Bsa Counselor Guide For Cooking Merit Badge

Welcome to part 2 of Your Ultimate Guide to the Cooking Merit Badge! If you haven't yet completed part 1, click here.

1. Bsa Cooking Merit Badge Booklet
2. Bsa Counselor Guide For Cooking Merit Badge Workbook
3. Bsa Counselor Guide For Cooking Merit Badge Pamphlet

The BSA recognizes that the merit badge counselor is the cornerstone to the merit badge program. By offering their time, experience, and knowledge to guide youth in one or more subjects, these volunteers help shape the future of our communities. The Boy Scouts of America is proud of its tradition of volunteer service. A merit badge counselor does not have to pay a registration fee, but must complete an Adult Application for position code 42, fill out this form, and complete BSA Youth Protection training. Submit the Adult Application with the Merit Badge Counselor Information form to your council. Cooking - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 31 of 33 Cooking Scout's Name: Explain to your counselor how you cleaned any equipment, utensils, and the cooking site after each meal. Explain how you properly disposed of any dishwater and packed out all garbage. Learning to Be a Merit Badge Counselor All merit badge counselors should seek training. It is important that they have a full understanding of their responsibilities and also of the recommended practices for quality counseling. The presentation 'The Essentials of Merit Badge Counseling' has been designed for this.

Requirements 3-7 will test your actual cooking abilities. You'll need to prepare a meal at home, during a campout, and on a trail. You'll also learn about possible careers in cooking, as well as some tips to become a better chef!

Enough talking! Let's dive into it so you can finish earning your Cooking merit badge 🙂

What Are The Cooking Merit Badge Requirements 3-7?

1. Cooking Basics. Do the following:
   a. Discuss EACH of the following cooking methods. For each one, describe the equipment needed, how temperature control is maintained, and name at least one food that can be cooked using that method: baking, boiling, broiling, pan frying, simmering, steaming, microwaving, grilling, foil cooking, and use of a Dutch oven.
   b. Discuss the benefits of using a camp stove on an outing vs. a charcoal or wood fire.
   c. Describe with your counselor how to manage your time when preparing a meal so components for each course are ready to serve at the same time.
2. Cooking at Home.
   Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu for three full days of meals (three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) plus one dessert. Your menu should include enough to feed yourself and at least one adult, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you kept your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
   Then do the following:
   a. Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal.
   b. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.
   c. Using at least five of the 10 cooking methods from requirement 3, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult (parent, family member, guardian, or other responsible adult) one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from the meals you planned. *
   d. Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the proper time. Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal to your counselor.
   e. After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how better planning and preparation help ensure a successful meal.
3. Camp Cooking. Do the following:
   a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu for your patrol (or a similar size group of up to eight youth, including you) for a camping trip. Your menu should include enough food for each person, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. These five meals must include at least one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, AND at least one snack OR one dessert. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
   b. Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal.
   c. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.
   d. In the outdoors, using your menu plan for this requirement, cook two of the five meals you planned using either a lightweight stove or a low-impact fire. Use a different cooking method from requirement 3 for each meal. You must also cook a third meal using either a Dutch oven OR a foil pack OR kabobs. Serve all of these meals to your patrol or a group of youth. **
   e. In the outdoors, prepare a dessert OR a snack and serve it to your patrol or a group of youth.**
   f. After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, and then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure successful outdoor cooking.
   g. Explain to your counselor how you cleaned the equipment, utensils, and the cooking site thoroughly after each meal. Explain how you properly disposed of dishwater and of all garbage.
   h. Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace principles when preparing your meals.
4. Trail and backpacking meals. Do the following:
   a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu for trail hiking or backpacking that includes one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one snack. These meals must not require refrigeration and are to be consumed by three to five people (including you). Be sure to keep in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you will keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
   b. Create a shopping list for your meals, showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal.
   c. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor. Your plan must include how to repackage foods for your hike or backpacking trip to eliminate as much bulk, weight, and garbage as possible.
   d. While on a trail hike or backpacking trip, prepare and serve two meals and a snack from the menu planned for this requirement. At least one of those meals must be cooked over a fire, or an approved trail stove (with proper supervision).**
   e. After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure successful trail hiking or backpacking meals.
   f. Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace principles during your outing. Explain to your counselor how you cleaned any equipment, utensils, and the cooking site after each meal. Explain how you properly disposed of any dishwater and packed out all garbage.
5. Food-related careers.
   Find out about three career opportunities in cooking. Select one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

Cooking Basics

Do the following:
3a) Discuss EACH of the following cooking methods. For each one, describe the equipment needed, how temperature control is maintained, and name at least one food that can be cooked using that method: baking, boiling, broiling, pan frying, simmering, steaming, microwaving, grilling, foil cooking, and use of a Dutch oven.

Baking

• Overview: Baking involves using direct, dry heat to cook food. Typically, you would keep your dish in a tray and then place it into an oven for a set length of time.
• Equipment needed: Food is typically baked, either covered or uncovered, within a preheated oven. You'll usually place the food on a tray or dish to bake, but you can also leave it on the wire oven racks.
• How temperature is maintained: An oven will heat to a set temperature using metal heating coils. Make sure that your oven has had the time to reach your desired temperature before placing any food inside. When an oven's doors are opened, heat will escape quickly. Resist the urge to open your oven door after placing the food inside.
• Example dish: People often bake potatoes, casseroles, or brownies in the oven.

Boiling

• Overview: Boiling starchy foods, such as rice and pasta, in water, helps them to soften and break down. At sea level, water boils when its temperature reaches 212°F.
• Equipment needed: At the very least, you'll need a medium to large pot, water, a stirring utensil, and a source of heat. A pot lid will also help the water to boil faster.
• How temperature is maintained: Whether you're using a fire or a stove, the pot will be heated from the bottom, eventually bringing the water to a boil. When you drop in the food to be boiled, the water temperature will suddenly decrease, but quickly rise again.
• Example dish: Eggs, pastas, or starchy vegetables like asparagus are just a few examples of foods that can be prepared by boiling.

Broiling

• Overview: By placing a dish on the top rack of your oven and activating the overhead heating element, you'll be able to ‘broil' it. Broiling cooks food at high and direct heats, which is great for caramelizing sugar or toasting bread
• Equipment needed: Similar to baking, all you'll need is a pan, an oven, and some oven mitts.
• How temperature is maintained: The dish is cooked by a metal heating element attached to the roof of the oven. Broiling is usually done at 500°F. Very few dishes are broiled for more than a minute.
• Example dish: Fish and steaks are sometimes broiled, but the high heat will destroy herbs and can cause things to easily burn. I've put dishes covered in cheese under the broiler to melt and create a nice crust.

Pan Frying

• Overview: Food is cooked on a metal pan placed above a direct heat source. When pan-frying, you won't be able to quickly cook for large groups, as your pan can typically only hold a few portions.
• Equipment needed: You'll need a pan, a heat source, and a spatula. Some pan-fried dishes also use oil, which will help to keep your food from sticking.
• How temperature is maintained: Pan temperatures can be maintained by adjusting the stove, or by moving the food to warmer areas of the pan. A thin layer of oil will also help to distribute heat and allow your food to cook more evenly.
• Example dish: Scrambled and sunny side up eggs are pan fried. Steaks can be pan fried. Vegetables are often pan fried. Foods that are sautéed are also considered pan fried. Almost everything can be pan fried!

Simmering

• Overview: Simmering is like boiling, but is done in water that is slightly below 212°F. The point of simmering is to allow sauces to break down and for flavors to meld together.
• Equipment needed: To simmer a dish, all you'll need is a heat source, a pot, and a spoon. Avoid using a lid, while simmering, so that the water doesn't fully boil.
• How temperature is maintained: When getting water to simmer, first turn the heating element to high. Once the water begins to boil, turn the heat to low. In a few seconds, the boiling water will subside into a light simmer.
• Example dish: Many soups and sauces are simmered for a long time at low heat. This helps vegetables and meats to soften and break down.

Steaming

• Overview: You can steam food by placing it above boiling water and letting it cook in the hot vapors. This helps ingredients to retain their vitamins and minerals which would otherwise leach into the water if boiled.
• Equipment needed: There are different tools used when steaming, such as steamer baskets and specialized lids. At the very least, you'll need a pot, boiling water, and a porous tray to hold the food being steamed. A lid helps foods to be steamed more quickly.
• How temperature is maintained: Since water boils at a constant temperature, the steam's heat will also stay the same. All you need to do is keep water warm enough to boil.
• Example dish: Veggies, dumplings, and buns are just a few of the many types of foods that are commonly steamed.

Microwaving

• Overview: Putting food into a microwave causes the water molecules in the food to vibrate. This, in turn, creates heat and cooks your food. In case you were wondering, microwave radiation is 100% safe.
• Equipment needed: To microwave food, you'll need a microwave, a source of electricity, and a microwave-safe dish to place your food on. FYI, you can't microwave metal and some types of plastics, as they tend to cause fires.
• How temperature is maintained: As long as the microwave is running, the water molecules in your food will continue to heat up. This could cause overcooking, so be careful of how much time you add.
• Example dish: Almost all leftovers can be microwaved. Additionally, there are many TV dinner-type meals that are made to be prepared by microwaving. However, high-fat foods tend not to microwave well.

Grilling

• Overview: Food is grilled by applying direct heat by its surface. Most commonly, the food is placed on a wire grid above an open flame or hot coals.
• Equipment needed: To grill, you'll need a wire grid to support your food, a fire, and some way to hold the grid above the flames. You'll also need tongs or a spatula to flip your food, as well as a brush to clean the grill once you've finished.
• How temperature is maintained: Food can be grilled either on an open flame or above hot coals. Either way, you'll need to start a fire and bring it to a steady heat before placing any food on your wire grid. If you're using wood, make sure that all of the saps have burned away before cooking your food above the smoke.
• Example dish: Burgers, hotdogs, vegetables, and skewers are all examples of foods commonly cooked by grilling. Fun fact: The difference between grilling and barbecuing is that barbecuing has the lid placed over the food, allowing the heat to come from all sides.

Foil Cooking

• Overview: Foil cooking is an easy way to cook quality food while camping. Simply wrap your ingredients in foil, sealing the package so it's airtight, and place it under hot coals to cook.
• Equipment needed: To cook with foil, you'll need some heavy-duty aluminum foil, a heat source, and a pair of tongs. Foil cooking can be done in an oven but is best suited for cooking a delicious meal around a campfire.
• How temperature is maintained: You'll want to place your foil package in a bed of hot coals. Hot coals cool slowly, which will help your meal to cook evenly. If you're cooking with foil in an oven, set it to the desired temperature and leave it alone.
• Example dish: Shrimp, chicken, tomatoes, and potatoes are just a few of the many ingredients that can go into a foil cooked hobo pack! These foil-wrapped hobo packs are delicious and were one of my favorite parts of Scouting.

• Overview: Dutch ovens are large and heavy pots that can be placed directly onto a heat source. They're often made of cast iron and are great for cooking a variety of dishes, especially on a campout.
• Equipment needed: To cook food with a Dutch oven, you'll need a Dutch oven! You'll also need a tool like pliers to lift the lid off, as well as a heat source like coals to maintain a steady temperature.
• How temperature is maintained: When camping, Dutch ovens can be placed over hot coals or smoldering firewood. Since the metal around a dutch oven is thick, it will maintain a constant heat while cooking. You can also place coals on the lid of a Dutch to ensure the top of your dish is cooked.
• Example dish: Cobblers, casseroles, stews, and soups are just a few examples of dishes that you can make in a Dutch oven. In my troop, Dutch ovens were a central part of camp cooking. When cooking for a patrol, no other cooking tool compares to the quality of easy food that you'll be able to make by using a Dutch oven.

3b) Discuss the benefits of using a camp stove on an outing vs. a charcoal or wood fire.

Camp stoves and open fires are two methods you can use to prepare food while on a campout. In the table below, I'll be comparing the benefits of using a camp stove on an outing, versus starting a fire.

Camp Stoves

• Practical.
• Quick to set up and begin cooking a meal.
• Avoids open flames that could damage the campsite.
• Very safe when used by experienced scouts.
• Able to be started in practically all weather conditions.
• Easy to control heat when cooking.
• Allowed on almost all campsites and trails.

Charcoal/Wood Fire

• Fun!
• Takes time to light and begin cooking.
• May damage the campground if made outside of a fire pit.
• Can be dangerous, even for experienced scouts.
• Can't be started in conditions that are too windy or wet.
• Difficult to control heat while cooking.
• Can only be made in designated locations.

Personally, I think that both open fires and camp stoves have their place in scout campouts. Stoves are reliable tools for quickly cooking meals, and are especially useful when pressed for time. Fires should only be lit in designated fire pits, but are great for cooking creative meals and helping scouts to bond.

3c) Describe with your counselor how to manage your time when preparing a meal so components for each course are ready to serve at the same time.

To manage your time when preparing a meal, you'll first need to think through how long each component will take to cook. Start the ingredients with longer cooking times first. Wait until the meal is almost ready to prepare the warm, quick-cooking ingredients. This will ensure that the meal is warm and fresh when being served.

For instance, if you're preparing a burger and potatoes, you'll want to start the potatoes before any other components so that they have time to fully cook. That way, your burger will finish cooking around the same time that your potatoes come out. None of your dishes will be eaten cold!

Cooking at Home

Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu for three full days of meals (three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) plus one dessert. Your menu should include enough to feed yourself and at least one adult, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you kept your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.

Using the knowledge that you've learned in this guide, create a nutritious meal plan to follow over the course of three days. For inspiration, I'd Google ‘ three-day meal plans' to see if any recipes jump out at you. Write out your three-day meal plan and use this list to complete the following requirements.

To make this requirement easier, I'd recommend talking to your parents about actually following your meal plan for the next three days. That way, you'll know the cost of the ingredients, you'll be able to prepare the meals, and you'll have your family's help in completing the dishes. 😉

Then do the following:
4a) Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal

You can find the estimated cost of your meals by searching each ingredient in Amazon. Usually, most supermarket products will be listed, so add everything you need to the online shopping cart basket. Amazon will tell you the total cost of your list.

4b) Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.

Discuss your list and its costs with your counselor. Was it more or less expensive than you expected? Does your meal plan cover your nutritional requirements? What is this a harder requirement to complete than expected?

4c) Using at least five of the 10 cooking methods from requirement 3, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult (parent, family member, guardian, or other responsible adult) one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from the meals you planned. *

Now it's time to get cooking! The easiest methods to demonstrate will likely be:

• Baking (casserole)
• Broiling (melt cheese on casserole at end)
• Boiling (boil eggs/veggies)
• Pan-frying (fry eggs/sausage)
• Microwaving (cook leftovers)

4d) Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the proper time. Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal to your counselor.
4e) After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how better planning and preparation help ensure a successful meal.

Once you've made the meals, ask for feedback and consider what you can improve on next time. A good idea when cooking is to taste your food throughout its preparation. Then, add spices like salt and pepper accordingly.

Planning and preparation are key to cooking successful meals. By making sure you have all the ingredients beforehand, understanding how long things will take to cook, and preparing your most time-consuming ingredients first, your cooking skills will rapidly improve.

Camp Cooking

Before starting on requirements 5 and 6, watch the helpful video (4:06) below to get some quick tips for outdoor cooking. I'd also highly recommend checking out this affordable Nonstick Pan + Mess Kit combo on Amazon. Being able to cook in your mess kit will save you space, time, and money, helping you to better complete the next few requirements!

Do the following:
5a) Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu for your patrol (or a similar size group of up to eight youth, including you) for a camping trip. Your menu should include enough food for each person, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. These five meals must include at least one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, AND at least one snack OR one dessert. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
5b) Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal.
5c) Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.
5d) In the outdoors, using your menu plan for this requirement, cook two of the five meals you planned using either a lightweight stove or a low-impact fire. Use a different cooking method from requirement 3 for each meal. You must also cook a third meal using either a Dutch oven OR a foil pack OR kabobs. Serve all of these meals to your patrol or a group of youth. **
5e) In the outdoors, prepare a dessert OR a snack and serve it to your patrol or a group of youth.**
5f) After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, and then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure successful outdoor cooking.

Your troop should have a standard way of preparing meals on each campout. Speak with your patrol leader and ask to be in charge of the camp menu during an upcoming camp. Make sure to prepare a meal using either a Dutch oven, foil packs, or kebabs. If you don't have a Dutch oven, I'd recommend making foil pack vegetables or hobo packs!

For more info on planning camp meals, check out my ultimate guide to the Camping merit badge!

5g) Explain to your counselor how you cleaned the equipment, utensils, and the cooking site thoroughly after each meal. Explain how you properly disposed of dishwater and of all garbage.

Some main points to cover when speaking with your merit badge counselor could include how you:

• Avoided leaving or burying food waste (this attracts animals).
• Properly sanitized cooking utensils.
• Wiped down large cooking equipment.
• Kept the campsite free of food waste and cleaning chemicals.
• Didn't waste too much water.

To dispose of dishwater and garbage, according to the official BSA website, you should:

Strain dishwater through a small strainer or bandana. Put the food particles in a sealable plastic bag and pack them out. Spread the strained dishwater over a wide area at least 200 feet from the nearest water source, campsite, or trail. Scattering dishwater in a sunny area will cause the water to evaporate quickly, causing minimal impact.

Dispose of the strained food waste in a sealed trash bag. Throw this bag, along with any other garbage you may have, in a designated dumpster after you've arrived back from the camp.

5h) Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace principles when preparing your meals.

To recap, here are the Leave No Trace principles and Outdoor Code:

The 7 Leave No Trace Principles:

1. Plan ahead and prepare.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
3. Dispose of waste properly.
4. Leave what you find.
5. Minimize campfire impacts.
6. Respect wildlife.
7. Be considerate of other visitors.

The Outdoor Code:

As an American, I will do my best to –

Be clean in my outdoor manners.

Be careful with fire.

Be considerate in the outdoors.

Be conservation minded.

Some of the main points you could cover after following these guidelines include:

• Avoiding damaging the campsite with open flames.
• Keeping food waste contained by sealing it in trash bags.
• Avoiding food waste by planning effectively.
• Making sure that the cooking did not attract wild animals by straining and packing out food waste.

Trail and backpacking meals

Do the following:
6a) Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu for trail hiking or backpacking that includes one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one snack. These meals must not require refrigeration and are to be consumed by three to five people (including you). Be sure to keep in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you will keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
6b) Create a shopping list for your meals, showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal.
6c) Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor. Your plan must include how to repackage foods for your hike or backpacking trip to eliminate as much bulk, weight, and garbage as possible.
6d) While on a trail hike or backpacking trip, prepare and serve two meals and a snack from the menu planned for this requirement. At least one of those meals must be cooked over a fire, or an approved trail stove (with proper supervision).**
6e) After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure successful trail hiking or backpacking meals.
6f) Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace principles during your outing. Explain to your counselor how you cleaned any equipment, utensils, and the cooking site after each meal. Explain how you properly disposed of any dishwater and packed out all garbage.

Backpacking meals are a bit more difficult to plan and prepare than camping meals. Be sure to pack light and avoid foods that need to be chilled. You'll most likely need to bring a small, portable camp stove, but you can also get away with making an open fire if conditions allow.

If we're being completely realistic here, backpacking meals probably won't fall under your typical MyPlate health guidelines. However, you can do your best to have as nutritious a meal as possible. Here's some lightweight and healthy ingredients that I'd recommend for backpacking:

Breakfasts

• Oatmeal packets
• Trail mix with plenty of nuts
• Powdered eggs
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Oats
• Granola bars

Lunches

• Carrot sticks
• Tortillas
• Crackers
• Hard cheese
• Dry salami
• Packaged tuna/salmon
• Hot dogs
• Celery

Dinners

• MRE's
• Instant noodles
• Lentils
• Rice
• Dried veggies
• Instant potatoes
• Couscous

Be sure to avoid leaving any food scraps in the wilderness. A great way to filter dishwater after washing your mess kit is by poking a few small holes in a plastic bag, filling the bag with some brush, and then pouring the dishwater through the bag. This will filter out for any food particles. Afterward, tie off the top of the bag and pack it out.

Food-related careers

7) Find out about three career opportunities in cooking. Select one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

1. Chef:

There are many different types of chefs, but they all have one thing in common – they're great at cooking food. Most high-level chefs attend school and are educated in the culinary arts. Afterward, chefs gain experience by working in restaurants and cooking different types of cuisines.

The highest-paid chefs are called ‘executive chefs'. These individuals create their own recipes and lead teams of chefs in fancy restaurants. For most to make it as a chef, they'll need to gain years of kitchen experience, working their way up from being a line cook.

2. Restaurant Manager:

Restaurant managers make sure that all of the different parts of a restaurant are running smoothly. They're typically responsible for upholding food quality, managing staff, supplying the kitchen, and maintaining health standards.

Since every restaurant is different, restaurant managers may need to do more or less based on the scope of their role. To become a restaurant manager most people will need years of experience working in a restaurant, as well as a college degree based in operations.

3. Food Scientist:

Food scientists help to research, develop, and improve the foods that you see on your grocery store shelves. There are many different types of food scientists, but they all must understand proper nutrition and be aware of government food regulations. To become a food scientist, you'll typically need at least a bachelor's degree in a related stem field.

Conclusion

Congratulations! Finishing the Cooking merit badge is no small feat. Now you're one step closer to earning the rank of Eagle Scout!

If you're interested in earning some fun and easy elective merit badges, I'd also recommend checking out my article on the 3 easiest merit badges you can earn from home in 1 day.

I hope you found my guide helpful, and until next time, I want to wish you the best of luck in your Scouting journey! 🙂

Please NOTE that this page and future updates have been moved to ourAdvancement Section.

Merit badge counselors play a vital role in Scouting. You offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore over a hundred different topics of interest. That has always been a core part of Scouting and this hasn't changed with social-distancing. If anything, your services are needed more than ever.

Social-distancing has challenged Scouting and made it difficult to conduct face-to-face merit badge classes. But Scouting had adapted and developed new ways of meeting online. Many were skeptical about online Scouting at first, but after several months of conducting meetings and classes online, it is clear that online meetings are a very acceptable method for meeting with and teaching Scouts. In fact, online meetings have a lot of unique benefits, such as allowing Scouts from across the US to connect with merit badge counselors with special skill sets, and allowing counselors to take groups on virtual visits to locations that would otherwise be inaccessible to Scouts.

If you are a merit badge counselor and are considering online teaching, you are not alone. There are many merit badge counselors in our council who have been running successful merit badge courses since the beginning of ‘social distancing'. We have experimented with several approaches and are happy to share what we have learned.

It is now clear that most merit badge courses can be taught, at least in part, online. And if you don't feel that your subject can be delivered online, consider that courses such as Wilderness Survival, First Aid, and Hiking have been successfully completed online and courses such as Archery, Horseback Riding and Swimming have been completed as blended or partial courses.

Online courses are here to stay and anyone can deliver one.

Scouts still need your help. And we can help you … help them. The Mount Baker Council can handle registration and reach out to all the Scouts in our council and beyond. This makes that part of setting up a course painless and allows you to share your services with as many Scouts as you are comfortable teaching. We can also connect you with other counselors with a wealth of online experience.

Please considering sharing your expertise with our Scouts. Get in touch with us and we'll connect you with the resources to help you succeed.

Online Merit Badge Formats

There is more than one way to deliver a merit badge course. Common online Merit Badge Formats include:

• Virtual Meeting Format
• Virtual Meeting Slideshow Presentations
• Live Demos and Virtual Visits
• Google Classroom
• Prerecorded Videos

Virtual Meeting Format (Zoom Meetings)

Most of our Scouts are familiar with virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom. This is a popular platform used by schools, for unit meetings and is by far the most popular platform used for online merit badges. If you are not familiar with Zoom, we can help connect you with someone who can assist you in setting up a meeting.

Zoom and similar platforms allow you to meet with small and large groups alike. Running a class and participating in discussions is easy. Hands-on tasks can be a little more challenging, but can be done with a little planning and creativity.

Virtual Meeting Slideshow Presentations

For those of you with PowerPoint skills, virtual meetings are a cinch. Programs such as Zoom are designed to work well with PowerPoint, PDFs and similar programs. Classes can be entirely set up in a slideshow format or blended with other formats such as discussions, breakout rooms, videos, etc.

Here are a few slideshows designed to work with virtual courses:

Other slideshows are available online and the best ones are likely the ones you make on your own.

Live Demos and Virtual Visits

For classes that need live demos, counselors can run live demos from their cellphone or laptop. This allows you to tackle hands-on skills, such as fire starting or pioneering skills. This can be done on Zoom, YouTube, Facebook and other platforms.

If you have access to a medical office, library, power plant, farm, etc. you can easily bring 50 Scouts with you on a virtual tour. This is invaluable as you can share a live experience with Scouts that would otherwise not be able to attend.

Google Classroom

Google Classroom allows you to set up and organize merit badge coursework online. Scouts can complete and turn in requirements at their own pace. This allows you to easily connect with Scouts without having to set up a virtual meeting, or can be done in conjunction with virtual classes. Many Scouts prefer this method of merit badge work.

For merit badge counselors, Google Classroom allows you to easily organize and keep track of coursework for any number of Scouts.

Prerecorded Videos

A few merit badge counselors have recorded videos of their classwork. Videos have been published on YouTube, Facebook and on Council websites.

These videos can be used in a number of ways to fulfill or guide completion of merit badge requirements.

• They can be posted on council websites to be used by scouts from around the US 24 hours a day.
• Videos can be played in online and face-to-face classes.
• Viewing of videos can be assigned as homework for merit badge coursework.
• Videos can be used by the creator of the video, or by hundreds merit badge counselors around the US.

The playback quality of recorded videos are generally far superior when downloaded or viewed on the web than the video feeds from platforms such as Zoom.

Are Scouts Interested in Online Merit Badges?

Scouts from all over the US have signed up for our courses. Some course have filled up by the first business day after posting.

It is clear that there is a great need for this service and it is wonderful way to connect willing Merit Badge Counselors with needy Scouts. With enough notification, we can generally fill up your class with as many Scouts as you are willing to teach.

Some Requirements Not Suitable for Online Completion?

Sure, there are a few requirements that can't be reasonably completed on a virtual meeting platform, such as the requirements of swimming or shooting. That's OK, because you can cover online suitable requirements for any given merit badge and assign the rest as homework or issue a partially completed Blue Card. For the most part, experienced Scouts are used to being assigned homework and will be grateful for what was covered by the counselor. After your course, Scouts are that many steps closer to completing their merit badge and potentially their next rank.

Some Merit Badges and Requirements ARE Better Suited for Online Teaching

Depending on what Merit Badge you are instructing, you may find that it is much easy to teach in an online format than a live-in-person format.

• Merit Badge Counselors can schedule a class when they want to schedule class. This by itself enables a great many Merit Badge Counselors to teach who otherwise would not be able offer their services.
• Some classes are just better delivered in a Multimedia Presentation format. Many troop meeting locations just aren't set up for this, but your Zoom account is.
• You can reach many scouts across the US. This is important for Merit Badges that don't have a lot of Counselor support, and of course for Scouts in remote locations.
• You can take Scouts to areas you have special access to but that are prohibited to in-person visitors.
• You have access to all your tools and resources from where you are at.
• Scouts have access to what they have at home (their project, their computer, pet, family, own cookware, etc.).
• You have internet where you are at, whereas the regular Scout meeting place may not. This allows you to access so many electronic resources.
• Some Merit Badge Counselors and even Scouts interact better online than in person.
• Some Merit Badge Counselors just aren't able to travel for a number of reasons (work schedule, traffic, mobility concerns, location).

There are many Merit Badge Counselors who honestly prefer virtual meetings over in-person ones.

Secrets for Running a Great Online Merit Badge Course

We have learned a lot of tricks to make our courses better. Some of it was learned through trial and error while others were learned from other Scouters. We're happy to share what we have learned.

What to Cover and what Not to Cover

That's entirely up to you. You don't need to cover every requirement for a given merit badge to provide a valuable service to Scouts. Look through the requirements and determine what you are willing or able to cover given your resources and time restrictions. If you would like to cover more, but aren't sure how to, reach out to other counselors. We have shared ideas and come up with so pretty good solutions in the past.

If you can't cover some material, just let the Scouts know this. Most are used to having to do 'homework' and complete requirements that weren't covered in class. You can also issues partially completed Blue Cards so that Scouts can complete remaining requirements at a later date with a different counselor.

Should I run a single class or break it up?

This depends on what merit badge you wish to deliver, the amount of content you want to cover and your own schedule. There are several popular scheduling formats used by counselors across the US, so you have options.

Single Session Format. If you have a merit badge with simple requirements, you may be able to fit it into a single class up to 2-hours long. A 2-hour format is used by the Alamo Area Council and works reasonable well. Many courses will fit into this time span and you can always end class early. It is important to know that the attention span of Scouts diminishes after about 45 minutes, so it is important that you watch your time and give your Scouts a break. It is possible to run a longer class, but this is not recommended.

Course with Multiple Classes Format. Some Merit Badges have a LOT of requirements or have requirements that require a lot of time to cover. We have seen courses broken down into 2-6 classes. You will need to determine the right balance for you and your Scouts.

• 1-hour classes are great if your main goal is to have an optimally engaged audience. Running shorter classes has its drawbacks. Shorter likely means you will need more classes. If you have too many classes, you may find that your Scouts, adult help and/or you will more likely have a scheduling conflict.
• 1.5-hour classes allows you to run two 45-minute sessions with a break in the middle. This is a reasonable compromise for larger courses that require multiple session.
• 2-hour classes are used by some councils. This format works and you can fit a lot of material into 2 hours. That said, 2-hours is a long time for most Scouts. If you are not sure how long it will take to cover you material, you can schedule 2-hour sessions and you can always end your class early. Ending early is usually a considered a positive event while running over isn't.
• Longer than 2-hours? Some councils run multiple sessions back-to-back spanning several hours. It is possible to do this but is not generally recommended. To make something like this work, consider adding a little variety in your lesions to keep it interesting, such as mixing up instructors, or doing live demos or games to keep Scouts engaged.

When in the Day to Schedule your Course? Well, that depends on what is available for you and if school is in session. We have seen classes start as early as 6am and others run as late as 10pm. Plus since online courses can be taken by Scouts in 4 or more times zones, you may be surprised to see how many Scouts are excited about taking a course at a given time of day. Basically, morning, afternoon and evening classes all work for different Scouts.

We have seen reoccurring classes that meet at the same time and same day of week (Example – Every Monday at 6-7:30pm). Some programs schedule their class at the same time for 4-5 days in a single week (9-10am M, T, W, T). Both of these models work for different Scouts and Scouters.

When you publish the time for your classes, make sure you make it clear what time zone you are in.

Bsa Cooking Merit Badge Booklet

Bandwidth

You may find this is a problem, especially if you are playing videos on Zoom. A virtual meeting delivers a lot of information through your internet connection, and your internet connection or those of your Scouts may not be able to handle it. If you see video feeds freeze up or Scouts that need to be repeatedly readmitted, something is wrong. Here are a few tricks and lessons learned to help out.

Optimize your connection. If possible, turn off all other devices that are using the internet.

• Have the family take a break from Netflix, YouTube and video games until you are done with your meeting.
• Use a LAN connection when possible. LAN is better than WIFI. WIFI is better than cellular.
• Restart your computer prior to your meeting and shut down all programs that you don't need for your meeting.

Reduce your load on our meeting platform. This is especially important if you have a large class of 25 or more users. Consider the following:

• Mute everyone. You should do this anyways to reduce background noise.
• Have everyone turn off their video. This has its drawbacks, but will reduce how many Scouts get dropped during a meeting.
• Avoid streaming videos if possible. It is better to play a video from your hard-drive than to stream it off of YouTube or another online service.
• Turn off your own audio when not needed. If you play a video, turn off your own audio. Even if you are not talking, audio takes up bandwidth.
• Turn off Chat. Especially for larger groups, chat can have a negative impact on bandwidth.

CoHost

Per the BSA rules, you need to have two adults when meeting with Scouts. That means 2 adults in a virtual meeting and 2 adults in each breakout room, with at least 1 each with YPT.

• Get that ideal host if possible – a wing-man with videoconferencing experience that can run the technical side of the meeting, let in attendees, take attendance, remove others if needed, mute people and answer chat. Having an experienced CoHost can make your meeting a snap, especially if you are new to videoconferencing.
• Get someone from your unit – someone in your unit will likely be willing to sit in on a class if it helps Scouts. You just have to ask.
• Get a parent volunteer – If you send out an email prior to each of your meetings, you will likely find multiple adults willing to sit in and help.

Web Security

This is unfortunately important. Here are a few basic rules:

• Secure your meeting with a password. This is the single most important measure you should take.
• Enable a waiting room. This allows you to screen who comes in.
• Limit who gets the meeting codes. Send meeting code and password only to participants who have signed up. Ask them not to share it.
• DON'T publish your meeting codes and passwords on the internet! Don't post meeting codes on a website, Facebook or a calendar that can be accessed by anyone on the web.
• Disable Screenshare and whiteboard. There is a potential for bad things to happen with these. The host and co-hosts can use this, but you should disable others from using this feature.

Videoconferencing Etiquette

Like with any meeting, setting the rules early on can make your meeting run so much more smoothly.

• Mute everyone. Scouts can unmute themselves when they need to share something, but should otherwise stay muted. Otherwise you will hear dogs barking, parents talking (or yelling) and babies crying in the background.
• Wear a Scout uniform. In the age of video classrooms, some Scouts are accustomed to showing up to school video classes in their pajamas. Scouts should be encouraged to wear a uniform. Hosts and Co-Hosts should also wear a uniform, or appropriate clothing (lab jacket, logo shirt, safety gear), if possible as uniforms let everyone know that this is an official Scouting event and should be taken seriously.
• Videos on. Scouts should turn on their video feeds. This helps them and other engage in the class. The exception is when you are experiencing or expecting internet lag and need to preserve bandwidth. In larger classes, you may wish to have Scouts turn off their videos to save bandwidth.
• Turn off Screenshare and whiteboard. It's just too tempting for Scouts to draw on your screen or share something random. It will save a lot of grief if you just prevent this problem in the first place.
• No Chatbombing. Scouts know what that is and won't do it if you tell them not to. Or consider just turning chat off.

Blue Cards

Issuing confirmation for completion or partial completion for merit badges is huge. There are a number of ways that Merit Badge Counselors and troops are tackling this.

• PDF Blue Cards -There are eCard options available for Merit Badge Counselors that can be filled out and snail-mailed or emailed out to Scouts. The trick is signing them. They can be electronically signed, scanned or photographed and then emailed.
  Pro-tip – If you are the paranoid type, you can use a BSA-signature instead of your bank-signature.
  • Black and White Blue Card by Chester County Council
  • Black and White Blue Cards – 3 per sheet by the Gateway Area Council
• ScoutBook – Merit Badge Counselors can sign off on Merit Badges in ScoutBook. Please note that some councils are short staffed and have not updated their lists of Merit Badge Counselors in Scoutbook. If this is the case, you won't be able to connect to Scouts in Scoutbook. Also note that you may not be able to sign off on scouts who may still have Cub Scout connects in ScoutBook.
• Old School Paper – Some Merit Badge Counselors are still filling out the official blue cards and mailing them out to scouts.
• Council Run – Some councils are inputting completions sent in by Merit Badge Counselors. If you have this resource, you are in luck.
• Council eSystem – Several councils have set up their own eCard system and send out the cards or links after completion.
• Scoutmaster Agreements – Some Troops are allowing for email confirmation from Merit Badge Counselors.

You'll need to figure out what works best for you.

Questions

Bsa Counselor Guide For Cooking Merit Badge Workbook

If you are interested in running an online merit badge course, let us know. We can help advertise your course, set up registration, get you electronic Blue Cards and/or connect you with counselors who have experience running online programs with Scouts.

Bsa Counselor Guide For Cooking Merit Badge Pamphlet

If you are a Merit Badge Councelor and interested in hosting a online meeting contact Neal Kazmi at neal@klahaya.org