What to buy for a church youth camp
A church youth camp needs more than tents and food. You will need serving equipment for group meals, coolers and thermos flasks for safe storage, lighting for dark paths, and practical gear for games and Bible activities. Plan quantities around the number of young people, leaders and camp days, then check dietary and medical information before shopping. Perishable groceries should be chilled as soon as they arrive, so arrange coolers and fridge space before the shopping trip.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Party tentsqty 2
- Tablesqty 6
- Chairsqty 60
- Beer table setsqty 4
Camping
- Group tentsqty 8
- Ground tarpsqty 8
- Herringqty 80
- Guy ropesqty 20
Tableware
- Reusable cupsqty 70
- Platesqty 70
- Cutlery setsqty 70
- Soup ladlesqty 6
- Scissorsqty 4
Kitchen
- Cooking potsqty 4
- Cutting boardsqty 4
- Chef's knifeqty 4
- Mixing bowlsqty 4
- Kettlesqty 2
- Coolersqty 4
- Thermos flasksqty 4
Equipment
- Portable speakersqty 2
- Microphone
Lighting
- String lightsqty 4
- LED lampsqty 8
Sports equipment
- Footballsqty 4
- Volleyballqty 2
- Frisbeesqty 6
- Conesqty 20
- Skipping ropesqty 8
- Tug of war rope
Decorations
- Buntingqty 8
- Name stickersqty 70
- Markersqty 20
- A4 paperqty 2
Safety
- First aid kitsqty 2
- Flashlightsqty 8
- Reflective vestsqty 10
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 6
- Bucketsqty 4
- Dish brushesqty 4
- Reusable cleaning clothsqty 20
Catering
- Groceries
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 3 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Milk - 8 liters
- Chocolate milk - 6 liters
- Apple juice - 8 liters
- Orange juice - 8 liters
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Fanta - 6 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 10 bottles
- Sparkling water - 6 bottles
- Bread - 14 loaves
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- Buns - 70 pieces
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Margarine - 1 kilo
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilos
- Ham - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 1 kilo
- Peanut butter - 3 jars
- Chocolate spread - 3 jars
- Jam - 3 jars
- Eggs - 60 pieces
- Bacon cubes - 2 kilos
- Potatoes - 8 kilos
- Rice - 5 kilo
- Pasta - 5 kilos
- Pasta sauce - 8 jars
- Diced tomatoes - 8 cans
- Kidney beans - 6 cans
- Corn - 6 cans
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Onions - 2 kilos
- Garlic - 5 bulbs
- Grated cheese - 2 kilos
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Salt - 1 pack
- Pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 1 jar
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Yogurt dressing - 2 bottles
- Yogurt - 6 liter
- Muesli - 3 kilos
- Bananas - 8 kilos
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Cookies - 10 packs
- Marshmallows - 6 bags
- Currant buns - 70 pieces
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Napkins - 8 packs
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Sponges - 2 packs
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
Tips
- Plan food and drinks for every participant and leader, then add a small buffer of about 10% for seconds, spills and unexpected arrivals. Check collected dietary requirements before finalizing quantities.
- For shared meals, count one reusable cup, plate and cutlery set per person, plus at least 10% extra. Add serving tools such as soup ladles before shopping; they are easy to overlook until mealtime.
- Prepare a separate cooking kit with pots, cutting boards, a chef’s knife, mixing bowls and kettles. Pack two coolers if one will not hold perishable food for the whole group.
- Bring lighting for both the campsite and evening activities: plan at least one LED lamp per main tent or work area, and test portable speakers and the microphone before departure.
- Sort sports equipment by activity before loading. Count the groups using the footballs, volleyball, frisbees, cones, skipping ropes and tug-of-war rope so no equipment is left behind at the venue.
Frequently asked questions
- How much food should I buy for a church youth camp?
- Plan every meal and snack for the full number of participants and leaders, then add roughly 10% extra. Confirm dietary requirements and medical information before placing the final grocery order, ideally 3–5 days before camp.
- How many cups and plates do I need for youth camp?
- Provide one reusable cup, plate and cutlery set per person, plus at least 10% spare. For 40 people, that means 44 of each item if you want a practical buffer for loss or breakage.
- How many LED lamps are needed at a campsite?
- Use at least one LED lamp for each main tent, cooking area and shared activity space. For a camp with six separate areas, pack at least six lamps and test them before leaving.
- When should I buy food for a church youth camp?
- Buy dry goods and non-perishables 3–5 days beforehand, then purchase chilled and fresh items as close to departure as practical. Chill perishable groceries immediately after shopping and transport them in coolers.
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