Prerequisites for Cooking MB

3. Plan a menu for two straight days (six meals) of camping. Include the following:

1. A camp dinner with soup; meat, fish, poultry, or an appropriate substitute; two fresh vegetables; drink; and dessert. All are to be properly prepared. When preparing your menu, follow the nutritional guidelines set by the food pyramid.
2. A one-pot dinner. Use foods other than canned.
3. Using the menu planned for requirement 3, make a food list showing cost and amount needed to feed three or more boys.
4. List the utensils needed to cook and serve these meals.

4. Using the menu planned for requirement 3, do the following and discuss the process with your merit badge counselor:

1. Prepare and serve for yourself and two others, the two dinners, one lunch, and one breakfast. Time your cooking so that each course will be ready to serve at the proper time.
   The meals for this requirement may be prepared for different trips. They need not be prepared consecutively. Scouts working on this badge at summer camp should plan around food they can get at the camp commissary.
2. For meals prepared in requirement 4a for which a fire is needed, use a lightweight stove or build a low-impact fire. Include support for your cooking utensils from rocks, logs, or like material. The same fireplace may be used for more than one meal. Use a backpacking stove to cook at least one meal. (Where local regulations do not allow you to do this, the counselor may change the requirement to meet the law.)
3. For each meal prepared in requirement 4a, use safe food-handling practices. Dispose of garbage, cans, foil, paper, and other rubbish by packing them out and depositing them in a proper container. After each meal, clean up the site thoroughly.

5. Plan a menu for one day (three meals) or for four meals over a two-day period of trail hiking or backpacking. Include the following:

1. A breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a trail or backpacking trip where light weight is important. You should be able to store all foods used for several days without refrigeration. When preparing your menu, follow the nutritional guidelines set by the food pyramid.
   The meals for this requirement may be prepared for different trips. They need not be prepared consecutively. Scouts working on this badge at summer camp should plan around food they can get at the camp commissary.
2. Using the menu planned for requirement 5, make a food list showing cost and amount needed to feed three or more boys.
3. List the utensils needed to cook and serve these meals.
4. Figure the weight of the foods in requirement 4a.

Purchase and bring the food with you for these requirements!