Meal Schedule
Six days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner—designed from every family’s favorites.
Table of Contents
- How to Read This
- Week at a Glance
- Day-by-Day
- Standing Snack & Drink Pantry
- Tips for Feeding the Group
How to Read This
- Dinner = group meal, with a host family who cooks and leads cleanup.
- Breakfast & lunch = per-family / grab-and-go. The options listed are the shared pantry everyone pulls from—make what your crew wants.
- ⭐ = a make-ahead item; prep it before the trip (Meal Prep guide).
Week at a Glance
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner (host) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 7/1 | (on the road) | (on the road / snacks) | Hot dogs & brats 🌭 (Zuelke) |
| Thu 7/2 | Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns ⭐ | PB&J + sandwich bar | Burgers & dogs + corn (Harris) |
| Fri 7/3 | Cereal, yogurt, bagels, fruit | Grilled cheese + tomato soup | Taco bar / walking tacos ⭐ (Younger Smiths) |
| Sat 7/4 | Pancakes & bacon 🎆 ⭐ | Sandwich + chips picnic | 🎆 BBQ feast ⭐ (All) |
| Sun 7/5 | Biscuits & gravy + eggs ⭐ | PB&J + leftovers | Spaghetti & salad ⭐ (Older Smiths) |
| Mon 7/6 | Cinnamon rolls + fruit | Lunch-meat sandwiches | Grill-out & use-it-up (Zuelke / Younger Smiths) |
| Tue 7/7 | Cereal / bagels (pack-up) | (on the road) | (home) |
Day-by-Day
Wednesday, July 1 — Arrival 🌭
Travel day. Keep it easy.
- Dinner — Hot Dogs & Brats Cookout (host: Zuelke)
- Hot dogs + brats, buns, ketchup/mustard/relish
- Variety-pack chips, watermelon, baby carrots
- Easy after setup; grill is fast and the kids are happy
- Snacks on the road: chips, fruit, string cheese, applesauce pouches, water
Thursday, July 2 — Settle In
- Breakfast — Big Camp Breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon ⭐, hashbrowns; cereal/yogurt/bananas for the kids; coffee
- Lunch — Sandwich Bar: PB&J (grape & strawberry), turkey & ham sandwiches, string cheese, chips, grapes & apples, veggies
- Dinner — Burgers & Dogs (host: Harris)
- Hamburgers ⭐ (patties pre-made) + hot dogs
- Sweet corn on the cob, chips, cold veggie tray & dip
Friday, July 3 — Taco Night
- Breakfast — Quick & Cold: cereal (fruity pebbles, honeynut cheerios), vanilla yogurt cups, cinnamon-swirl bagels with strawberry cream cheese, fruit; coffee
- Lunch — Grilled Cheese + tomato soup; baked Lays, goldfish, applesauce
- Dinner — Taco Bar / Walking Tacos (host: Younger Smiths)
- ⭐ Pre-cooked seasoned meat (Mexican-style chicken/pork/steak), reheated
- Rice, warm tortillas, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream
- Walking-taco option: crush a single-serve Fritos/Doritos bag, spoon in meat
- toppings—huge kid hit, minimal dishes
Saturday, July 4 — Independence Day 🎆
The big feast. Everyone contributes; Older Smiths coordinate the main.
- Breakfast — Festive Pancakes & Bacon ⭐ (red-white-blue with berries if you like); eggs for anyone who wants them; coffee
- Lunch — Picnic Sandwiches & Chips: keep it light—there’s a feast tonight
- Dinner — 🎆 BBQ FEAST (all families; Older Smiths lead)
- ⭐ Pulled pork (cooked & frozen ahead, reheated) + BBQ chicken thighs
- Baked beans, mac & cheese, sweet corn on the cob
- Watermelon, garden salad, rolls/bread
- Dessert: s’mores + a red-white-blue treat (berry trifle or flag cake)
- Evening: campfire, naturalist program if offered. Note: check the park’s rules on fireworks—personal fireworks are typically not allowed in state parks; plan on glow sticks and a great campfire instead.
Sunday, July 5 — Easy Day
- Breakfast — Biscuits & Gravy ⭐ + scrambled eggs; fruit; coffee
- Lunch — PB&J + Leftovers (Fourth-of-July encore: pulled-pork sandwiches!)
- Dinner — Spaghetti & Salad (host: Older Smiths)
- ⭐ Spaghetti with meat sauce (sauce made ahead), parmesan
- Garden salad, Hawaiian-bread garlic bread
- One big pot = easy cleanup
Monday, July 6 — Use-It-Up Grill Night
- Breakfast — Cinnamon Rolls (Pillsbury) + fruit; cereal; coffee
- Lunch — Lunch-Meat Sandwiches: turkey, ham, corned beef; chips; veggies
- Dinner — Grill-Out & Clean-the-Cooler (host: Zuelke / Younger Smiths)
- Brats, remaining chicken thighs, anything left to grill
- ⭐ Dehydrated mashed potatoes (just add boiling water), green beans
- Foil packets to use up veggies; finish the watermelon
Tuesday, July 7 — Departure
- Breakfast — Pack-Up Morning: cereal, bagels, yogurt, fruit, last of the milk; coffee. Eat down what’s left so less goes home.
- On the road: leftover snacks, water.
Standing Snack & Drink Pantry
Available all week (everyone shares / restocks):
- Snacks: variety chips (baked Lays, Cheetos, Doritos, goldfish, Cheez-Its), applesauce pouches, string cheese, nutella + bread, trail mix, fruit
- Fruit & veg: watermelon, honeycrisp apples, bananas, grapes, baby carrots, celery, peas/green beans
- Drinks: water (lots), 2% milk, coffee, Sprite, Dr Pepper, soda; beer for the adults
Tips for Feeding the Group
- Feed little kids a few minutes early to head off hangry meltdowns.
- Cook once, eat twice: make extra at dinner for next-day lunches.
- Host cooks, a different family cleans—rotate so no one’s stuck.
- Keep a “kid plate” default (plain version) at every dinner—plain pasta, plain meat, fruit—so picky eaters always have something.