The Badge Archive

New Food Sampler Vote

Fulfills Step 3 of GSUSA Cabin Camper badge requirements.

Items Needed:

  • 3–5 pre-selected food samples (see ideas below)
  • Small plates or cups for each scout
  • Spoons or forks (as needed)
  • Paper and pencil for voting or drawing their favorite

Suggested Food Samples (kid-friendly and camp-friendly):

  • Avocado spread on crackers
  • Sweet potato cubes (pre-roasted and cooled)
  • Cold pasta salad with lentils or chickpeas
  • Mango slices or dried mango
  • Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagelwiches bites
  • Couscous salad bite (chilled or room temp)

Instructions (Total Time: 35 minutes):

  1. Prepare Sample Stations (5–7 minutes)
    • Set up small tasting cups or plates of each food sample
  2. Taste and Try (10–12 minutes)
    • Scouts rotate through the stations and sample each item
    • Remind them to taste with an open mind and share what they like or don’t like
  3. Talk About Favorites (5–7 minutes)
    • Discuss which foods scouts liked best
    • Talk about how each food might work in a meal at camp (see Food Adventure Suggestions for Scouts below)
  4. Vote for a Camp Meal Ingredient (5–6 minutes)
    • Scouts vote by marking their favorite sample.
    • Count up the votes and select the top one or two ingredients to include in a future camp meal.
  5. Wrap Up and Reflect (5–6 minutes)
    • Share why trying something new is part of being adventurous
    • Give the scouts the meal choices from the Food Adventure Suggestions for their chosen ingredient and vote for which one they’ll try at a future campout.

Food Adventure Suggestions for Scouts

These foods are often new to 2nd and 3rd graders but have familiar flavors or fun textures that make them easy to enjoy. Each includes three meal ideas that are simple, customizable, and camping-friendly.

1. Sweet Potatoes
Great for roasting, mashing, or stuffing.

  • Sweet Potato Tacos
  • Sweet Potato & Black Bean Wraps
  • Campfire Roasted Sweet Potato Boats

2. Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Mild flavor and great for mixing or mashing.

  • Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
  • Campfire Chickpea Stir-Fry
  • No-Cook Hummus Wraps

3. Avocado
Creamy and easy to spread or slice.

  • Avocado Rice Cakes
  • Avocado & Turkey Tortilla Roll-Ups
  • No-Cook Guacamole Dip with Veggies

4. Couscous
Quick-cooking grain with a soft texture.

  • Couscous & Veggie Salad
  • One-Pot Couscous with Beans
  • Couscous Lettuce Wraps

5. Canned Salmon or Tuna
Protein-packed and easy to mix.

  • Tuna Salad Pita Pockets
  • Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagelwiches
  • Tuna & Chickpea Pasta Salad

7. Lentils
Soft texture and great in stews or wraps.

  • Lentil Sloppy Joes
  • Lentil & Rice One-Pot Meal
  • Lentil Nachos

8. Mango
Sweet and tropical—great fresh or dried.

  • Mango & Yogurt Parfaits
  • Mango Salsa with Chips
  • Mango & Chicken Wraps
Tia Kennard