Cooking Merit Badge
The Cooking merit badge at Camp Sequassen offers Scouts the opportunity to explore nutrition, food safety, and meal preparation through hands-on lessons and engaging instruction. Taught by experienced staff in a dedicated space, this program is ideal for Scouts who enjoy working in the kitchen or want to gain valuable life skills in meal planning, outdoor cooking, and health-conscious food choices. This Eagle-required merit badge is known for its depth and challenge, and Camp Sequassen’s version is no exception. Scouts will learn to plan menus, prepare meals under different conditions, and develop a strong foundation in culinary confidence and responsibility.
Cooking Basics
The first part of the Cooking merit badge focuses on essential cooking knowledge and safety practices. Scouts begin by learning proper food handling, storage, and sanitation, emphasizing how to prevent cross-contamination and ensure that meals are prepared in a safe and clean environment. Lessons cover the importance of food labels, safe internal cooking temperatures, and basic kitchen hygiene. These skills are foundational—not just for Scouting, but for everyday life. Whether cooking at home or over a campfire, understanding how to handle food properly is key to keeping yourself and others healthy.
Scouts also explore nutrition and meal balance, examining the components of a healthy diet. This includes understanding food groups, portion control, calorie management, and how to read and evaluate nutrition labels. Scouts analyze real-world menus and learn how to modify meals for dietary needs or restrictions. These lessons build awareness of how food affects energy, performance, and overall wellness. By the end of this section, Scouts are not only safer in the kitchen—they’re more informed about how to make smart food choices for themselves and their families.
Planning Meals
A major portion of the badge focuses on meal planning, one of the most important and practical skills a Scout can develop. Scouts are required to plan menus for several different types of meals—including those prepared at home, at camp, and on the trail. These plans must meet nutritional guidelines, stay within a budget, and account for group size and available cooking methods. At Camp Sequassen, Scouts work with counselors to refine their plans, review ingredients, and adapt menus for outdoor cooking or dietary needs. The emphasis is on realistic, healthy, and balanced meal planning that teaches Scouts how to prepare for any cooking environment.
This planning process also includes shopping lists and preparation strategies, where Scouts identify how to procure, pack, and store ingredients in a variety of scenarios. Scouts must demonstrate knowledge of food quantity calculations, storage limitations, and efficient packing for short- and long-term trips. These lessons come to life as Scouts turn their plans into action later in the week. Working through these tasks at camp—where resources are limited and teamwork is essential—helps Scouts grasp the complexity and satisfaction of planning meals that work for both individuals and groups.
Cooking Meals
The most hands-on part of the badge is, of course, the actual cooking. Scouts are required to prepare and serve meals in multiple settings, including at a campsite and on a backpacking trek. At Camp Sequassen, Scouts practice cooking over propane stoves, open fires, and camp grates, developing both technique and adaptability. They learn how to use Dutch ovens, cast iron skillets, and basic camping cookware to prepare real meals. Each Scout must cook several breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, taking responsibility for setup, execution, safety, and cleanup.
Counselors observe and coach throughout the cooking process, helping Scouts problem-solve and adjust when conditions change—like wind, flame control, or missing ingredients. Emphasis is placed on time management, group service, and safe food handling under field conditions. Scouts are also required to review and evaluate the meals they cook, identifying improvements and reflecting on what worked. This practical application of planning and prep reinforces the importance of attention to detail, communication, and teamwork in meal preparation—skills that will serve them well in Scouting, at home, or in future leadership roles.
For a Limited Time Only!
The Cooking merit badge is only offered during Week 7 of Camp Sequassen’s summer program and comes with a $50 registration fee. This fee helps support the cost of materials, food, and additional staffing needed to deliver a high-quality, hands-on experience. Because of its limited availability and high demand, priority is given to Scouts attending multiple weeks of camp. Interested Scouts should register early and plan to be ready for a week of hands-on learning.
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