and add vanilla.
Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl and stir in sugar. Add milk and stir well. Spread onto casserole dish and cover with topping.
Mix sugar and cocoa together and sprinkle over pudding mixture. Pour hot water carefully over the top. Do not stir.
Bake at 180°C for about 45 minutes or when pudding has risen and sauce is thick.
