Turkey time is just around the corner, and it has us thinking about all of the delectable foods that will be filling our bellies on November 26th! Whether you are a fan of stuffing, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce, or (like my child) prefer to skip straight to dessert, you will likely leave the table feeling like you’re about to burst. Thanksgiving makes us feel all sorts of ways other than full. We get the chance to reflect and give thanks not only for the abundance of food, but also for the people surrounding us as we eat. Thanksgiving, after all, is a time for gratitude and for feasting with family.
The joy of eating, however, is not reserved solely for the cold-weather holidays. All summer long, we break bread with our camp family. The food at Owego is revered and appreciated by the hungry boys who spend their days running, throwing, climbing, and paddling. Like a Thanksgiving feast, the food at camp is plentiful. While each meal has its all-star items (and it’s not-so-favorites), there are certain foods at Owego whose appearance elicits pure joy from campers and staff alike.
Perhaps your camper has written home about a particular meal or culinary treat that he enjoyed at Owego. You may have wondered what makes that meal or sweet treat so special. In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving feast, we are counting down the Top 10 Meals and/or Food Items for which we are extremely thankful each and every summer. Read on to find out if your favorite made the list!
10. Birthday Pizza/Cake: If you are lucky enough to have a bunkmate with a summer birthday, there will likely be pizza and cake for dinner. A counselor will carry a tower of pizza boxes out to the Picnic Grove, and hungry boys will appear out of nowhere, pleading to “join” in the celebration. When you hear the Unit Leaders blowing their whistles and banging on pots and pans, you know that the cake is on its way.
9. Friday night Matzo Ball soup: After the blessings are recited and everyone proclaims “L’Chaim!” we rip apart the delicious Challah and dunk it in the homemade soup prepared by our outstanding kitchen. It’s not Bubbie’s, but it’s the next best thing!
8. B’s and D’s: A few times a week (including 4th of July and Visiting Day), we enjoy hamburgers, veggie burgers, and hot dogs. The smell of the grill wafts across camp, ensuring that everyone arrives for lunch with a grumbling stomach. The fixins’ bar is always a hit, with boys eagerly adding ketchup, mustard, lettuce, and LOTS of pickles to their plates.
7. Soft-serve ice cream at Costas: While this treat is technically enjoyed OUTSIDE of camp, it’s hard not to include it with our favorite summer eats. Sure, Costas is known for its waterslides and Go-Karts, but no trip would be complete without a cool, creamy cone!
6. Krispy Kreme donuts on July 4th: As American as apple pie, these glazed cakes have become a staple of our Independence Day breakfast at Owego. Unit Leaders and other Key Staff parade around the Dining Hall, wielding rectangular boxes of sugary melt-in-your-mouth goodness as everyone bops to “Party in the USA.”
5. Curly fries/French fries/Sweet Potato fries: Nothing excites young campers quite like a fresh tray of fries, hot out of the oven. Before the kitchen staff can even place the tray on the buffet, boys are clamoring for the tongs, eager to pile the fries high upon their plates.
4. Rita’s Water Ice: Towards the end of the summer, the Rita’s truck pulls into camp and parks on the Lower Field. Campers and staff come running from all areas of camp, form a line, and wait (somewhat patiently) to be served flavors like cherry, mango, and blue raspberry. The evidence of their enjoyment is written all over their faces (and lips and tongues).
3. Tortilla chips/Guacamole: If we’re being totally honest, I’ve had to pull the “age” card when waiting for the serving spoon at the guacamole bowl. Everyone crowds around the bowl, hands hovering nearby, hoping to be the next one to scoop a hearty portion onto his plate. It really is that good! Some choose to enjoy their chips “au natural,” but that just leaves more guac for the rest of us!
2. French toast sticks: Once, I saw a Junior walk by at breakfast with about 20 French toast sticks piled high on his plate. You don’t want to know how much syrup was involved. Suffice it to say, the Unit Leaders have now set limits to the number of French toast sticks a camper is permitted to take. Owego’s French toast sticks are golden, crispy, and delicious, and it’s difficult to imagine yourself eating just two or three.
1. Campfire S’mores: Nothing says summer sleepaway camp quite like S’mores. Whether it’s your first Owego campfire during New Family Weekend, or your last as a “graduating” Tent, making S’mores around a raging fire makes us feel warm and fuzzy and downright GOOD. Getting the toastiness of your marshmallow just right is a personal preference, but the combination of graham cracker, milk chocolate, a gooey fluff cements the idea that we are all together in THIS singular place at THIS fleeting moment in time.
I’ll leave you with a story about my early exposure to the Owego dining experience. During my oldest son’s first summer at Owego, I asked him to identify his favorite camp meal. Without hesitation, he answered, “Gillick.” At the time, I assumed that my 10-year-old was mistaken. What could he possibly mean by “Gillick?” I was stumped. Imagine the look on my face when, two years later, during my first summer on staff at Owego, I walked up to the buffet and saw the word “Greek” scrawled messily in dry-erase marker across the glass shield. To this day, we still call it “Gillick” at my house.
Maybe your favorite camp food made this list, maybe not. Maybe you’re like my younger son, who ate nothing but plain pasta for his first few summers but eventually started to integrate some color into his camp diet and discovered new foods he loved. Either way, you can look forward to filling your belly with Owego’s best when we all gather together at camp next summer.
First up, there’s Thanksgiving. Be sure to save some room for Summer 2027!
