It has definitely gotten easier to supply in recent years. Many times I am Offshore for a few days, with up to 5 crew members. I’d be sailing to Bermuda, or taking a run from Block Island, RI to Virginia. Some trips he would do single-handedly… but he still needs to provision, considering some days his crew, how should I say… may be sick.
I divide it into Breakfast, Lunch, Dinners, Fast Foods, Snacks, Sweets and Desserts. Depending on the size of the crew is the number of meals needed in a session. For the cook, he knows that not everyone will be ready for every meal. Therefore, he may have to prepare each meal twice. One for the “On Watch” team and one for the “Off Watch” team. On some larger yachts, the galley is open 24 hours. With smaller yachts, it could just be a takeout meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and if you don’t feel like it, you have to make your own.
When you go to the grocery store, I start with breakfast first… I have a list made up and find that I try to stick to things that don’t need refrigeration. On the high seas, you never know when your cooler can break down. I always have ice on the bottom in case it does. In this way, when the refrigerator is working, the ice does not melt. Once the fridge stops working, your Ice takes over and can give you extra days of cooling. So here’s a list… without cooling on top…
Breakfast
coffee tea
Pancake mix, ready for water
Hot cereals, ready for the water
Fruit
breads/cookies
Eggs/egg sandwiches
french toast
There are other microwave-safe breakfast items for quick heat-ups
Lunch
Peanut butter and jam
Tuna/Salmon in cans
Pretzels/chips/etc.
cheese with crackers
Bite-sized carrots, comes pre-packaged
hot dogs
cold cuts
Yodels/Twinkies
There are so many microwave safe items for lunch
Dinner
Spaghetti – different types
Canned Clams in Sauce…Red or White
Lobster with sauce in cans
Spaghetti and meatballs in cans
casseroles in cans
Again, the items you can get that are microwave safe are endless.
This is just a basic list… but as you can see refrigeration is not necessary for most and removes the worry. Of course, you can bring ingredients to make the meals more homemade. I find that I can spend days on shore or offshore with this list. You can mix and match to keep meals interesting… Then when you’re on land, going to a restaurant becomes a great taste experience.
As you keep stocking up for those voyages, you’ll find you still have plenty left over and then get things you normally wouldn’t… Trying this and that also expands the menu when you’re on that long voyage, which keeps the crew happy. .
It becomes a challenge to find items that don’t need refrigeration, but are healthy and nutritious. You will find many additives in these items, such as condoms. On the other hand, you’ll also find that nature’s natural elements last quite a while, and with a reliable refrigeration unit, your options are endless.
