YW Camp 2026: Culinary Adventures and Unexpected Detours
Join us for a delicious recap of YW Camp 2026, where hearty meals met an unexpected adventure, proving that a little resourcefulness goes a long way, even in a Costco parking lot!
A bumpy start to camp
Every year, as YW Camp gets closer, a little part of me wonders if my van will have an adventure of its own. This year, it certainly didn't disappoint! Apparently, the answer this year was yes.
Thankfully, the excitement happened in the Costco parking lot before camp even started.
We had just finished our last big Costco shopping haul. The vans were packed to the roof with enough food to feed a small army, and we were sitting in a long line of cars waiting to leave the parking lot and head back to camp.
Then... CRUNCH.
The van shook, and I heard that all-too-familiar sound.
At first, I was completely confused. I was at a full stop. The vehicle in front of me wasn't moving, and there was a truck behind me. So where had the impact come from?
It turned out the car beside me had started backing up without checking to make sure the way was clear and backed right into my van.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the accident wasn't my fault. This was also my very first time ever having to figure out what to do after being in an accident!
My first phone call was to my sister to let her know what had happened since she was already heading back to camp with her van full of food. My second call was to my husband: "Okay... now what do I do?" 😅
My daughter was actually pretty excited about the whole experience (well... as excited as you can be about an accident!). She's in the process of getting her driver's licence and figured this was a great opportunity to learn exactly what to do if she ever finds herself in the same situation.
Everything went incredibly smoothly. We headed straight to the Accident Reporting Centre, filled out all the paperwork, got everything documented... and we even got a sticker! Who doesn't love getting a sticker? 😂
Best of all, the van was still safe to drive. Just a few scratches, a couple of dents, and a story to tell.
Fueling hungry campers
With that little adventure behind us, it was time to do what I came for: cook! For the next week, we served up hearty breakfasts, filling lunches, delicious dinners, fresh baking, desserts, and enough snacks to keep a whole camp of hungry young women smiling. There's something so rewarding about seeing everyone gather around the table after a busy day of hiking, swimming, games, service, and spiritual experiences.
Homesteading wisdom: making do with what you have
Here at All on a Postage Stamp, we're all about resourcefulness, and camp provided a perfect example! I plan a menu and a master shopping list, doing one mega trip for all the food. Last year, I made a mistake and bought all hamburger buns and no hotdog buns. Not a big deal! Some leaders wanted to go into town, but it wasn't necessary. I explained to the girls that we are camping, mistakes happen, and it's not the end of the world. We used what we had: hamburger buns, croissants, and sandwich bread for our hotdog lunch. Bottom line, it's all bread, just comes in different forms, shapes, and sizes. It turned out to be one of the highlights of camp! As the week progresses, we take inventory of what we have and make creative plans to use up any leftovers so nothing is wasted.
Want to join us next year?
Here's a peek at some of the delicious food that fueled YW Camp 2026. Warning: Don't watch on an empty stomach! We hope this inspires you to attend next year, knowing the food is going to be amazing. Now... let's all hope my van decides to take next year's camp off!
2026 Camp Menu and Recipes
Available Every Day, All Day
- Beverages
- juice
- gatorade
- ice water
- Herbal tea selection
- Fruit basket (Whole apples, pears, bananas, mandarin oranges)
Day 1 Tuesday
12 Noon Lunch:
- Bagged lunches from home
- A few freshly baked muffins
- Blueberry
- Double Chocolate Banana
- Banana
- Platter of fresh fruit (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, pineapple)
- Snack basket (rice crispy squares, gold fish crackers, fruitsation gummies, Ritz bites, yogurt granola bars, trail mix, yoggie bites)
3:00pm Snack:
- Platter of fresh fruit (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, pineapple)
- Snack basket (rice crispy squares, gold fish crackers, fruitsation gummies, Ritz bites, yogurt granola bars, trail mix, yoggie bites)
5:30pm Dinner:
- Taco Bar
- Cooked ground beef with taco seasoning
- Cooked and shredded chicken breast with taco seasoning
- 7" flour wraps
- Doritos
- Tortilla Chips
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Corn
- Black Beans
- Brown Rice
- Red Onions
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
- Salsa
- Dessert: Caramel Apples
8:30 pm Snack:
- Golden Grahams S’more Bars
Day 2 Wednesday
8:30am Breakfast:
- Breakfast Sandwich Bar
- English muffins, toasted
- Sandwich bread
- Gluten Free bread
- Breakfast Sausage Rounds
- Eggs (cooked in the oven in muffin tins)
- Real Chedder Cheese Slices
- Ketchup
- Peanut butter
- Nutella
- Jam, raspberry and grape jelly
- Butter and vegan spread
- Fruit Salad
12 Noon Lunch:
- Croissant Sandwich Bar
- Freshly baked Costco bakery Croissants
- Sandwich bread
- Gluten Free Bread
- Tuna Salad
- Egg Salad
- Deviled Eggs (Girls LOVE deviled eggs!!)
- Dill Pickles
- Deli meats - Turkey/chicken and ham
- Iceberg lettuce
- Tomatoe slices
- Real Cheese Slices
- Peanut Butter
- Nutella
- Jam, Raspberry and Grape Jelly
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Butter and vegan spread
- Veggies and dip
- baby carrots
- cucumbers
- cherry tomatoes
- celery
- sweet peppers
- broccoli
- Hummus
- Heluva Good Dip
- Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Case of Costco Chocolate Chip Cookies baked up fresh
3:00pm Snack:
- Platter of fresh fruit (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, pineapple)
- Snack basket (rice crispy squares, gold fish crackers, fruitsation gummies, Ritz bites, yogurt granola bars, trail mix, yoggie bites)
- Any leftover desserts from previous day
4:30pm (4th years) and 5:30pm (rest of camp) Dinner:
- Smokehouse BBQ Feast
- Pulled pork
- Pulled chicken
- Hamburger buns
- Baked beans
- Coleslaw, creamy and oriental
- Cornbread muffins
- Butter and Vegan spread
- Dessert: Frozen Banana Pops
7:30pm Snack:
- S’mores
- large marshmallows
- celebration cookies
Day 3 Thursday
8:30pm Breakfast:
- The Golden Griddle
- Pancakes and gluten free/vegan pancakes
- Breakfast Sausage links
- Real Maple Syrup
- Whipped cream and coconut cream
- Mixed berry topping
- Butter and vegan spread
- Bread
- Peanut butter
- Nutella
12 Noon (1pm 4th years) Lunch:
- Happy Camper Hotdog Lunch
- Hot Dogs, gluten free and vegan option
- Hotdog buns
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Veggies and dip
- baby carrots
- cucumbers
- cherry tomatoes
- celery
- sweet peppers
- broccoli
- Hummus
- Heluva good dip
- Chips
- If leftover tortilla Chips and enough leftovers ingredients, make a variation of 7 layer dip
- Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
3:00pm Snack:
- Platter of fresh fruit (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, pineapple)
- Snack basket (rice crispy squares, gold fish crackers, fruitsation gummies, Ritz bites, yogurt granola bars, trail mix, yoggie bites)
- Any leftover desserts from previous day
5:30pm Dinner:
- Noodles, Knots and Greens
- Pasta Bar
- Plain spaghetti noodles
- Gluten Free Pasta
- Meat balls
- Red pasta sauce
- Pesto
- Alfredo
- Mac and Cheese
- Ceasar Salad
- Garlic Knots
- Dessert: Dessert Croissants
- Boston Cream
- Berry Cheesecake
8:30pm Snack: Dancing in the Snacklight
- Popcorn
- Chips
- Candy
- Fresh fruit
- Slushy Machine - Cream soda flavour
Day 4 Friday
8:30am Breakfast:
- Sizzle, Scramble & Crisp
- Bacon
- Scrambled Eggs
- Hashbrowns
- Grapes
- Bread
- Gluten free bread
- Ketchup
- Butter and vegan spread
- Peanut butter
- Nutella
- Jam - raspberry and grape jelly
12 Noon Lunch:
- Wrap, Roll & Explore
- Large wraps, vegan and gluten free also available
- Sandwich bread
- Chicken Ceasar Salad Wrap
-
- Chicken strips
- Romaine lettuce leaves
- Ceasar Dressing
- Big Mac Wraps
- Cooked and seasoned ground beef
- Iceburg lettuce, shredded
- Diced sweet onion
- Dill Pickle Slices
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Big Mac Sauce
- Banana Wraps
- Bananas
- Peanut butter
- Nutella
- BLT Wrap
- Bacon
- Lettuce
- Sliced tomatoes
- Mayonnaise
- Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
3:00pm Snack:
- Platter of fresh fruit (Watermelon, Cantaloupe, pineapple)
- Snack basket (rice crispy squares, gold fish crackers, fruitsation gummies, Ritz bites, yogurt granola bars, trail mix, yoggie bites)
- Any leftover desserts from previous day
- Assemble your own pizza
5:00pm Dinner:
- Build-A-Pizza Night
- pizza dough, gluten free available
- pizza sauce
- cheese, vegan available
- pepperoni
- any leftover meats
- pinepple chunks
- green peppers
- sliced tomatoes
- red onions
- mushrooms
- Veggies and dip
- baby carrots
- cucumbers
- cherry tomatoes
- celery
- sweet peppers
- broccoli
- Hummus
- Heluva good dip
- Dessert: Celebration Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vegan Gluten Free Cupcakes
10:00pm Snack:
- Ice cream sandwiches
- Melona Bars
Day 5 Saturday: HOME DAY!!
8:30am Breakfast:
- Muffins, Fruit and Memories
- Leftovers from the week
- Muffins
- Blueberry muffins
- Banana muffins
- Double chocolate muffins
- Fruit - watermelon, cantalope, pineapple
10:30-11:30 am
- Build-a-Bag Lunch
- Freshly baked Costco bakery Croissants
- Sandwich bread
- Gluten Free Bread
- Tuna Salad
- Egg Salad
- Dill Pickles
- Deli meats - Turkey/chicken and ham
- Iceberg lettuce
- Tomatoe slices
- Real Cheese Slices
- Peanut Butter
- Nutella
- Jam, Raspberry and Grape Jelly
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Butter and vegan spread
- Veggies and dip, pre-bagged
- baby carrots
- cucumbers
- cherry tomatoes
- celery
- sweet peppers
- broccoli
- Hummus
- Heluva Good Dip
- Leftover pizza, bagged
- Leftover snacks, bagged
- Pre packages snacks
- Whole Fruit