Meal planning

Just getting ready for my first extended cruise.

Something I haven't had a lot of practice on is meal planning.

I know Power Squadron has a class on that, but I've never taken it. has anyone?

I have two tiny fridges, with microscopic freezers. On shore I use massive freezer space for meats, and precooked meals. Going to almost no freezer except for ice is a big adjustment.

Other than instant mac & cheese, or raman noodles what are some good boat foods?

Can food supermarkets have 1000s of horrid food sealed in tin cans. A good practice is to write on the tin with marking pen what the contents are because paper labels tend to fall off .

What do you call an extended cruise? How long do you plan to be off shore?

capn_billl said:

I have two tiny fridges, with microscopic freezers. On shore I use massive freezer space for meats, and precooked meals. Going to almost no freezer except for ice is a big adjustment.

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A decent cooler and an ice block or two can usually extend your fresh food options. Especially if your initial fill includes lots of already-frozen stuff.

Sometimes we'd use one cooler with block ice for frozen food (didn't have to be opened often), and a different cooler with combo of block and cube ice for beverages and unfrozen fresh food.

Supplement with veg that doesn't need much refrigeration: potatoes, greens of various sorts, etc.

-Chris

Greetings,
Mr. cb. Meal prep also depends on what cooking facilities you have on board AND if you can cook or will be cruising with someone who can. A little more info answering this and "where, when and for how long" will most probably generate many more options than mac and cheese/Raman.
Depending on where you are cruising you may be able to fish as well. Really simple to cook and few ingredients needed. Tinfoil, lemon and heat.

One thing that drives me nuts after years of meal planning for camping, backpacking and small boating is I have always planned meals down to the serving and spices.

That is opposed to the typical American kitchen filling where people just buy stuff and put meals together as necessary.

When cramped for room, plan out exactly what you will eat and buy to that calendar menu only.

The more complicated the meals, the more "extras" you usually need to make the meal happen.

I would read up on backpacking menus, then upgrade as you feel you have room.

capn_billl said:

Just getting ready for my first extended cruise.

Something I haven't had a lot of practice on is meal planning.

I know Power Squadron has a class on that, but I've never taken it. has anyone?

I have two tiny fridges, with microscopic freezers. On shore I use massive freezer space for meats, and precooked meals. Going to almost no freezer except for ice is a big adjustment.

Other than instant mac & cheese, or raman noodles what are some good boat foods?

Click to expand...

Just a bit more information please on length of cruise and on what cooking equipment you have aboard. Are you meat heavy or do you tend toward vegetables? Will you be eating any meals on shore? How frequently will you have access to groceries? Where will you be cruising?

psneeld said:

One thing that drives me nuts after years of meal planning for camping, backpacking and small boating is I have always planned meals down to the serving and spices.

.

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We do the same and then, if space, might add something. We plan also potential grocery stops, especially places we can get fresh produce.

Most of my experience is in small (23' - 30') sailboats with severe space limits. Even now with the luxury of actual refrigeration, small freezer and two large coolers, I find myself provisioning with those limits in mind:

1. Canned soups and chilis serve as the base for what has come to be known as "Daddy's homemade canned soup." Potato and split pea especially work with a great variety of locally acquired fresh "stuff", especially good from a big mug on the windswept bridge. By the case at Costco.

2. Cured meats, pastrami, sausage, ham will keep a long time with minimal cooling (see "homemade soup" above).

3. Root vegetables in a below-the-waterline locker will keep for a long time.

4. Hawaiians have convinced me that Spam (tm) is an excellent breakfast meat. Slice it real thin and cook it to crispy--yum. --still can't take the spam musubi though.

Bill

Spam!!?? Will I beat RTF to this?

Greetings,
Mr. BK. Nope, didn't beat me at all. Almost the first thing I though about but naaa...Too obvious. So fill your boots. (I liked the Vikings better).

RT Firefly said:

So fill your boots. (I liked the Vikings better).

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"I'm a lumberjack..."

Among the things we do is vacuum seal all the frozen meats. We plan fresh produce when we can and we take frozen as well. While most prefer fresh or frozen vegetables, this is when canned vegetables are really good. Some are available low sodium as well. There are also some packaged foods that don't require refrigeration. Hormel Compleat is one and they're small meals, but not bad. They can fill in sometimes. Soups are good and there are some soups now that are more like meals. A pot roast soup is more a pot roast than a soup.

If you have your meats, your canned items, all your paper goods and toiletries for the entire trip, then if you can get to a grocer every week or so, you can always have fresh produce to go with it. We don't, except for desserts, but I know many who when they do eat on shore, always have leftovers and plan it that way so that covers a meal.

Breakfast. Most are use to a meat and eggs and some to hash browns and toast or biscuits. However, I know many who are happy with something small and their coffee. I know some who go for things like pop tarts and similar items or for breakfast bars. A lot of items not requiring refrigeration or freezing. Now if you purchase microwavable already cooked bacon and sausage it generally has a life of at least a month before needing to be frozen so you can keep it in the refrigerator and then move some to the freezer if you need to when the freezer space has emptied some.

So much depends on the questions we're waiting for answers to.

Oh, I read the forum rules. No spam is allowed.

Capn Bill,

We started off with long trips in a 22 C-dory (7 days or so away from stores), moved up to a 25 C-dory (still 7 day trips) and went to a bigger slow boat. One of the first things we bought for the big boat was Dometic AC/DC refrigerator or freezer (depends on the temp your set). Six years later it is still running and is our freezer. We now can leave our dock with a freezer of frozen food, a full refrigerator, and enough other non perishable things to get us from May to mid June. By then we hit either Costco in Juneau or Walmart in Ketchikan to restock. We have a good bit of room for storage, but the key was the freezer. We have a cover for it so it can sit outside. It doesn't consume much power and if battery capacity is an issue, if you cool it down to 10-14 degrees while underway, overnight it will gain about 5-6 degrees as long as it you don't open it more than a couple of times.

Tom

BruceK said:

Spam!!?? Will I beat RTF to this?

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Lol we should star a thread titled "Beat Mr RTF" what a thread it would be lol

Add rice and pasta to your meal plan. Rice and pasta take limited space as they swell when they're cooked. Usually have one or the other as part of dinner seasoned with a little light salad dressing. You can cook pasta in a microwave with good results. Microwaves, rice cookers, and Crock Pots all work nicely off an inverter. I've started making dinner with the inverter while cruising late in the afternoon, saves the battery bank for other uses.

Ted

O C Diver said:

Add rice and pasta to your meal plan. Rice and pasta take limited space as they swell when they're cooked. Usually have one or the other as part of dinner seasoned with a little light salad dressing. You can cook pasta in a microwave with good results. Microwaves, rice cookers, and Crock Pots all work nicely off an inverter. I've started making dinner with the inverter while cruising late in the afternoon, saves the battery bank for other uses.

Ted

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+1. Lots of bottled sauces which can be improved with local fresh stuff.

Almost forgot. Cabbage keeps better than lettuce. Slaw!

Bottled kimchi good on meat or cheese sandwiches. Serves as lettuce, pickle and onion in one easy step.

capn_billl said:

Just getting ready for my first extended cruise.

Something I haven't had a lot of practice on is meal planning.

I know Power Squadron has a class on that, but I've never taken it. has anyone?

I have two tiny fridges, with microscopic freezers. On shore I use massive freezer space for meats, and precooked meals. Going to almost no freezer except for ice is a big adjustment.

Other than instant mac & cheese, or raman noodles what are some good boat foods?

Click to expand...

Are you cruising to Mars???

Part of cruising seems to me that you go buy locally sourced food and experience the tastes of that area.

ksanders said:

Are you cruising to Mars???

Part of cruising seems to me that you go buy locally sourced food and experience the tastes of that area.

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HAR! But so true. How can one possibly go to Nanaimo without having a Nanaimo bar?!

ksanders said:

Are you cruising to Mars???

Part of cruising seems to me that you go buy locally sourced food and experience the tastes of that area.

Click to expand...

I sample their tastes in their restaurants and stick to my tastes on the boat. We will buy local produce but we're more careful where to buy meats.

Locally sourced:

AlaskaProf said:

Locally sourced:

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We definitely go for local desserts. Often bring some extras back to the boat from restaurants.

tpbrady said:

... By then we hit either Costco in Juneau or Walmart in Ketchikan to restock....

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That brings back memories from almost 2 years ago. I virtually lived at the Walmart in Ketchikan as I was preparing to bring Stillwater to San Francisco. I bought everything there from bed linens to easter bunnies!

Richard

O C Diver said:

Add rice and pasta to your meal plan. Rice and pasta take limited space as they swell when they're cooked.

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And lentils, barley, dried beans, and dried peas come to mind...

-Chris

capn_billl said:

Just getting ready for my first extended cruise.

Something I haven't had a lot of practice on is meal planning.

I know Power Squadron has a class on that, but I've never taken it. has anyone?

I have two tiny fridges, with microscopic freezers. On shore I use massive freezer space for meats, and precooked meals. Going to almost no freezer except for ice is a big adjustment.

Other than instant mac & cheese, or raman noodles what are some good boat foods?

Click to expand...

Called "cruise planning" - Excellent course

Greetings,
Mr.cb. A little feed back please?

Well there are always the old camping standbys - Dinty Moore and Spam (already mentioned). You can also buy canned chicken and of course, ham, corned beef, tuna and baked beans. The above, a few cans of veggies and plenty of beer and you are good to go. You can also buy the all in one pancake mix that you simply add water to for breakfast and soups (dried or canned) for lunch. Finish it off with a jar of instant coffee and some coffeemate. Now, if you stock your boat this way it will encourage you to eat at restaurants when ever you can. This cuisine will also deter women from boating with you.

When traveling I like to crack 3 eggs into a bowl, mix them up and pour them into a zip lock baggie. Great for omelets. We lay the bags flat in the freezer and they stack nicely when frozen. I take one bag out each day for each omelet and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then they're ready to go the next day.


Meats cooked in the slow cooker provide a nice dinner and some left over for sandwiches the following day. A pork roast from the slow cooker makes for great pulled pork sandwiches for a few days' lunch.

TDunn said:

You can also buy canned chicken and of course, ham, corned beef, tuna and baked beans.

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Canned stuff can sometimes be "improved" relatively easily, too.

Canned baked beans, add some jowl bacon, onions, maybe a small bit of green peppers...

Same way with canned pasta sauces; start with decent specimens, but then add whatever floats your boat.

-Chris