Feeding a group of young people can be a daunting prospect but actually it’s really not that difficult!

If you’re group is about 30 or less it’s perfectly easy to do food cooking in house…I’ve run residentials with volunteers who’s role it is to cook and also just done it with usual leaders.

Ordering the food is easy too! Just click onto Sainsbury or ASDA’s website a few days before and they’ll turn up on your doorstep with all the food on the morning of the residential…it’s completely stress free!

It’s important to make sure you have a food hygiene certificate – these can be done cheaply through a local adult education college and the course lasts a day and provides you with a certificate valid for 3 years.

What to feed them?

Planning the menu can be tricky but it’s actually pretty simple…here’s an example of a summer residential menu

Friday Evening – Pizza & Chips, Ice Cream Selection
Saturday Morning – Toast, cereal etc. Jam, marmite, butter (Note: always Kelloggs cereal…value cereal just tastes awful!)
Saturday Lunchtime – Sandwiches, chocolate bars, crisps, fruit
Saturday Evening – BBQ or Lasagne, Garlic bread & Salad  – Cheesecake, Chocolate Gateux
Sunday Morning – Toast, cereal etc
Sunday Lunchtime – Sandwiches, chocolate bars etc etc.

For a winter residential I’ve just changed the BBQ to something like Lasagne…Sainsbury’s do big family lasagnes that feed 4 for about £3 and garlic bread is cheap too!

How much do I buy?

Getting the right amount is always difficult so here are some easy ways to work out the essentials…this list has never failed me!

Essentials Shopping List

Pizza                 3 people per pizza plus 1
Milk                1 pint per 2 people semi skimmed
Bread                two loaves per five
Burgers            1 and a half each
Sausages            1 and a half each
Buns                1 and a half each round/1 and a half each long
Buns                buns for bacon – 1 each
Cheesecake            1 per five – a selection
Chocolate Gateaux        6 per one

That’s it!

It really is as simple as that…just check out what kind of oven the centre has beforehand as some take a lot longer than others to cook things!