Encampment Food

[Dutchboy]

I was wondering what was the best food or the worst food that cadets have had at encampment.

[MIKE]

Never really had a truly bad meal at encampment.  Food has generally been pretty good.  Maybe it's 'cause we've managed to have military cooks every year I've been.

Have had not as good experiences at other activities though.  Some important things to consider:
- Be conscious of dietary concerns and customs... If you are gonna serve pork, make sure you have another meal choice.
- Have enough variety... So if someone is a picky eater, they won't go hungry.

[Eclipse]

IL Spring Encampment on Naval Station Great Lakes.

Great chow and all you can eat for about $2 bucks. 

The Navy feeds their people GOOD!

[SarDragon]

That's what they want you to believe so they can get you to join! 

[Pylon]

New York Wing Encampment, circa 1998 or 1999:

The Army mess halls could not accomodate us for all of our meals, therefore the encampment mess ops opted to purchase "Jimmy Dean Meals" which were pre-packaged lunches much in the same concept of an MRE.  Except much, much worse.

Jimmy Dean meals were disgusting.  Each came with a tear-open can of meat paste.  Some were flavored as ham, others as tuna, others as turkey I believe.  But it was a paste.  You were also provided with a "cracker" on which to spread your meat paste.  However, the "cracker" was actually about 1/2" to 3/4" thick and had all the dryness of a cracker but none of the crispiness.  It was essentially a thick brick of sawdust.

The cadets all hated the meals.  One enterprising cadet staff found a beatup golf club somewhere and practiced driving the cans of meat sauce into the wild-blue-yonder.  Some of us found other creative outlets for our meals.

The only redeeming quality of the meals was a fruit cup which usually wasn't too soggy and bitter to enjoy.

NYWG has not used Jimmy Dean meals since, to my knowledge.

[dwb]

Mike,

It was the 2000 encampment.  I remember this because that was also the year we ordered McDonald's for the entire encampment for breakfast one morning.  I don't like McDonald's breakfast sandwiches, so I instead ate five (5) apple pies for breakfast.

I haven't had a McDonald's apple pie since.

[Matt]

Well, I cannot complain much of the food that I've had from encampments.  Volk Field has rather nice accommodations, the only catch was sooner than later the powder for the eggs and the powder for the potatoes mixed, so we ended up with egg flavored potatoes with every meal.

And as the added bonus from the neighbors to the North... I have not personally had them, but rumor has it the Canadian IMPs (Individual Meal Packets) are rather nasty things...

[footballrun21]

The best was a roast beef wrap and the worst was sausage (it made we sick )

[Smitty]

At the last encampment I primarily stuck to the salad bar.  I really didn't trust most of the other food.

[Pylon]

Mike,

It was the 2000 encampment.  I remember this because that was also the year we ordered McDonald's for the entire encampment for breakfast one morning.  I don't like McDonald's breakfast sandwiches, so I instead ate five (5) apple pies for breakfast.

I haven't had a McDonald's apple pie since.

Heh, I guess it's sufficient to say that -- whether perceived as "good" or "bad" food -- most encampment foods are gastro-intestinal terrorists.   

[Stephanie Allen]

Haha...the food wasn't that bad, but I know now to never eat powdered eggs.

[JAFO78]

I went to encampment twice, 1985 & 1986. Both at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
The food was great, we all had enough to eat and no complaints.

[Ford73Diesel]

At Ohio's encampment we ate really well. French toast in the morning is the best.

[ladyreferee]

At Ohio's encampment we ate really good. 

Oh dear!  Good  is always an adjective, while well is an adverb that tells how something is done.  When you are representing CAP it is always proper to speak correctly - you would say 'we ate really well'.  This is a reflection on our sinking culture - please don't sink with it    You are a Civil Air Patrol Cadet!

[Ford73Diesel]

At Ohio's encampment we ate really good. 

Oh dear!  Good  is always an adjective, while well is an adverb that tells how something is done.  When you are representing CAP it is always proper to speak correctly - you would say 'we ate really well'.  This is a reflection on our sinking culture - please don't sink with it    You are a Civil Air Patrol Cadet!

Sorry Ma'am, I fixed it. Grammar was never really my strong point.....

[ladyreferee]

Not to worry!  Hopefully, others will have noticed their own use and will correct as well
Have a great day 

[michigansergeant]

Hmmm.. I remember having some really good chicken cordon bleu (however you spell it) it the MI wing encampment, I really liked that.  I guess I would probably try to stick with familiar foods (mac & cheese, meatloaf, etc.) and stay away from the "mystery casseroles", if you know what I mean...

[SarDragon]

Hmmm.. I remember having some really good chicken cordon bleu (however you spell it) it the MI wing encampment, I really liked that.  I guess I would probably try to stick with familiar foods (mac & cheese, meatloaf, etc.) and stay away from the "mystery casseroles", if you know what I mean...

But half the fun of the mystery meats was guessing the menu card number, and the real identity of the meat. "Is it mystery meat #17, beef?"

[AlphaSigOU]

Hmmm.. I remember having some really good chicken cordon bleu (however you spell it)...

Or as Air Force Academy cadets call 'em,  'hamsters' or 'fried hamsters'.

<-- ex Air Force cook - DEATH FROM WITHIN! 

[Mullins]

Mass. wing 08-

Food was sooooo good!
All thanks to Lt Frisbe