Any DofE leaders or experts out there?

[ColonelRhubarbBikini]

DS has got his silver practice expedition next week. It’s being organised by school and the information or lack of is shocking. We’ve only been given the date today so less than a weeks notice. He’s gone straight onto silver he didn’t do bronze so this is our first time.

Can anyone recommend some good easy no cook breakfasts I can send them off with? One of his group is nut allergic so have to be mindful of that. Some easy snacks too?

Also anything you wish you’d known or your child had wished they packed? His Grandad has kitted him out with all his old hiking gear so we’re all set with decent stuff but I’m just wondering if there’s anything not on the kit list that would be useful.

Apologies if I’m rambling a bit I’m all a bit nervous as daft as it is. Eldest is very much a house mouse so this is my first experience of all this outdoorsy stuff.

Kendal Mint Cake is a must!

What about those protein bars for snacks?
Maybe sultanas & chopped dates in a small zip lock bag?

Are they supposed to weigh their rucksack?

Sponges for under rucksack straps, small plastic bags to go into boots in case it’s muddy, bin bags
All ours cooked bacon or sausage butties for breakfast

He's supposed to plan the food with the group,

They should have had planning sessions that the school have organised, where they plan their route, what they are going to take and their food. The leaders then check it.

It's not supposed to be the kind of thing where parents sort it all out.

They could take these for breakfast as they're quite light:-
Scotch pancakes
Cereal bars
Brioche
Porridge pots
Babybel cheese
Frozen yoghurt tube
I saw one group take some eggs in a plastic tub & a small tin of beans & sausage which they cooked but it would have been heavy.

Hot chocolate sachet would warm them up either at breakfast or bed time.

@Octavia64

It's not supposed to be the kind of thing where parents sort it all out.

In an ideal world then yes but often it's volunteers & those are becoming few & far between in schools!

Mine took a bag of pasta, a bag of grated cheese, a packet of oat bars and a packet of hob nobs. Somehow he survived 3 days. Planning has never been his thing. He did have 4 bananas in his bag but I made him take them out.

Instant porridge sachets is the best if the have a stoves- probably 2 each or one and something else.
Shelf Primula and crackers
Pain au chocolate
Cereal bars*
Pot noodle
Nuts* and dried fruit for
Hot choc

Plasters and paracetamol, light towel, baby wipes and hand gel, hat, warm pyjamas Fingerless gloves. Bin bags (dog poo bags are ideal) small tooth brush and tooth paste. Water bottle

Ideas for a cold breakfast....
Ready made chocolate filled crepes
Quaker Porridge bars
Flapjacks
Hard boiled eggs

I'd avoid any tinned food, it's bulky and heavy.

Mine had to do a meal plan for bronze, including snacks, with rough calories etc. she took loads of food for 2 days one night!

as I remember it she took one of those porridge pots you just add hot water to for breakfast, a higher protein one, and some raisins to add to it. She also had some just add water hot chocolate sachets. I think she also took some of those pre wrapped chocolate crepes too for snacks or breakfast (can't remember if they had nuts)

For snacks I think she took some cereal bars (got quite high calorie and protein ones) and some sweets for a pick me up. Also trail mix of dried fruit and nuts but maybe just dried fruit for yours (it's it all nuts he has to avoid?).
I seem to remember soreen featuring too.

Loads of options here

Idaho mash and beans for tea!

Hot dog sausages in a flask.

It's all coming back to me

Break in your boots, take some sliders so you can wear socks and sliders when you take your boots off or some light plimsols. More socks than you can imagine - wet feet are the worst.

@bubblebub1 no, Wales.

@AdaColeman Kendal Mint Cake is genius. A colleague of mine brought a huge slab back from her holiday recently and we’ve not touched it so I’ll redirect it.

@Octavia64 I quite agree and usually I’d be very much hands off but they’ve given less than a weeks notice and zero guidance on what to bring. Their group has delegated between themselves who’s responsible for what.

Some brilliant suggestions thank you. Especially things like babybel and primula I’d not thought of those. Dog poo bags are a plenty in this house so I’ll send him off with some as well.

Its best if he plans meals with his group, that way they can share carrying ingredients and cooking.

Dds group were told they needed a cooked breakfast (so things like croissants were not an option). I think one of the group took along one of those just add water pancake mixes.

For dinner they had pasta, a pot of fresh tomato and basil sauce (from supermarket fresh pasta section) and a bag of parmesan.

She also packed a couple of sachets of instant hot chocolate powder, its nice to have a warm drink before bed or on a chilly morning

i'd be more concerned about the other aspects of the trip. Do they have reasonable navigation skills, have they had first aid training, training in using the type of stove they will have etc. It sounds like it has been thrown together last minute and this is not a forgiving time of year if they aren't prepared.

I am concerned. His Grandad is going to teach him how to read a map and use a compass this week. They’ve had no training whatsoever. This meeting they’ve just been to was the first in person meeting since they signed up months ago. My only saving grace is that they’ll not be too far from home and if worst comes to worst I will go and get him.

A colleague of mine takes Scouts on DofE and has been horrified at the lack of preparation etc. She’s on annual leave for the next fortnight sadly or I’d be picking her brains relentlessly.

Pasta isn't easy- the pans for the camping stoves are tiny, and they are usually eg 1 between 4, so hard to cook enough for the group. We ended up using the Wayfarer ration packs- sausage and beans for breakfast, then a choice of meals for dinner. Supplemented with loads of the snacks suggested above. Jelly cubes were also v popular for energy, and a bag of marshmallows to go in instant hot chocolate in the evening as a bit of a pick me up

Make sure he tries on his boots, and gets used to them, and makes sure they’re comfortable. Dh swears by 1000 mile socks, and also makes sure he has blister plasters.

Don't get involved - DofE is supposed to remonstrate their independence.

You getting involved in the planning undermines that.

If it looks like the expedition is going to fail, then let it fail - they will learn lots from that experience.

If he's doing silver and hasn't done bronze then the "curriculum" assumes a certain amount of knowledge.

Presumably this is the practice expedition.

Has he ever camped before? Silver isn't easy if you've not done much walking it camping before.

They usually have to do two hot meals a day. Sausages and beans for breakfast or hot porridge is good. Pasta and sauce if some kind for the evenings.

Is this a training weekend? If so then presumably there will be some teaching/training of the skills needed. Have the others in his group done bronze? Hopefully they will teach this all on the weekend. Part of the DofE is that they do need to be self sufficient which includes having the skills needed so I would hope they have a plan for this!

Lots of good suggestions for food here already.

For socks, try one very thin pair of cotton or silk socks put on first, then the thick woollen socks on top of them. Wear the boots as much as possible from now on.

Rather than take tinned beans, take sachet of ready cooked lentils, brands like Jamie Oliver or Merchant Gourmet make them.

@amigafan2003 honestly I don’t want to be involved at all. I’ve got much better things to be getting along with but I thought a few helpful suggestions might ease things a touch for him when it’s so last minute. If it fails it fails but I’ve paid £150 fee for this so I’m not overly chuffed at the lack of support they’ve gotten.

@Octavia64 He’s never camped. He is very fit and can walk miles so that’s not a worry but the camping part is. At least half of the expedition are first timers going straight in at Silver. He’s not been told they have to have a certain number of hot meals. The teacher has said if they pass near somewhere with fast food places or a chippy he’ll look the other way so they can go get food 🤦🏼‍♀️.

@goldielockss yes it’s a practice expedition. Hopefully they’ll give some training while on it as they haven’t had any but it would’ve been simpler to teach them how to map read before they’re on a sodden hillside 😆. Only one in his group has done bronze and they can’t map read so I don’t know how they fared.

I think for the practice there will be a teacher with each group. There was when dd done hers (have just asked) so might be why they have done the route planning, compass , 1st aid etc but they will need this before the actual expedition.

They should be planning their meals as a group though. They will need to cook a meal each day together on a triangular & take their own snacks. I think it’s just once a day they need to cook so maybe dinner? Loads of protein as they need to up their calories.

I’m attaching a meal planner & a list of food ideas our dd was given (for Gold so number of days will be different but might help). Looked for the kit list for Silver but couldn’t find it. If I do I’ll post it here.

Have you got a first aid kit, insect repellent, torch, maybe a pack of cards/games (I don’t think they’re allowed their phones).