Planning a retreat can seem like a lot of hard work, but with some support, it’s easy enough to break up the different elements. Of all the elements that make up the success of a retreat, the meals throughout may not be considered the most important, but it is vital to work. As a retreat facility, we know that this is even more important to consider when hosting youth group retreats or other retreats with young people.
At Orange Springs Retreat Center, guests expect a beautiful spring-fed lake, exciting activities, meaningful conversations, and time away from everyday distractions. What they don’t expect is that one of the biggest highlights of their retreat will be the food! Year after year, returning camps love the quality of our meals and site it along with exclusive use and comfortable cabins as a top 3 reason for returning! Chef Kevin is always available to help design a menu. Here as some tips he’s recommended you consider while planing your retreat:
1. Get Info About Attendees
Doing this can depend on the type of retreat you’re doing, as children attending youth group retreats don’t typically know exactly what they’re allergic to.
Ask the Parents
If you’re planning a youth group retreat, when you send out the initial registration letter for the retreat, you should also include a section in which parents can tick or note their children’s allergies. This is of the utmost importance and should be completed well ahead of the scheduled retreat to allow meal planning to be done appropriately.
By collecting information about their allergies ahead of time, you can plan their meals accordingly. The most common allergies in children are:
– Peanut allergies
– Tree nut allergies
– Dairy and egg allergies
– Fish and shellfish allergies
– Pet allergies
– Soy allergies
– Wheat allergies
You may also want to consider checking if any of the children have seasonal allergies that might make it hard to spend extended periods outside. Here at Orange Spring Retreats, we have plenty of outdoor spaces away from trees, as well as plenty of indoor spaces.
On top of these, if any of your children eat a vegetarian or vegan diet then this should be respected as much as allergies.
2. Different Allergies Should Be Managed Differently
Not all allergies are severe, nor does the existence of allergies mean that you can’t serve any of the aforementioned food products. Instead, if you can find out the severity of them, it’ll be easier to deal with each allergy on an individual level.
Peanut Allergies
These are usually quite severe, and while peanuts are relatively common in some cuisines, they can be easily omitted. Due to the typical severity of peanut allergies, we do recommend that no peanuts be included in any of the meals and that things like peanut butter and peanut-based snacks be left at home.
Tree Nut Allergies
Again, these aren’t the most common thing in cuisine, and chances are that most kids haven’t even developed the palate to even appreciate them. As with peanuts, simply forgo tree nut allergies if anyone has any allergies towards them.
Dairy and Egg Allergies
This is much harder to manage than the previous two, as both dairy products and eggs are common to most kinds of cuisine. For those kids who have dairy and/or egg allergies, you will need to make alternative meals just for them, and maybe even have a preferred form of plant-based milk on hand.
This is also important for adults who have these allergies, or those who adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Fish and Shellfish Allergies
As your retreat will likely take place over a weekend, these are also easier to avoid and can just be omitted entirely.
Pet Allergies
These shouldn’t be much of an issue on most retreats, as pets will have to stay home while the kids are away. Although there may be instances where either adults or children bring an emotional support animal. If that is the case, ensure the animal is kept far away from where food is being prepared, and away from those who suffer the allergies.
Soy Allergies
Another relatively easy allergen to avoid is soy, as it is common in Asiatic dishes, it is easy enough to remove soy and soy-based products over a weekend. This is also an important allergy to note when coming up with vegetarian or vegan alternative dishes.
Wheat Allergies
Most commonly manifesting as gluten intolerance, several kinds of wheat allergies can have a pretty big impact on the meal planning process. Wheat is most common in breakfast foods such as bread and cereals, but can also be found scattered throughout cuisines in the form of flour, bread, pasta, etc. This can be managed by serving gluten-free options to replace staples, or by the replacing wheat elements in dishes.
Remember that, while it’s important to make food that people like, it’s more important to make food that people can eat. If you want more inspiration coming up with allergy-friendly dishes, check out YouTube for plenty of videos.
Guests Say It Better Than We Can
We could tell you how much people enjoy Chef Kevin’s meals.
But we’d rather let our guests do the talking:
“Best of all, we loved the food. Shout out to Chef Kevin!!!!!! Can’t wait for next year!”
— Sam H., 140-student high school retreat | Read full review on TripAdvisor
“The food is AMAZING, Chef did his thing! We will be coming back!!”
— Julissa Lawes, Christian youth group | View on Google
“Friendly staff, clean venue, and fully customizable experiences. Oh I almost forgot…the AMAZING FOOD!!! They have the best cooks and my group was so impressed all around.”
— Staci Campbell | View on Google
“My daughter attended cheer camp… She’s a fairly picky eater and enjoyed every meal.”
— Stephanie Baldwin | View on Google
“The staff, Chris, and Chef Kevin were beyond kind and helpful… food, cabins, and activities are wonderful.”
— Mina Mikhail | View on Google
Reading these reviews, one thing becomes clear: People don’t just remember the activities. They remember the meals — and the people who prepared them.
3. Come Hungry!
At Orange Springs Retreat Center, we’re proud of our spring-fed lake, our private 100-acre campus, our activities, comfortable lodging, and our exclusive-use experience.
But we’re equally proud that so many guests leave talking about the food.
If you’re planning a church retreat, youth retreat, school leadership weekend, corporate off-site, or private group gathering, we’d love to welcome you — and introduce you to Chef Kevin.
Because if our guests are any indication…
You may come for the lake.
You may come for the privacy.
You may come for the activities.
But don’t be surprised if everyone leaves talking about Chef Kevin.
You can read more about our story, mission, and what makes us different on our About Orange Springs Retreat Center page.
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Located just south of Gainesville, Florida, Orange Springs Retreat Center offers Group Retreat Rentals, Fall & Spring School/Church Camp venue, and an ideal Summer Camp Location.
Orange Springs Retreat Center | Florida’s Exclusive-Use Retreat Venue for Private Groups, Schools & Churches (60–200 Guests)
What separates us from other retreat venues is true exclusivity: “One Group At a Time Always- No Shared Spaces, No Outside Guests”
See how Orange Springs Retreat was featured in The New York Times in the article “For Sleep-Away Camps, More Endless Summers.”
Ready to explore 2027 dates? Call or text Mike directly at 561-221-7773 or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to helping your group create a memorable, distraction-free retreat experience.