Camp Food
Dining at Manitou
Redefining Camp Cuisine
Manitou serves the finest food in camping in our spacious 10,000 square-foot dining hall. Our chefs prepare the meals using the freshest ingredients and a balance of nutritional recipes and kid-friendly creations.
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Meals can be served family-style or buffet style, supplemented by two salad bars and an alternate station for vegetarians, picky eaters and those with food restrictions. There are “formal dinners” on theater nights, and cabin barbecues once a week. Milk and cookies are served after evening activities. During “lazy morning” on Sundays, campers can stroll at their leisure to one of three breakfast locations around camp for custom-made omelets, specialty breakfast sandwiches and French toast, or the all-American bacon and eggs served at the waterfront.
Locally Grown
Camp Manitou is proud to work with several local farms, including Emery Farm in Wayne, Maine and Crown of Maine, an organic cooperative organization. They supply Manitou with seasonal produce to incorporate into our salad bar and daily menu.
Our on-site conservationists continue our “green” efforts with a camp-wide recycling program, composting, and our own organic garden. The food at Manitou was even covered by the New York Times.
Food Allergies
All food served at Manitou is nut-free and prepared by trained chefs experienced in accommodating food allergies.
Sample Menus
Breakfast
- World famous Maine blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and fresh fruit topping. Breakfast Bar with fresh fruit, freshly baked muffins, toast, yogurt, cold cereal, and oatmeal
- Drinks: Orange juice, apple juice, water, or hot chocolate
Lunch
- Roast beef au jus
- Creamy potatoes
- Grilled vegetables
- Soup Bar
- Gatorade, ice tea, lemonade, water, or apple juice
Picky-Eater Options: Pasta bar, make-your-own-sandwich, and more.
Dinner
- Salad Bar
- Real Tex-mex sizzling chicken fajitas with roasted red and green peppers, and onions
- Chips and chunky salsa
- Hot apple crisp, mudslide, or ice cream sundae
Picky-Eater Options: Pasta bar, make-your-own-sandwich, and more.
Popular Recipes from the Manitou Kitchen
Manitou Dirt Cups
- 1 package fruity gummy worms
- 1 package Oreo® cookies
- 1 package chocolate or vanilla pudding
Crush Oreo® cookies with a rolling pin. Place several gummy worms at the bottom of each cup (makes for a nice surprise) and cover with a thick layer of crushed Oreos®. Finally, fill the rest of the cup with chocolate and/or vanilla pudding.
Spicy Fajitas
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. dark chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp. cumin
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/16 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/16 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 lb. skirt steak, beef or chicken
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 large Bell peppers, sliced (two different colors is nice)
Combine soy sauce, lime juice, and spices to create marinade. Slice meat into 1/2 inch slices, place in marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours. Sauté meat until browned in oiled skillet. Pour off excess juice and remove meat from the pan. Sauté vegetables. When veggies begin to soften, return meat to the skillet and heat through. Serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and tortillas.
Serves 5 growing boys