“I’m hungry – when’s lunch?”
“Can I have a snack?”
“What’s for dessert tonight?”
Camp staff hear these questions constantly during a typical day. Mealtime is one of the most anticipated parts of the day at camp, and Food Program Manager Kim Novotny and her team are happy to oblige.
Meals at Merrowvista are community-driven: everyone takes turns lending a hand. Ten to 15 minutes before the meal, each village sends one or two cruisers to the Eating Lodge. Cruisers prepare their village’s table, laying out cutlery, plates, and all essentials needed for mealtime.
The ever-present bell sounds, beckoning the rest of camp to the Eating Lodge where they wash their hands outside and proceed to their table. A staff member leads the meal, announcing what’s on the menu and welcomes a camper to offer a moment of gratitude before everyone digs in. The moment of gratitude is a time for campers to reflect on one thing they are thankful for before they eat. A chime sounds, and the cruisers rise again to bring the family-style meals to their tables.
Cruisers get to serve themselves first, as a thank you for preparing their table for their friends. Then they pass the bowl or plate of food around so everyone else can serve themselves. Family-style meals allow campers to choose what is on their plate and to encourage them to consider there is enough for everyone to have a full serving. Mealtimes provide a great opportunity for campers to gather in community with their village, along with other villages. It provides time for campers to refuel and gear up for the next activity.
If the day’s menu doesn’t appeal, a variety of options are available to campers. An oatmeal and rotating cereal bar is available during breakfast, and a salad bar with an abundance of veggies, fruits, protein options, and dressings accompanies each lunch and dinner. Vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free options are also available for those with dietary restrictions.
Once the meal has ended, cruisers return any leftover food back to the kitchen while their village mates scrape their dishes, separating trash from compost and stacking them for easy cleanup. Cruisers whisk away dishes to the dish room, often with their friends’ assistance, as a village can only issue a coveted song challenge to another table after they’ve completed this process.
After each meal, villages take turns at Arlos, Merrowvista’s name for dishwashing. (According to camp lore, Arlos was named for a pig who used to eat scrap food from the camp community in a pre-compost time.) Even tasks like Arlos are an enjoyable experience, as campers rock out and dance to music while they scrub and dry dishes in preparation for the next meal.
Overall, mealtime is a tasty part of the campers’ day, but tasks like cruising, Arlos, and even the nature of family-style meals are designed to strengthen the community and promote active involvement across the community.