The Cooking Merit Badge: Your Ultimate Guide In 2026

Cooking is a fun Eagle-required merit badge that’ll teach you skills to safely prepare a meal in any location. You’ll also learn about proper nutrition, food storage, and different cooking techniques. 

When I was a Scout, earning the Cooking merit badge taught me to quickly prepare much better food. No more instant ramen when camping! Hopefully, this guide will teach you the skills needed to earn your Cooking merit badge and create great meals for your patrol.

The Cooking merit badge is heavy on knowledge requirements, so be prepared. This badge will likely take a few weeks to complete. Take the time to read through each of the following requirements and fully understand what you’ll be learning.

Before we get started, if you have other Eagle-required merit badges to earn, I’d recommend checking out my Difficulty Rankings to Every Eagle-required Badge. There, you’ll also find the links to my other merit badge guides, as well as a description and summary of each badge’s requirements. I’m certain this resource will be helpful to Scouts on their road to Eagle!

Also, remember that ScoutSmarts should just serve as your starting point for merit badge research. In school, we’re taught not to plagiarize, and the same is true for Scouting worksheets. Answer these questions in your own words, do further research, and I promise you’ll gain much more from every merit badge you earn!

To complete this badge, you’ll also need access to some cooking gear. For your camp cooking, I’d highly recommend this affordable Nonstick Pan + Mess Kit combo on Amazon. Being able to eat out of the same mess kit you’ve cooked with is a game-changer, and will save you a ton of backpack space! Now, without further ado, let’s get you started on earning your Cooking merit badge. 🙂

What Are The Cooking Merit Badge Requirements?

1. Health and Safety. Do the following:
   a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in cooking activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
   b. Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and eating, including burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and allergic reactions.
   c. Describe how meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products, and fresh vegetables should be stored, transported, and properly prepared for cooking. Explain how to prevent cross-contamination.
   d. Discuss with your counselor food allergies, food intolerance, and food-related illnesses and diseases. Explain why someone who handles or prepares food needs to be aware of these concerns.
   e. Discuss with your counselor why reading food labels is important. Explain how to identify common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.
2. Nutrition. Do the following:
   a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, give five examples for EACH of the following food groups, the recommended number of daily servings, and the recommended serving size: a1) Fruits, a2) Vegetables, a3) Grains, a4) Proteins, a5) Dairy
   b. Explain why you should limit your intake of oils and sugars.
   c. Track your daily level of activity and your daily caloric need based on your activity for five days. Then, based on the My Plate food guide, discuss with your counselor an appropriate meal plan for yourself for one day.
   d. Discuss your current eating habits with your counselor and what you can do to eat healthier, based on the MyPlate food guide.
   e. Discuss the following food label terms: calorie, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugar, protein. Explain how to calculate total carbohydrates and nutritional values for two servings, based on the serving size specified on the label.
3. Cooking Basics. Do the following:
   a. Discuss the following cooking methods. For each one, describe the equipment needed, how temperature control is maintained, and name at least one food that can be cooked using that method: baking, boiling, broiling, pan frying, simmering, microwaving, air frying, grilling, foil cooking, Dutch oven.
   b. Discuss the benefits of using a camp stove on an outing vs. a charcoal or wood fire.
   c. Describe for your counselor how to manage your time when preparing a meal so components for each course are ready to serve at the correct time.
   d. Explain and give examples of how taste, texture, and smell impact what we eat.
4. Cooking at Home. Do the following:
   a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan menus for three full days of meals (three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) plus one dessert. Your menus should include enough to feed yourself and at least one adult, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
   b. Find recipes for each meal. Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare for the number of people you will serve. Determine the cost for each meal.
   c. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.
   d. Using at least five of the 10 cooking methods from requirement 3, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult (parent, family member, guardian, or other responsible adult) one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from the meals you planned.*
   e. Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the proper time. Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal to your counselor.
   f. After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure a successful meal.
5. Camp Cooking. Do the following:
   a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a menu that includes four meals, one snack, and one dessert for your patrol (or a similar size group of up to eight youth, including you) on a camping trip. These four meals must include two breakfasts, one lunch, and one dinner. Additionally, you must plan one snack and one dessert. Your menus should include enough food for each person, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
   b. Find or create recipes for the four meals, the snack, and the dessert you have planned. Adjust menu items in the recipes for the number to be served. Create a shopping list and budget to determine the per-person cost.
   c. Share and discuss your menu plans and shopping list with your counselor.
   d. In the outdoors, using your menu plans and recipes for this requirement, cook two of the four meals you planned using either a camp stove OR backpacking stove. Use a skillet OR a Dutch oven over campfire coals for the third meal, and cook the fourth meal in a foil pack OR on a skewer. Serve all of these meals to your patrol or a group of youth.
   e. In the outdoors, using your menu plans and recipes for this requirement, prepare one snack and one dessert. Serve both of these to your patrol or a group of youth.**
   f. After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, and then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure successful outdoor cooking.
   g. Lead the clean-up of equipment, utensils, and the cooking site thoroughly after each meal. Properly store or dispose unused ingredients, leftover food, dishwater and garbage.
   h. Discuss how you followed the Outdoor Code and no-trace principles when preparing your meals.
6. Trail and backpacking meals. Do the following:
   a. Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan a meal for trail hiking or backpacking that includes one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one snack. These meals must consider weight, not require refrigeration and are to be consumed by three to five people (including you). List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals.
   b. Create a shopping list for your meals, showing the amount of food needed to prepare and serve each meal, and the cost for each meal.
   c. Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor. Your plan must include how to repackage foods for your hike or backpacking trip to eliminate as much bulk, weight, and garbage as possible.
   d. While on a trail hike or backpacking trip, prepare and serve two meals and a snack from the menu planned for this requirement. At least one of those meals must be cooked over a fire, or an approved trail stove (with proper supervision).**
   e. After each meal, have those you served evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure successful trail hiking or backpacking meals.
   f. Explain to your counselor how you should divide the food and cooking supplies among the patrol in order to share the load. Discuss how to properly clean the cooking area and store your food to protect it from animals.
7. Food-related careers.
   a. Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in cooking. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.
   b. Identify how you might use the skills and knowledge in cooking to pursue a personal hobby or healthy lifestyle. Research the additional training required, expenses, and affiliation with organizations that would help you maximize the enjoyment and benefit you might gain from it. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and share what short-term and long-term goals you might have if you pursued this.

Note: The meals prepared for Cooking merit badge requirements 4, 5, and 6 will count only toward fulfilling those requirements and will not count toward rank advancement or other merit badges.
Meals prepared for rank advancement or other merit badges may not count toward the Cooking merit badge. You must not repeat any menus for meals actually prepared or cooked in requirements 4, 5, and 6.

* The meals for requirement 4 may be prepared on different days, and they need not be prepared consecutively.
** Where local regulations do not allow you to build a fire, the counselor may adjust the requirement to meet the law. The meals in requirements 5 and 6 may be prepared for different trips and need not be prepared consecutively.

Health and Safety

1a) Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in cooking activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.

Below are the three most common cooking-related hazards. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are admitted to hospitals on account of these injuries and illnesses. When working on your Cooking merit badge, be aware of these hazards and stay safe.

Food/Bacterial Poisoning:

Foodborne illnesses are the most likely hazard you’ll encounter when cooking and can cause indigestion, diarrhea, vomiting, and hospitalization. Although you won’t be able to tell visually whether food has gone bad, following a few basic rules will help you stay safe:

1. Always wash your hands and utensils before cooking.
2. Use all ingredients before the expiration date.
3. Don’t consume anything that smells funny.
4. If you believe an ingredient may have gone bad, throw it out. It isn’t worth the risk.
5. Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and vegetable products.
6. Avoid consuming any animal products that are not thoroughly cooked.
7. Clean stoves and countertops with a washed rag immediately after use.
8. Keep all of your cooking supplies and surfaces free of food residue.

By following these basic health guidelines, you’ll greatly reduce risks of food or bacterial poisoning. If you do get sick after consuming bad food, drink plenty of fluids and electrolytes. If your condition does not improve within 48 hours, seek medical attention.

Scout Connection: The CDC estimates that roughly 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne illnesses each year. As a Scout who cooks for your patrol, your food safety habits directly protect the health of everyone you serve.

Chemical Poisoning:

Accidental poisoning is another common risk when cooking. Be extremely careful what you’re adding to food, especially when using aerosol cooking sprays. The best way to reduce the risk of accidental poisoning is to keep cleaning and cooking supplies in separate rooms. All poisons and insecticides should be far away from the kitchen.

If you or someone you know has been poisoned, immediately call 911. In non-urgent cases (no symptoms) you can also call the poison control number: 1-800-222-1222. Symptoms of chemical poisoning could include nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, abdominal pain, or abnormal skin color.

Most cases of chemical poisoning from food are not fatal if treated quickly, so immediately contact medical attention and calmly explain the situation. When waiting for an ambulance, gather information on the poison (bottle, labels, packaging) for the medical team. Do not try to induce vomiting in the victim.

Slips and Falls:

Oil and grease can cause kitchen floors to become slippery. This becomes especially dangerous when a cook is surrounded by hot stoves, knives, and glassware. To prevent slips, keep your kitchen floor clean and dry. Move carefully, and wear footwear with reliable rubber grips whenever possible.

Falls can be mild or severe. Always try to remove the victim from further harm, and extinguish any open flames that could spread. When treating a fall, check for concussions, broken bones, and general disorientation. If you’re interested in learning more about treating injuries, check out the First Aid merit badge.

1b) Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and eating, including burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and allergic reactions.

Burns and Scalds:

In the kitchen, burns are often caused by contact with hot objects such as heated metal, electrical sources, or open flames. Scalds are burns caused by wet-heat, such as boiling fluids or steam. To treat most types of kitchen-related scalds or burns:

1. Remove the person from further harm, and prevent any fires from spreading.
2. Run the burn under lukewarm water for 10 to 20 minutes. Never use ice or cold water, as this could cause more damage.
3. Allow the burn to dry, then lightly cover it with a clean layer of plastic wrap.
4. Ensure the victim is kept warm with a blanket, but avoid touching the burned area.
5. Painkillers such as ibuprofen can be used to treat pain in the following days.

However, some serious burns will require emergency medical treatment. Call 911 if the burn is:

• Blistered and at least the size of the victim’s hand.
• White in color, or has charred the skin.
• Caused by either a chemical or electrical source.
• Causing the victim enormous pain.

To reduce the likelihood of burns, you should:

• Keep stoves turned off when not in use.
• Turn any pot/pan handles towards the back of the stove to avoid snagging on clothing.
• Keep your stove and oven clean and free of grease to prevent flare-ups.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing when cooking.

Cuts:

When handling knives, exercise extreme caution to avoid any accidental cuts. If someone cuts themselves and is bleeding, you should make sure they’re out of further danger, then work to limit their loss of blood. After first calling 911, perform the following 5 steps:

1. Clean the wound: If possible, remove any dirt or debris from the wound to prevent infection. Do not pull out anything embedded in the wound, as this could cause much more bleeding.
2. Apply steady pressure to the wound: Using a sterile cloth or bandage, press into the wound with a steady pressure to stop the bleeding.
3. Immobilize the wound: If blood soaks through the compress, do not remove it. Place another bandage over the first, and continue applying pressure. Eventually, the blood should clot and the bleeding should slow.
4. Elevate the wound: By raising the wound above the level of the heart, gravity helps to halt the blood flow. Lay the victim down and have them raise the wound as high as possible.
5. Assist the victim until help arrives: Once their wound has been treated, your task is to keep the victim as comfortable as possible until emergency medical personnel arrive.

If someone is severely bleeding, skip to step 2 and immediately apply pressure to the wound. Once the blood seeps through the first bandage, place another bandage over it and continue to apply pressure. Your goal should be to have the wound clot to the bandage.

To lower your risk of accidental cuts or lacerations:

• Always use a sharp knife. Dull blades require more pressure to cut things and increase your likelihood of slipping.
• Always cut over a cutting board. Don’t hold things in your hand while cutting them.
• When holding ingredients to cut, don’t keep your fingers extended. Curl your fingers into a loose fist so that any mistakes will not cause you to lose a finger.
• Avoid putting hot glass into water, as it could shatter.
• Be careful opening metal cans, as lids can be sharp.

Choking:

Choking occurs when an object becomes lodged in a victim’s windpipe and blocks their airflow. If the person who’s choking is still able to cough, weakly breathe, or speak, encourage them to cough up the object. You can help them by using your palm to hit the top of their back in steady blows.

To respond to a choking emergency, imagine a torso as a bag of air. You’re basically trying to abruptly squeeze that air out of the victim’s windpipe. The quick burst of air pressure will dislodge the choking hazard and allow the victim to breathe.

However, if a choking victim cannot speak, cough, or breathe, you’ll need to take immediate action. To respond to a choking emergency, perform the Heimlich maneuver:

1. Ask the victim if they’re choking. If they can’t respond, proceed to step two. If they’re able to weakly respond and breathe, use your palm to hit the top of their back.
2. Stand behind the person and let them know you’re about to help.
3. Make a fist with one hand and place that fist on the person’s abdomen (right above their belly button). Reach around the choking person and grab your closed fist.
4. Quickly pull your arms inwards and upwards in one sharp motion. This should force air up and out their windpipe. Repeat this motion until an object flies from their mouth.
5. Check if they’re able to breathe. If they still have objects in their windpipe preventing air flow, continue the Heimlich maneuver until they are able to breathe on their own.
6. If the victim loses consciousness, instruct someone else to call 911. Continue working to clear the person’s airway.

Here’s a great video (1:46) demonstrating the Heimlich maneuver from the Mayo Clinic:

Choking can easily be prevented. Eating too quickly or not chewing your food will greatly raise your likelihood of choking. If you find yourself choking, try to keep calm and gesture to your throat. You’re also able to perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself.

To perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself: Lean over a rounded object or chair. Position the head of the object into your abdomen, and push down forcefully. Reposition after every 3 blows to push the most air possible out your windpipe. Repeat until the object is dislodged.

Allergic Reactions:

Allergies are common. In fact, about 1 in 15 US residents are allergic to some type of food. When consuming an allergen, a person with allergies may experience a range of negative symptoms, including itching, swelling, and even loss of breath.

Anaphylactic reactions are one of the more dangerous symptoms of allergies and cause immediate swelling in the neck and face. This often leads to difficulty breathing and can prove fatal if left untreated. However, most people with severe allergies carry an EpiPen.

An EpiPen can counteract most of the effects of an allergic reaction. To use an EpiPen, remove the safety cap and press the needle into the victim’s thigh. Note that the effect of an EpiPen is temporary and the person must still quickly receive medical attention. More on allergies in section 1d.

1c) Describe how meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products, and fresh vegetables should be stored, transported, and properly prepared for cooking. Explain how to prevent cross-contamination.

Food becomes dangerous when kept at warm temperatures for too long. Illness-causing bacteria tend to grow more quickly in foods stored in temperatures above 40 degrees F. As a general rule, it’s best to ensure foods are stored and transported at the same or colder temperatures that they were kept in at the store.

Store meats within sealed containers to keep their juices contained. Keep refrigerated or frozen until use, and cook to the required temperature to kill any common bacteria. Different types of foods need different handling. Below are the FoodSafety.gov storage and preparation guidelines:

Food Type	Fridge Life	Safe Internal Temp	Key Tips
Ground meats (beef, pork)	1-2 days	160 degrees F	Cook thoroughly, no pink center
Whole cuts (steaks, chops)	3-5 days	145 degrees F + 3-min rest	Use a meat thermometer
Chicken and poultry	1-2 days	165 degrees F	Spoils fastest of all meats
Fish and shellfish	1-2 days	145 degrees F	Cook unless labeled sushi-grade
Eggs (in shell)	3-5 weeks	Cook until firm	Float test: if it floats, toss it
Dairy products	Consume by best-by date	Keep cold (below 40 degrees F)	Toss if sour smell or mold
Fresh vegetables	3-7 days (varies)	N/A (wash thoroughly)	Toss if discolored or rotting

Scout Tip: Invest in a simple food thermometer. They cost around $10 and are the most reliable way to confirm your food has reached a safe internal temperature. Guessing by color or texture alone is not accurate enough to prevent foodborne illness.

Cross-Contamination:

Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria from one food is unintentionally transferred to another. For example, if you cut raw chicken on a cutting board and then chop vegetables on the same board, bacteria from the chicken could contaminate your vegetables and make you sick.

To avoid cross-contamination, always wash your knives and cutting boards when preparing different types of food. Store different foods separately, and clean any spilled juices immediately. Following these steps will increase your food safety and reduce the likelihood of illness.

1d) Discuss with your counselor food allergies, food intolerance, and food-related illnesses and diseases. Explain why someone who handles or prepares food needs to be aware of these concerns.

Food allergies can be deadly, and will often cause swelling in the victim’s extremities or airways which could result in suffocation. Just a small amount of the allergen can lead to a severe reaction, so exercise extreme caution when cooking for people with allergies. Read food labels, separate ingredients, and avoid cross-contaminating food.

Food intolerances are less severe than allergies, but can still cause significant discomfort and irritation. Intolerances occur when an individual cannot properly digest a certain food. Common intolerances include lactose (found mainly in dairy) and gluten (found mainly in wheat). Symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and headaches.

Some of the most common food-related diseases are caused by Salmonella, E. coli, and botulism. These occur in foods that have been kept for too long or stored at improper temperatures. Symptoms include cramps, fevers, vomiting, and pain. To avoid food-related diseases:

• Avoid consuming raw or undercooked foods, especially meats.
• Wash your hands before eating or preparing food.
• Avoid consuming food from damaged packaging.
• Avoid drinking unclean water, or water that has been sitting for more than a few days.
• Wash all produce before consumption.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

One of the most serious symptoms of food-related illnesses is dehydration. Drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes if you do contract a food-related illness, and don’t be afraid to seek medical attention if your condition fails to improve within 48 hours.

When preparing food, you’re entirely responsible for the safety of the people you’re feeding. Make sure that you’ve followed all food safety procedures, and check that those you’re cooking for don’t have allergies or intolerances. To learn more about food safety best practices, check out the FDA’s food safety resources.

1e) Discuss with your counselor why reading food labels is important. Explain how to identify common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.

Food labels provide useful information such as the serving size, macronutrient breakdown, and ingredients. By reading food labels, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re putting into your body and be able to make healthier choices. Check out this quick video showing you how to understand and use food labels:

How to Read and Understand a Food Label (2:56)

In addition to giving you valuable information about a food’s nutritional value, labels can also be helpful when preparing food for an individual with allergies. This is because most labels clearly call out potential allergens! Before cooking for a group, be sure to ask for each member’s dietary preferences and whether they have any allergies.

The allergens peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish cause around 90% of all food allergies in the US. The bottom of most food labels provide an allergy warning for common allergens. The table below shows where these allergens are commonly found:

Allergen	Commonly Found In	What to Watch For on Labels
Peanuts	Candy, baked goods, sauces, trail mix	“May contain peanuts” or “groundnuts”
Tree nuts	Granola, desserts, pesto, cereals	Almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans
Milk	Bread, chocolate, cream sauces, baked goods	Casein, whey, lactose
Eggs	Baked goods, pasta, mayonnaise, meatballs	Albumin, lysozyme, meringue
Wheat	Bread, cereal, pasta, soy sauce, crackers	Flour, semolina, gluten, durum
Soy	Processed foods, sauces, tofu, edamame	Soy lecithin, soybean oil
Shellfish	Soups, salads, fried rice, sushi	Shrimp, crab, lobster, crawfish

By reading food labels and asking about allergies before you cook, you’ll reduce your chances of triggering a reaction and become a more informed, responsible cook. For more detailed information on food allergies, visit FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education).

Nutrition

2a) Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, give five examples for EACH of the following food groups, the recommended number of daily servings, and the recommended serving size:

Watch this quick video (3:03) to get a better understanding of the MyPlate dietary guidelines:

MyPlate divides food into five groups, each with recommended daily amounts for teens ages 14-18. The table below gives you a quick-reference breakdown of all five food groups:

Food Group	5 Examples	Daily Amount (Ages 14-18)	What Equals 1 Serving
Fruits	Apples, bananas, strawberries, grapes, oranges	1.5 – 2 cups	1 medium fruit or 1/2 cup chopped
Vegetables	Broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers	2.5 – 3 cups	1 cup raw or 12 baby carrots
Grains	Rice, bread, oatmeal, tortillas, pasta	6 – 8 ounces	1 slice bread or 1 packet oatmeal
Proteins	Chicken, eggs, beans, nuts, fish	5 – 6.5 ounces	1 egg, 1 oz meat, or 1/4 cup beans
Dairy	Milk, yogurt, cheese, fortified soy milk, cottage cheese	3 cups	1 cup milk or 1.5 oz cheese

Try to eat as wide a variety of colors as possible, especially with vegetables. Different colors indicate different nutrients, so a colorful plate is typically a well-balanced plate.

Scout Tip: When planning meals for your patrol on a campout, use the MyPlate model as your checklist. Ask yourself: does this meal include at least three of the five food groups? A simple example would be a turkey sandwich (grains + protein) with carrot sticks (vegetables) and an apple (fruit).

2b) Explain why you should limit your intake of oils and sugars.

Sugars and oils are high in calories but provide little nutritional value. You should limit your consumption of these types of foods, as overconsumption of sugar is linked to fast weight gain and obesity. Moreover, excessive caloric, carb, and sugar consumption could eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

Important note on diabetes: There are actually 2 main types of diabetes, types 1 and 2.

While type 2 diabetes is often linked to insufficient exercise, unhealthy habits (excessive carbs, sugars, and fats) and genetics, type 1 diabetes can occur in individuals leading even the most healthy lifestyles. In fact, many Scouts across the US have type 1 diabetes through no fault of their own.

First aid: If you know someone with type 1 diabetes and they begin to feel faint or say they have low blood sugar, ensure they eat or drink something with fast-acting sugar. The best options are fruit juices or honey, but hard candy (not chocolate) or other sweet things can work in a pinch.

Finally, always remember to have compassion and help others. One day, it might be you or me who finds themselves with a health challenge, so keep on doing your best to act with kindness and support the people around you!

Saturated-fat oils are linked to negative health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. By overconsuming sugars, oils, and fats, over time your arteries will begin to clog and you’ll be faced with serious health problems.

Since your body tends to crave the foods that you eat often, avoid binging on sugary or fatty foods. Don’t let yourself get accustomed to eating sugary or oily foods, and you’ll be able to more easily maintain a healthy lifestyle for years to come.

2c) Track your daily level of activity and your daily caloric need based on your activity for five days. Then, based on the My Plate food guide, discuss with your counselor an appropriate meal plan for yourself for one day.

To figure out your daily calorie needs, visit MyPlate.gov and use their free daily food plan tool. With a parent or guardian’s permission, input your age, height, weight, and physical activity level to get a personalized recommendation.

Here’s a great TED-Ed video (4:11) explaining what a calorie actually is:

Also, track any physical activity you do over the next 5 days. If you’re an athlete and exercising a lot, you’ll likely have greater caloric needs than if you were staying at home. The calories you burn through activity should be added to your baseline caloric needs so you stay properly fueled.

Once you know your daily calorie target, use the MyPlate model to plan one full day of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) that hits your target. Bring your 5-day activity log and your meal plan to discuss with your counselor.

2d) Discuss your current eating habits with your counselor and what you can do to eat healthier, based on the MyPlate food guide.

For this requirement, take an honest look at what you typically eat in a day and compare it to the MyPlate recommendations. Most teens don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables, or dairy, and tend to eat too many added sugars and processed snacks. Think about where your own diet falls short.

Here’s a fun TED-Ed video (4:51) on why your body needs water:

Here are some practical tips to eat healthier, based on the MyPlate food guide:

• Add more fruits and vegetables to every meal. Even small additions, like a banana at breakfast or carrot sticks at lunch, make a difference.
• Choose whole grains over refined grains. Swap white bread for whole wheat, and white rice for brown rice.
• Drink water instead of sugary beverages. Sodas and energy drinks are loaded with added sugars and empty calories. Your body needs water to function properly.
• Watch your portion sizes. Even healthy food can lead to weight gain if you eat too much of it.
• Limit processed snacks. Replace chips and candy with nuts, yogurt, or fresh fruit.

Be honest with your counselor about what you eat. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about recognizing areas where you can improve and making a plan to build healthier habits over time. Even small changes, practiced consistently, can make a big impact on your energy and overall health. If you want to improve your overall fitness, also check out the Personal Fitness merit badge!

2e) Discuss the following food label terms: calorie, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugar, protein. Explain how to calculate total carbohydrates and nutritional values for two servings, based on the serving size specified on the label.

I’ve rearranged the order of terms to make these concepts easier to understand. Don’t worry, they’re all there! Read through each of the points first, and then fill out your merit badge worksheet. I promise you’ll learn more this way. 🙂

Label Term	What It Means	Why It Matters
Calorie	A unit measuring how much energy a serving of food provides to your body	Helps you manage weight and energy levels
Fat	Total lipids per serving (one of three macronutrients)	Fats have more calories per gram than carbs or protein
Saturated fat	Fats from animal products and some oils (butter, red meat)	Raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and heart disease risk
Trans fat	Artificial fats created during food processing	Worst type: raises LDL and lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol
Cholesterol	A waxy, fat-like substance found in animal foods	Too much can clog arteries and lead to heart disease
Sodium	Salt content per serving	Excess sodium raises blood pressure
Carbohydrate	Total carbs per serving (includes starch, fiber, and sugar)	Your body’s main energy source
Dietary fiber	Indigestible plant material that aids digestion	Supports regular bowel movements and healthy cholesterol
Sugar	Total sugars per serving (natural + added)	High in calories but provides no essential nutrients
Protein	Building blocks used by your body to repair tissue and build muscle	Essential for recovery after physical activity

Here are a few more details on the three macronutrients and key label terms you should know:

• Carbohydrates come in two forms: whole (complex) carbs and refined (simple) carbs. Whole carbs like vegetables, brown rice, and whole grains are good for you. Refined carbs like sodas, pastries, and junk food are high in added sugars and low in nutrients.
• Protein helps your body repair tissue and build muscle after a long day of Scouting activities. The highest-quality proteins come from lean sources such as fish, poultry, beans, and plants. To choose the best sources of protein, look for foods that are low in fats and high in fiber.
• Cholesterol has two types: HDL (high-density lipoprotein, the “good” kind) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” kind). Foods like fish, beans, and avocados are high in HDL. Foods like butter, animal fats, and pastries are high in LDL and should be limited.

Explain how to calculate total carbohydrates and nutritional values for two servings, based on the serving size specified on the label.

Here’s the food label from a box of pasta in my cabinet.

Scout Tip: The same “multiply by servings” rule works for every value on the label. If one serving has 200 calories and you eat three servings, that’s 600 calories. Always check the serving size first, because a single package often contains multiple servings!

Congrats on Finishing Part 1 of the Cooking Merit Badge!

Wow, great work getting through all of that! You definitely deserve a break at this point; give yourself a pat on the back! 🙂

Once you’re ready to continue on to part 2 of the Cooking merit badge (Requirements 3-7), click here.

Also, if you’re interested in the difficulty rankings for every Eagle-required merit badge, you can check out my full guide here. PS: If you’re working on your Camping merit badge at the same time, many of the food safety and cooking skills overlap!