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Girl Scout Mess Kits & Table Sets
Through the years the Girl Scout catalog has offered a variety of mess kits. This page focuses only on those mess kits that:
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had the Girl Scout mark somewhere on it's pieces.
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The earliest mess kits did not have any Girl Scout insignia on them and are not included here.
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During the World War II era the only mess kit offered was a coated steel version and did not have the GS mark.
Table Sets are a new invention - containing only the gear needed to EAT a meal; plastic plate, cup, bowl, cutlery and a dunk bag.
1934S
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Trefoil is stamped on khaki bag
The case is now green, but doesn't mention the trefoil. Images in the 1939-1940 GS catalogs show a hint of a trefoil on the carrying case, but it is vague.
1938
1942S
Note:
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White enamel ware cooking pot
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Green case has a plaid liner.
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Price has jumped to $2.85
1946
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Official GS mess kit returns - World War II is over
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Cutlery (fork & spoon) is no longer included
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Price is lowered to $2.50
During the World War 2-era a coated steel mess kit was offered in some of the Girl Scout catalogs. It was not official and did not carry the GS mark.
1954
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Plaid case makes it's first appearance
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Trefoil is on the snap of the case
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Trefoil is stamped in yellow on the back of the case
1962
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Green plastic cup appears
1971
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Plaid goes horizontal
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Frying pan is noted as 5" - this may be an error, as the overall size of the kit appears to have remained the same
Detail of the plaid fabric of the carrying cases.
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Plaid design remained the same thru the years
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Early mess kits had the design on an angle
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Later kits were produced with the plaid on horizontal plane.
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The same plaid design was used in the official 1963 Girl Scout sleeping bag
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The "green" of the plaid faded easily
1976
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Solid green carrying case is nylon
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Trefoil stamp on case
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Trefoil on handle of pan
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Frying pan is 7"
1979
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Contemporary logo appears
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The essence of brevity in the description
1981
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White plastic cup shown
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Cutlery not included
1982
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Blue nylon carrying case
1990
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Black plastic cup
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Logo & writing changes from yellow to white
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Other official Girl Scout camp gear logos & writing also white on catalog page
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2002 Outdoor catalog shows the logo & writing in yellow
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Last official Girl Scout mess kit
2002
2002
Outdoor
Catalog
2003
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First of the "Table Sets"
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GS catalogs continued to carry an unofficial mess kit for several years
2015
2020
