Communal cooking of delicious wholesome meals over an open fire is an important part of a Kroka experience. Students take turns gathering ingredients from the farm, garden and the forest, cooking, cleaning and tending the fire. Most meals are vegetarian. When we eat meat it is the meat we have a relationship with: fish that we catch, chickens that we slaughter, or meat that is raised at local farms. Many ingredients are grown at camp and on local family farms. We go light on sugar and emphasize three good meals per day with in between snacks. We see value in feeling hungry for supper and do not have unlimited munchies available. We do realize that some children may need more frequent eating to prevent emotional meltdowns. Please indicate this on the medical questionnaire. Our menu follows the seasons in our region. We take pride in continually refining our menu, but it is important to realize there are limitations to the types of food we can carry and store on expeditions. Please share with your child that we do not have options at meal times and we strive to waste no food. While the food on the trip may be different from what some students eat at home, we ask them to keep an open mind (and flexible taste buds). We also ask that students have respect for everyone involved in growing the food, as well as those who plan and prepare each meal that is eaten – complaining will not make anything better! We do welcome constructive feedback and new ideas. We believe if one has a positive attitude and is willing to try new things they, like many of our students, may discover new foods they enjoy. We are willing to work with many different dietary and food related needs and will accommodate, if we can.

Whenever possible we choose:

1. local food over long-distance food
2. unprocessed food over processed food
3.  organically grown food over conventionally grown food
4. food that is locally "in-season" over food that is not "in-season
5.  food that is pure and natural over food that has chemical additives
6.  food that can be purchased in bulk with a minimum of packaging

Sample Breakfast Menus:

Oatmeal: Bear Mush, nuts, raisins, berries toast, muffin or biscuit & cheese and/or jam, oatmeal, nuts, raisins, berries toast, muffin or biscuit & cheese and/or jam, boiled eggs Whole oats nuts, raisins, berries toast, muffin or biscuit & cheese and/or jam, boiled eggs Wheat Berries, nuts, raisins, berries toast, muffin or biscuit & cheese and/or jam, boiled eggs Grits w/ cheddar cheese, peppers & onions w/ toast Granola, milk, yogurt
Pancakes & Waffles: Blueberry, apple or strawberry pancakes, maple syrup, yogurt, whipped cream, apple sauce, boiled eggs Crapes or waffles
Eggs: Egg McKroka: Egg & cheese on English Muffins, bread or on biscuits with salsa French toast, yogurt, syrup, jam Breakfast burritos: eggs, cheese, salsa, etc. on tortillas Potatoes, onions, garlic with eggs, cheese and salsa

Sample Lunch Menus:

Hot Lunch: Soup w/ crackers & cheese (can be cooked the night before) can be served with bread or bread on the stick Bean dip cooked the night before with crackers or biscuit, cooked in the morning Quesadillas – tortillas w/ melted cheddar, salsa, corn chips & veggie sticks, Boiled eggs, bread and veggie sticks
SANDWICHES Bagels or bread w/ cream cheese & jelly or cream cheese & pesto, fruit Peanut Butter & jam or honey on bread or bagels w/ Fresh (buy) or dried fruit Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, mayonnaise, (meat)
DIPS Hummus (mix in morning) & crackers, bread or bagels w/ cheese & veggies Cheese, crackers, pickles, sauerkraut Tabouli w/ tortillas, crackers, bread or bagels, cheese & veggies
SALADS Dandelion Green salad Carrot and cabbage salad, with raisins and walnuts Green seasonal salad Egg salad

Sample Supper Menus:

Macaroni & Cheese w/ Nature Burgers Spaghetti w/ tomato sauce, parmesan cheese & Felafel balls or meat balls Burritos – White or brown rice or barley, bean & cheese tortillas w/ salsa, corn, sour cream & fresh veggies (burger) Rababu – Brown rice & lentil pilaf w/ cheddar cheese, carrots, onions and soy sauce Local rababu: peas and barley with the rest Chili or beans & Couscous w/ tortillas, cheddar & corn Biscuit pizza - tomato sauce, cheese and veggies on homemade crust English muffin pizza Bean and wheat berry chili Mashed potatoes, carrots and hot dogs Falafel on tortillas w/ cucumbers & tomatoes SOUPS (Can be main course) and served with home made biscuits, Orchard Hill bread or cheese quesadillas Russian soups: Shee, Borsch Vegetable soups: Pea Soup, Minestrone, Chowder Bean Soups Chicken Soup SALAD: Carrot and Cabbage, seasonal greens, cucumber and tomato