How to Be a Grubmaster

“I’m the Grubmaster… What should I do?”

First of all, don’t panic! Grubmaster is a rotating patrol responsibility. Each Scout in a patrol takes a turn purchasing the food for the entire patrol for a campout.

As Grubmaster, your job is to purchase the food, store it properly, and bring it to the departure site. If your family doesn’t have a cooler, let one of the adult leaders know and we can help arrange one.

Before You Go Shopping

Unless you are completing a First Class requirement that requires you to plan your own menu, your patrol should have already planned the meals for the campout. Before going shopping, make sure you know:

• What meals you are responsible for
• What your patrol plans to eat
• How many people you are buying food for
• Whether anyone in your patrol has food allergies or dietary restrictions
• Whether the troop is providing any meals

If you don’t have a menu or aren’t sure how many people you are feeding, ask your Patrol Leader before going shopping.

For many campouts, the troop provides or coordinates lunches, so the Grubmaster may not need to purchase lunch. However, this can vary from trip to trip, so always check with your Patrol Leader.

Going Shopping

We ask that parents take their Scout to the supermarket when they are serving as Grubmaster. The Scout should be responsible for the shopping and should bring a list to keep track of everything that needs to be purchased.

Parents, we ask that your assistance be limited. You might ask questions such as, “Do you have enough for everyone?” or “Is there anything else your patrol needs?” But let your Scout make the decisions whenever possible.

If something gets forgotten, don’t panic! Scouts may have to adapt their plans using the food they do have. Learning to solve unexpected problems is part of Scouting—and sometimes these mistakes become the best teachable moments.

Make Healthy Choices

When planning menus and shopping for food, Scouts should make healthy and balanced choices whenever possible. Think about what will provide enough energy for hiking, camping, and other activities while still being enjoyable to eat.

Be Thrifty

Being Grubmaster is also a great opportunity to practice the Scout Law: “A Scout is Thrifty.”

You have a budget, so shop carefully:

• Compare name-brand and store-brand prices.
• Compare prices based on serving size.
• Look for good values rather than simply choosing the cheapest package.
• Make sure you have enough food for everyone.
• Keep track of how much you are spending as you shop.

For each Scout in the patrol, the current meal budget is:

• Breakfast: $4 per Scout
• Lunch: $5 per Scout
• Dinner: $6 per Scout

For example, if your patrol has six Scouts and you are responsible for breakfast and dinner, your total budget would be:

6 Scouts × ($4 breakfast + $6 dinner) = $60

Remember that you are managing a budget just like you would in real life. Good planning and careful shopping can help you provide a great meal without spending more than necessary.

After Shopping

Keep the receipt for all food purchased and bring it with you. The troop covers the cost of meals, so the receipt is necessary for reimbursement.

Make sure food that needs to stay cold is kept properly refrigerated or in a cooler until it is time to leave. Bring the food to the designated departure location with the rest of your patrol’s equipment.

Most importantly, remember that being Grubmaster is an opportunity to practice responsibility, leadership, budgeting, teamwork, and problem-solving. It might seem like a lot of responsibility at first, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it—and your patrol will appreciate the effort!