Cooking at Maine Camps

Want a new recipe for dinner, Super Bowl, a bbq, or beyond? You might want to ask your Maine camper! It’s amazing to see all the culinary creations made in Maine Camps’ comprehensive culinary programs.

Beyond chocolate chip cookies (though those are a delicious staple - each camp with their own perfected recipe!), there are so many recipes that pique campers’ appetites for cooking and eating. It’s no wonder Culinary Arts is among the most popular camp activities.

A wide array of flavors and cultures are represented in camp culinary programs. Here are a few examples: French Onion Soup, Ratatouille, Penne Arrabbiata, Chicken Alfredo, Pizza, Tacos, Salsa, Empanadas, Sushi, Chicken Katsu, Fried Rice, Egg Rolls, Shrimp Saganaki, Falafel, Shakshuka, Matzo Ball Soup, and Mac and Cheese. Even today’s trending tastes like Matcha Mochi and Kale Salad are on some culinary program’s menus.

And don’t forget the desserts! Blueberry Pie, Crepes, Churros, Rice Pudding, Scones and Muffins, and more are delicious sweet treats. Campers love cake decorating, too.

In addition to indoor kitchens and cooking studios, wilderness cooking is also available. Campers love cooking delicious food over a campfire and can garnish proteins with a homemade blueberry sauce. Of course, S’mores are a favorite.

Culinary programs are tasty and informative. They teach campers about where food comes from (many camps’ programs incorporate locally sourced ingredients, seasonal vegetables, and herbs grown in camp gardens), what to look for, what pairs well, and what tastes good. Campers expand their horizons by trying new foods in culinary programs, which often carries over to trying new foods in the dining hall where meals are served, and then into life back home and beyond.

Some camps provide tastes treats of campers’ creations on Visiting Days. Some camps give mini cookbooks highlighting the camp’s recipes.

Go ahead and ask your campers what their favorite recipes are from camp. And while you’re at it … let us know their faves.

We can’t wait to be back in the kitchen cooking with our campers. Bon appetit!

Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools: Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child? Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks). It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates. Then you can research these camps in more depth. Next, be sure to contact our Maine Camp Guide, Laurie to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.