Requirements
1. Health and safety. Do the following:
a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may
encounter while participating in cooking activities and what
you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and
respond to these hazards.
b. Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries
or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and
eating, including burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and
allergic reactions.
c. Describe how meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products,
and fresh vegetables should be stored, transported,
and properly prepared for cooking. Explain how to
prevent cross-contamination.
d. Discuss with your counselor food allergies, food intolerance,
and food-related illnesses and diseases. Explain why someone
who handles or prepares food needs to be aware of
these concerns.
e. Discuss with your counselor why reading food labels is
important. Explain how to identify common allergens such as
peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.
2. Nutrition. Do the following:
a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition
model, give five examples for EACH of the following food
groups, the recommended number of daily servings, and the
recommended serving size:
(1) Fruits (3) Grains (5) Dairy
(2) Vegetables (4) Proteins
b. Explain why you should limit your intake of oils and sugars.
c. Determine your daily level of activity and your caloric need
based on your activity level. Then, based on the MyPlate food
guide, discuss with your counselor an appropriate meal plan
for yourself for one day.
d. Discuss your current eating habits with your counselor and what
you can do to eat healthier, based on the MyPlate food guide.
e. Discuss the following food label terms: calorie, fat, saturated
fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber,
sugar, protein. Explain how to calculate total carbohydrates and
nutritional values for two servings, based on the serving size
specified on the label.
3. Cooking basics. Do the following:
a. Discuss EACH of the following cooking methods. For each
one, describe the equipment needed, how temperature control
is maintained, and name at least one food that can be cooked
using that method: baking, boiling, broiling, pan frying,
simmering, steaming, microwaving, grilling, foil cooking, and
use of a Dutch oven.
b. Discuss the benefits of using a camp stove on an outing vs. a
charcoal or wood fire.
c. Describe for your counselor how to manage your time when
preparing a meal, so components for each course are ready to
serve at the correct time.
Note: The meals prepared for Cooking merit badge requirements 4,
5, and 6 will count only toward fulfilling those requirements and
will not count toward rank advancement or other merit badges.
Meals prepared for rank advancement or other merit badges may
not count toward the Cooking merit badge. You must not repeat any
menus for meals actually prepared or cooked in requirements 4, 5,
and 6.
4. Cooking at home. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current
USDA nutrition model, plan menus for three full days of meals
(three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) plus one
dessert. Your menus should include enough to feed yourself and
at least one adult, keeping in mind any special needs (such as
food allergies) and how you kept your foods safe and free from
cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to
prepare and serve these meals. Then do the following:
a. Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of
food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for
each meal.
b. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with
your counselor.
c. Using at least five of the 10 cooking methods from requirement
3, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult
(parent, family member, guardian, or other responsible adult)
one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from
the meals you planned.*
d. Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the
proper time. Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal
to your counselor.
e. After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the meal on
presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss
what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments
that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning
and preparation help ensure a successful meal.
5. Camp cooking. Do the following:
a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition
model, plan five meals for your patrol (or a similar size group of
up to eight youth, including you) for a camping trip. Your menus
should include enough food for each person, keeping in mind any
special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your
foods safe and free from cross-contamination. These five meals
must include at least one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, AND
at least one snack OR one dessert. List the equipment and utensils
needed to prepare and serve these meals.
b. Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of
food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for
each meal.
c. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with
your counselor.
d. In the outdoors, using your menu plans for this requirement,
cook two of the five meals you planned using either a lightweight
stove or a low-impact fire. Use a different cooking method
from requirement 3 for each meal. You must also cook a third
meal using either a Dutch oven OR a foil pack OR kabobs. Serve
all of these meals to your patrol or a group of youth.**
e. In the outdoors, prepare a dessert OR a snack and serve it to
your patrol or a group of youth.**
f. After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal
on presentation and taste, and then evaluate your own meal.
Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including
any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced
your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure
successful outdoor cooking.
g. Explain to your counselor how you cleaned the equipment,
utensils, and the cooking site thoroughly after each meal.
Explain how you properly disposed of dishwater and of
all garbage.
h. Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace
principles when preparing your meals.
6. Trail and backpacking meals. Do the following:
a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition
model, plan a menu for trail hiking or backpacking that
includes one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one
snack. These meals must not require refrigeration and are
to be consumed by three to five people (including you).
Be sure to keep in mind any special needs (such as food
allergies) and how you will keep your foods safe and free
from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils
needed to prepare and serve these meals.
b. Create a shopping list for your meals, showing the amount of
food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for
each meal.
c. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your
counselor. Your plan must include how to repackage foods for
your hike or backpacking trip to eliminate as much bulk,
weight, and garbage as possible.
d. While on a trail hike or backpacking trip, prepare and serve
two meals and a snack from the menu planned for this
requirement. At least one of those meals must be cooked over
a fire, or an approved trail stove (with proper supervision).**
e. After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on
presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss
what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments
that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell
how planning and preparation help ensure successful trail
hiking or backpacking meals.
f. Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace
principles during your outing. Explain to your counselor how
you cleaned any equipment, utensils, and the cooking site
after each meal. Explain how you properly disposed of any
dishwater and packed out all garbage.
7. Food-related careers. Find out about three career opportunities
in cooking. Select one and find out the education, training, and
experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your
counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
* The meals for requirement 4 may be prepared on different days, and they need not
be prepared consecutively. The requirement calls for Scouts to plan, prepare, and
serve one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner to at least one adult; those served
need not be the same for all meals.
** Where local regulations do not allow you to build a fire, the counselor may adjust
the requirement to meet the law. The meals in requirements 5 and 6 may be prepared
for different trips and need not be prepared consecutively. Scouts working
on this badge in summer camp should take into consideration foods that can be
obtained at the camp commissary.
Resources:
Scouting.org Merit Badges - Requirements
boyscouttrail.com Merit Badges