There’s a special kind of magic that happens when the stars are out, the tent’s aglow in the background, and the coals are just right. That night, with my son crouched beside me and the smell of bubbling stew in the air, wasn’t just about making dinner. It was about making memories and shaping character.
Cooking in the outdoors is not merely about preparing food it is about building character. Out here, there’s no microwave, no Uber Eats, no fridge to fall back on. You plan, adapt, and make do. And in doing so, you build self-reliance, resourcefulness, and a cheerful spirit in the face of difficulty. My son learned that lesson the hard way when he insisted on baking biscuits directly on the coals. The result? Some were carbonized hockey pucks. We still laugh about it every time we break out the cast iron. There is a trick in cooking on the coals…we can talk about that later.
Tip #1: Prep at home. Chop your veggies, pre-mix your spices, and store them in labeled bags. The less fumbling in the dark, the better.
Tip #2: Bring a Dutch oven. Heavy? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. It’s a car camping kitchen powerhouse.
Tip #3: Create a cooking zone. Keep firewood, utensils, food, and cleanup all within reach. It fosters teamwork and teaches kids to stay organized in chaos.
But beyond the flames and foil packets, what I love most is the camaraderie. Cooking together teaches young people to look after one another, share responsibilities, and appreciate the fruits of honest effort. There is no better seasoning for a meal than the satisfaction of preparing it with your own hands beneath the open sky.
In Scouting or any outdoor experience education is for life. Those small challenges making fire, stirring stew, baking bread are quiet rehearsals for the bigger stage. And when a kid figures out how to problem-solve over a flickering flame, they’re better prepared to face the world with confidence, skill, and good humor.
Stay warm, eat well, and pass the biscuits,
Jeff
Liquid Rhythm Adventures' Journal 