Summer Camp Lunch & Snack Essentials for Kids

Quick and easy tips to keep in mind when 

packing lunches for your child’s summer camp!

The foods and drinks that your child consumes play a huge role in their development, energy levels, and overall ability to have fun and learn at camp. In the morning shuffle before summer camp drop-off, you don’t want to scramble together a lunch and snack at the last minute, or even forget them all together.

Snack and lunch times are a vital part of the camp day for many reasons. These times offer children a mental break from summer camp curriculum, but it also gives them the opportunity to re-energize and refuel, while giving their attention spans a well-deserved break.

One of the most important things when packing your child’s lunch for camp is making sure that they have enough food. For a mellow summer day at home watching movies and reading, your child may not feel as hungry throughout the day. But if they’re running around and are physically active all day, then they’ll need a lot more food and water to be able to enjoy camp and fully participate. It’s always best to pack lots of water and more food than you think they’ll need.

Some parents are hesitant to “over-pack” their child’s lunch, wanting to prevent waste. Children need nutritious foods and drinks to keep the pace at a high-energy camp, and they’ll need more than a sugary energy bar and a Gatorade to get through the day. Concerns about food waste are completely valid, but this can be fixed by packing more non-perishable foods in their snacks and lunches. A tuna sandwich can be packed with some apple slices or carrots (more perishable) as well as some pita chips, raisins, fruit snacks, or pretzels (less perishable). If they don’t finish the less perishable snacks, they can easily be repacked for the next day. A good snack amount is a fruit or veggie with pretzels or a granola bar plus water. A good-sized lunch has lots of water, an entrée (like a sandwich or pasta dish) plus a fruit or veggie with pita chips or crackers. Try to avoid items such as Lunchables as the only food for lunch; we’ve seen countless children over the years eat their Lunchable at snack time only to have no food left for lunchtime.

It is also important to be mindful of packing food and drinks that can be consumed at room temperature. Many camp locations do not have access to kitchens where children can heat or chill their lunch or snacks. If you still want to pack soup or sliced fruit, be sure to pack their lunch or snack in an insulated lunchbox to ensure food safety and to maintain their desired temperature.

Even when all the foods and drinks are packed up and ready to go, in the midst of morning mayhem, it is super easy to leave the lunchbox on the counter without realizing it. But there are some fun ways to make sure that everyone has everything and is ready to go before you pull out of the driveway. Having lunches packed and ready to go the night before can save you some precious time in the morning. Some parents find it helpful to have a big chart with everything your child needs to bring to camp (lunchbox, water, special clothing, medications, sunscreen, etc.) and check items off at the front door as you leave. Making a game out of being prepared every morning means that children will be more likely to remember everything, and you’ll have a fun double-check built into your morning routine!

Sometimes the inevitable will happen, and lunch will be forgotten on the kitchen counter. It may be tempting to tell your child to share with their friends, but many schools and camps do not allow children to share food because of potential allergic reactions. In a situation where the camp office notifies you that your child does not have enough food or forgot their lunch or water, it is so important that someone (you, your spouse, a relative, or a close family friend) can go to the camp and drop food off. Try to get the food over to camp by the designated lunch time to prevent your child from feeling awkward and left out as all of the other kids around them are eating, and to prevent a teacher from being pulled away from the rest of the campers to supervise your child as they eat after the designated lunch period. If getting someone to the camp site by lunch time is not a realistic solution, you can always use a food delivery service like DoorDash or Postmates to send a meal to your child’s camp.

In any case, it is incredibly important that a child has enough food and water to finish strong at the end of the day. Being hungry and thirsty can ruin what could have been an amazing summer camp experience had they had the energy to fully participate. Making sure that your child has the best summer ever starts with what you put in their lunchbox.

PAW’s award-winning camps for kids ages 5-14 include Rock The Mic, Musical Theater, Filmmaking, Guitar,  Magic, Photography, Stage F/X Makeup, Camp LOL & Camp WOW – a debate camp for kids!

Trusted for over 30 years, PAW has 10 camp locations to choose from including; Brentwood, West LA, Manhattan Beach, RPV, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, East Pasadena, Old Town Pasadena, Northridge, and Studio City. For camp information call us at (310) 827-8827 or check out our website at www.PerformingArtsWorkshops.com.

Performing Arts Workshops ~ the ultimate ARTS experience. 
Part Art…Part Play…ALL FUN!