Meatballs

This weekend I will be one of many parents headed to the woods to visit their kids for sleepaway camp Visiting Day. While sleepaway camps vary in length and location, my son goes away for seven weeks, and this weekend will be the first time I'm seeing him in four weeks. It is, hands down, my favorite four hours of the summer.

So, once you get past your judgment (or praise) for sending my son away (and by sending away, I mean giving him the gift of independence, fun, adventure, friendships and growth), there is one thing every camp parent has to do to prepare for Visiting Day... and that is... the list.

What's the list, you ask? Sure, I'll make this more than IYKYK. In the weeks leading up to Visiting Day, campers prepare a "wish list" of all the foods they want their parents to bring from home. The things they can't get every day. And for my loyal readers... yes, this list arrives via good old-fashioned USPS snail mail. And yes, I wrote about that a few weeks ago in the article, Pen Pals.

Among the group chats and Instagram pages dedicated to camp parents, these lists have become quite the source of entertainment. While some of these requests are wild and definitely outside the scope of what my personal morals abide by (and honestly outside the values of our camp, too... one of the many reasons I'm proud to send Zach there is because they don't encourage over-the-top gifting or bringing in massive amounts of food), the wish lists themselves are entertainment.

Cute story. But what's your point, Julie?!?!

From sushi to starburst to starbucks, the things our kids "miss" after only a few weeks away not only tell us a lot about their personalities... but they also tell us a lot about the customer habits and brand loyalty of this younger generation.

I've been asking around, and here are some of the most requested Visiting Day foods:

What amazes me isn't necessarily what's on the list... it's how specific the brands are. Not "a cookie." Crumbl. Not "a sandwich." Jersey Mike's. Not "a drink." Starbucks. These kids aren't asking for categories. They're asking for brands. Brands they've grown to associate with comfort, routines, family outings, celebrations after soccer games, Friday night dinners, road trips and little traditions they probably don't even realize they've created. Four weeks without them, and suddenly they're craving more than food... they're craving familiarity. As a marketer, I find it fascinating. As a mom... I completely get it.

At camp, there is no DoorDash. No Uber Eats. No quick Starbucks or Dunkin run with Mom. Of course these kids are eating delicious, nutritious meals every single day. And canteen, more than once a week. But sometimes you just need an Oreo... or your favorite sandwich… or simply a taste of home.

It also made me stop and appreciate just how powerful brands are with their youngest customers. After only three or four weeks away, these foods become a source of comfort and familiarity. They're reminders of home. And that's a pretty incredible emotional connection for something that started as a snack or lunch.

The restaurant industry has known for years that loyalty starts young. Research consistently shows that food preferences and brand perceptions are largely formed during childhood and adolescence, and many carry into adulthood. In fact, studies have found that a majority of adults continue purchasing many of the same food brands they grew up with, and family dining habits have an enormous influence on restaurant choice well into adulthood. It's why restaurants invest so heavily in family experiences, kids' meals and creating memorable moments. Today's happy meal, birthday dinner, post-game milkshake or favorite sandwich shop isn't just a transaction. It can become tomorrow's lifelong customer. Watching these camp wish lists come rolling in feels like a real-life case study proving exactly that.

This got me thinking... what would my taste of home be? So I called my mom.

My parents reminded me that when I was at camp (thirty years ago!), my Visiting Day request was penne with Rao's marinara sauce. And you know what... my pantry STILL has Rao's in it at all times. I had also requested a bagel and sandwich from my local bagel shop and deli (looking at you, Millburn Deli). Those requests 30 years ago, are still my first requests too. While they may be my local spots, they have made a big impact on the way I emotionally feel about food. Places (and sauces) I've been eating at since childhood that still feel like home every single time I walk through the door.

So this Saturday, while I'll happily grab a burger or hot dog from the camp buffet and hit the salad bar for all the fixings, I'll be even happier showing up with a cooler full of Zach’s favorite tastes of home. And I wonder... thirty years from now, when he's my age, will those same foods and snacks still be the ones that bring him comfort?