By Clare Broud, VRG Intern

Editor’s Note: We realize that many camps have not opened this summer due to the pandemic. Neverthless, the information below may be helpful in other settings or during a future camp season.

Camp is a great experience for children. Whether it’s day camp, sport camp, religious camp, or sleep away camp, camp can help children build independence, disconnect from technology, and make meaningful memories and friendships that last a lifetime. As a former camper and camp counselor, I know firsthand that most camps are not tailored specifically to kids with vegan or vegetarian diets. Fortunately, there are plenty of camp friendly snacks and lunches vegan kids can bring with them.

Before Camp

There are some things parents or kids can do before getting to camp to help camp directors and counselors better accommodate vegan campers. When signing up for camps, there is often a section for allergies or special notes, and vegan campers should take advantage of these sections to note their dietary needs. Emailing or calling the camp director to figure out their food practices, such as whether they provide snacks and lunch, if there are vegan options, or if kids are allowed to bring their own food, is always a great idea. This advanced notice can allow the camp to prepare vegan options if needed. Chances are the camp has different food options that are allergen friendly, but letting the camp know in advance will make things easier on everyone.

Snacks

When packing snacks for camp, it is important to pack foods that will sustain kids, especially if the camp emphasizes physical activity. Trail mix is a classic camp snack, but the traditional version with M&M’s is not vegan. Making your own trail mix is a fun and interactive way to recreate this classic snack. Using either bulk bins at the grocery store or snacks already on hand, mix food items like nuts, dried fruits, cereal, pretzels, or nondairy chocolate chips to create a custom trail mix. Baby carrots are a great vessel for dips like hummus, vegan ranch, or peanut butter. If your camp is nut-free, carrots and Sun Butter are an easy nut alternative. Tortilla chips can be another good option for dips. Whether homemade or store-bought, salsa and guacamole are fresh and filling snacks.

Lunch

A balanced lunch should include a variety of food groups and nutrients, and this is especially true at camp. Packing lunches that are easy to eat is important in a camp setting. Wraps are an easy way to pack a lot of protein and nutrients into a neat package. What’s great about wraps is that everything can be customized. My personal favorite is a Mediterranean veggie wrap with hummus, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and falafel. Burritos are another great option. A tofu scramble burrito with peppers, onions, salsa, and guacamole is a nutritious and filling lunch that is easy to pack and eat at camp. Vegan quesadillas are another portable, delicious option. There is the classic quesadilla made with nondairy cheese and soy chorizo or beans. Peanut butter banana quesadilla is another great option. Take a tortilla, spread your nut butter of choice, place sliced banana on half of it, sprinkle on some cinnamon, fold it, and then grill like a normal quesadilla! Salads and bowls are another great option to bring to camp. Just follow the formula of base lettuce or grain, plant-based protein, chopped vegetables, and spread of choice to create a balanced and tasty salad or bowl.

Here are some other ideas.

https://www.vrg.org/teen/#camps

https://www.vrg.org/links/vacation.htm#camps

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.