Options for holiday with 40 girls aged 7-14

[GGPackHolidayHereWeCome]

I’m a Brownies leader, currently in the final planning stages of our summer holiday pack holiday with the Guide Group.

For the first day we provide a lunch for the coach, or if we cannot cater for allergies/preferences we ask the parents to provide one and knock the cost per child off the overall holiday.

Was thinking of offering the choice of 1 from each of these categories:

Main

Sausage Roll
Sandwich or Wrap – Chicken, Tuna, Ham, Cheese Spread

Fruit

Apple
Banana
Orange

Then 2 of each the following:

Cucumber and Carrot Sticks (can be done separately if girls ask for it)
Cheesestring or Babybell (whichevers cheaper at the time)
6 Cocktail Sausages
Chocolate or Blueberry Muffin (Made by the café)
Mini Packet of Digestive Biscuits (this is by far the most popular option or was pre-covid, the girls seem to love them)

A local café* is providing 2 per child of mini dips like you get in mcdonalds and also bottled water enough for the 3-hour journey (we’re planning for 3 bottles per girl). We always have squash which we can make up at the stop off – Apple and Blackcurrant or Orange, girls can choose.

The girls are aged 7-14 and we’re responsible for the lunch for all 40 girls going just for this day. The other meals are provided by the centre and with those all allergies are catered for (we also do some of the cooking with the centre staff which goes towards badge work).

To add there is a rough budget but as most of the costs are included we do have a flexible budget. Girls will eat this at the stop off but the lunches will come separately in a cool box with one of the leaders so we can have anything kept cold.

They will also eat their evening about 2 hours after they arrive at the centre, plus they always eat the biscuits on the coach rather than when we stop.

The other leaders think we should offer more for this one meal then we are, but weren’t sure what else to add or change?

*The café is owned by Brown Owls parents so we have a very good relationship with them, they’re always helping us out like this in exchange for us thanking them on letters to Parents and Facebook posts so we know what we can ask for and what they'll provide.

I'm a BB captain. When we go on camp or other activities, packed lunches are:
Sandwich - ham, cheese or jam, some of each made without butter because lots of kids don't like it
Crisps
Fruit - apple, banana, easy peeler
Tube of yoghurt
Cake bar or mini packet of biscuits
Bottle of water

Any snacks needed are usually a slice of homemade banana bread, mini sausages, babybel or more fruit with more water.

Over the years, I have discovered that ham or jam sandwiches are pretty much the only ones the boys will reliably eat, with some of them accepting cheese as a substitute when other ones run out.

Scrap the sausage rolls. They are really messy, more pork when you have plenty and have little nutritional value.

Goodness, that's too much surely
I do cubs and wider all sections camps

They make their own sandwiches from a selection of ingredients for trips out or hikes when away at camp. For day trips and first day lunch parents send.

We have eco goals so reusable bottles only, kids bring their own. Then we would never take individual bottles, maybe a big camp canteen with tap water for refilling. I've also found kids don't drink squash anymore they just don't seem to have it anywhere. I would look again at at all the packaging.

My son went on a camp recently and they were all asked to bring some sort of tray bake they could share (shop bought was fine). That seemed to last them the three nights, I bet there was loads of food.

You do seem to be providing a lot of food, which might make those who suffer from travel sickness worse. Think what your own kids have for packed lunch at school: I would say a choice of filled roll (cheese, tuna or ham), some veg sticks, piece of fruit (apple, small banana or satsuma), and a bag of crisps is absolutely plenty. You only really need to offer choice of sandwich in advance and then let them pick a piece of fruit from a bowl. Maybe a square of brownie/flapjack when you get to your destination.