Food

At WINGS 2026, you won’t need to worry about meal planning or shopping, all ingredients for your meals will be provided throughout the week. 

Our menus are designed to give you balanced and sustaining meals to keep you energised and ready to enjoy the full WINGS experience. 

Cooking at camp

Cooking is a key part of the WINGS experience, encouraging teamwork, independence, and practical outdoor skills. 

  • All groups will prepare and cook their own meals within their pitch, in the subcamp areas 
  • Cooking will be done using your own equipment or group kit 
  • Food will be issued centrally by the WINGS catering team at scheduled collection times 

What’s included?

WINGS will provide ingredients for: Breakfast, Lunch, Evening meal 

Menus are designed to be: 

  • Nutritious and balanced 
  • Simple to prepare in camp conditions 
  • Suitable for young people cooking outdoors 
  • Varied across the duration of the event 

Drinking water will be available across the site. 

A full menu and ingredient list will be provided to leaders ahead of the event on the WINGS website. 

Meals will include a mix of: 

  • Fresh ingredients 
  • Frozen products 
  • Tinned and dried foods 
  • Bread and bakery items 
  • Fruit and snacks 

An example meal plan for the week

To help you prepare, we’ve included an example meal plan to give you a flavour of the meals you’ll be cooking throughout the week. Menus may vary slightly, but you can expect a mix of simple, nutritious and energy boosting meals to keep you going from morning to night. 

  Sat Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat
Breakfast   Bacon and egg Fruit muffin Croissant and yoghurt Sausage muffin Eggs Eggs Cowboy beans
Lunch   Cheese and ham rolls Cheese and Tuna rolls Cheese and egg rolls Sausage and cheese roll Cheese and ham rolls Cheese and ham rolls Potluck sandwiches
Dinner Hot dogs ‘Roast chicken’ Mac and cheese Swedish meatballs Chicken curry Sausage and mash Sausage and mash  

*Some flexibility may be required depending on supplier availability. 

Download the full menu and allergen information (Excel)

Dietary requirements and allergies

We are committed to supporting a wide range of dietary needs including: 

  • Vegetarian and vegan diets 
  • Religious dietary requirements 
  • Medically required allergies and intolerances 

A dedicated special diets team will be in place to support this. 

Important: 

  • All dietary requirements must be submitted in advance by the stated deadline 
  • Full ingredient and allergen information will be available in the detailed menus for each day 
  • Group cooking areas cannot be guaranteed allergen‑free 
  • Leaders remain responsible for supporting young people with specific medical dietary needs 

Food collections

Food collection will be coordinated by your subcamps. Your subcamp team will arrange for volunteers from each group to share the task of picking food at the food warehouse onsite. There will be a timetable for each subcamp to pick food in the morning and late afternoon which will be delivered to your camp by refrigerated truck. 

Please ensure: 

  • Collection times are followed 
  • Food is checked at collection 
  • Containers/crates are returned promptly 
  • Cold items are stored appropriately on your campsite 
  • You collected only the food you need to prevent waste 

Equipment you’ll need to bring

Groups must bring their own cooking and dining equipment. This may include: 

  • Stoves and fuel (LPG gas is the only fuel allowed on site and no open fires or BBQs are allowed) 
  • Cooking utensils 
  • Washing‑up equipment 
  • Plates, bowls, mugs and cutlery 
  • Cool boxes and cold blocks / food storage containers – you will be able to refreeze ice packs at the swap shop 

What’s in your starter pack

On arrival, each group will receive a starter pack of essential items, which may include: 

  • Cleaning materials (washing‑up liquid, cloths, antibacterial spray) 
  • Bin bags and matches 
  • Basic food items (bread, cereals, spreads) 
  • Drinks (tea, coffee, squash, milk) 
  • Condiments (sauces, salt, pepper) 

Specialist dietary items (e.g. gluten‑free products) will be provided separately where required.

Unused food

During WINGS any unopened, non‑refrigerated food can be shared in the onsite swap shop 

The Swap Shop is a great way to reduce waste and share excess supplies. 

  • Exchange food items you don’t need (e.g. swapping fruit or ingredients) 
  • Top up essentials such as milk 
  • Refreeze ice packs if needed (must be clearly labelled) 

At the end of the event, any remaining unused food items will be donated to local charities and food organisations. 

Leader responsibilities

Leaders are responsible for ensuring that: 

  • Young people are supervised appropriately while cooking 
  • Food is prepared safely and hygienically 
  • Dietary requirements are managed correctly 
  • Cooking areas remain clean, organised and safe 

Food safety

Safe food handling is essential at a large residential event like WINGS. Please ensure the following guidance is followed at all times: 

  • Keep chilled and frozen food cold; where this isn’t possible, use within 4 hours of purchase 
  • Avoid storing large quantities of perishable food – replenish supplies during the week using on‑site facilities 
  • Ensure food, especially meat, is thoroughly cooked (recommended internal temperature: 75°C) 
  • Ensure clean water and hand soap are always available when preparing food and regular handwashing 
  • Clean all food preparation surfaces thoroughly using an antibacterial sanitiser 
  • Bring sufficient cleaning materials — disposable cloths are recommended over reusable cloths or sponges 

 

The Wolf’s Head Tavern

A licensed bar area will be available for adult volunteers and leaders (18+) during the evenings. All use of this facility must follow WINGS alcohol policies, ensuring that leaders remain fit to supervise at all times. Please ensure you bring ID if visiting the bar as you may be challenged and asked to show it.