Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts Camping

[Rosiesallergies]

Does anyone have Celiac kids in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts? How do you handle camping and big events? What do you bring with you to make food prep easier and safe? Do you try to have the whole troop have safe gluten-free food? How much detail do you give when you explain you child's food issues with the kids and parents?

My child is a Celiac and is careful about being gluten-free. However, she doesn't want to explain the details of Celiac disease with everyone especially kids/parents who will just be rude or insensitive.

Thanks for your help.

[Christine0125]

My daughter is a girl scout.  For S'mores, I send her own graham crackers.  For burgers & dogs, I send a bun and usually there are chips/fruits/veggies she can eat but I usually have an extra stash just in case.  We had a planned overnight this past summer at her summer day camp and although it got cancelled due to a widespread stomach virus, I contacted the staff ahead of time to find out what was on the dinner menu.  I had planned to send her with a similar meal.  We were lucky that this camp had a kitchen in the main shelter so it could be refrigerated and microwaved.  I so want her to do a full week sleep-away camp one of these years because I have such fond memories of it as a kid but that SCARES me food wise. 

 

BTW... our troop doesn't sell cookies until the winter but my friend's daughter is selling now and they have a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie as a pilot program.  YAY!  I'm hoping we have the same. 

[Mizzo]

Ahhh Girl scouts :  the parent volunteer run program 

 

I have had mixed responses with this. Our passed troop leader did little to nothing to accommodate a  gluten-free or mostly gluten-free environment for the troop mtgs or day events. New leaders this year so we will see.

 

On the camping events and overnighters we have had really exceptional  help in insuring a safe food environment. We got lucky the day camp had a nurse with a Ceiiac child  and the overnighter food events was run by a woman with gluten intolerance who actually brought her own pots pans etc.. in for herself and the kids.

 

It really is how the leaders receive and react. You have no control over it. On one daycamp BBQ event  I sent  everything except drink and bagged chips. It included Hot dogs wrapped in foil , bun ,sides , a smores baggie with her own toasting stick  etc...      on another overnighter event i sent a smore's pack and a backup snack bag.       Situation's vary depending on the volunteers.

 

Call and speak to whoever is in charge in advance.

[cyclinglady]

Great suggestions.  I agree, it's all about the volunteers.  We have a scout who is allergic to peanuts/nuts/milk and some vegetarians.  We have accommodated them all since they were Brownies (Cadettes now).  My daughter does not have celiac disease but  I do.  I attended campouts/jamborees and I would worry about the dish cleaning procedure too.  Your daughter should always be first in line to use the dunk bag system.  She should always be served first if she is sharing any safe food and you should go over food prep procedures with your leader.  

 

If I were you, I'd attend the camping trips for a while.  Talk to your leader about taking a Volunteer Essentials class and become a scout.  You may or may not need to take a camping class (at least one of the adults in the class should take this).  

 

It's fun and our troop loves to camp.  I used to go all the time, but have backed away (the girls can do so much more at the Cadette level).  I have not camped with the troop since my dx, but prior to that I had to bring my own food due to my food allergies.   We do bring snacks to meetings always it's peanut/nut/meat and dairy free.  And when it's our turn, we make it gluten-free too!   

 

Like the others have said, it's up to the volunteers.  Hopefully, they really believe in the Girl Scout Promise and Law!  If push comes to shove, start your own troop or find another.  It's a great way to meet different girls from different schools.  

[Fourmonkeysjumping]

We have a fantastic leader who does everything she can to make things safe. It helped so much when another boy in our scout den was diagnosed. They have each other and just knowing another kid who has it is so great for both of them. His mother and I make gluten-free snacks and work to keep them safe. We have a sleepover at a museum next month and I just called and talked to them and they are allowing us to bring our own dinner and giving us access to their kitchen to put it in the fridge and heat it in the microwave. My son went to scout can't (day camp) this summer and whenever they had food relatd things, they called me and we came up with substitutes. They also bought gluten-free snacks for him if they bought snacks for the campers.

In all honesty, we have been so so so lucky in our lives with the people we have come into contact with.