Food On Board

[habanaman]

Hi!

I am on the crew-side of the members here, I don't have a ship. I've been reading the forum to have a clue how to prepare to a longer journey (like cruising an ocean for 2-4 weeks). I have questions regarding food, garbage, laundry etc. Let's focus on the food ('cause I like cooking, and I have some great ideas in the kitchen ), what to eat and what to drink, and where do you put your supplies, as I have read some of you don't use any refrigerator. So what do you eat on board, what are the most practical foodtypes with the least possible space, waste and the longest "best before" features, how do you carry fresh water, how do you handle stuff that easily gets foul, etc.

[delatbabel]

2-4 weeks is nothing. Try 8 months.

Lots of meat in tins, that's really the only way to keep it. Even Turkey SPAM can be dressed up a bit to be a real treat. Your other main source of protein is a fishing rod.

Sprouts. Seeds germinate in anywhere between 2-3 days and a week depending on the conditions and the seed. A locker full of sprout seeds of various types keeps you in fresh green stuff for ages. Plus a couple of sprout growers, I would recommend 3 in fact so you always have something coming up fresh.

Water is the big issue -- decide what you can take and ration it over the course of the journey. You can get by with 2 litres per person per day if you're prepared to wash dishes in salt water, but I would recommend closer to 5-10 per person per day. You need some way of catching rain and/or a watermaker for longer journeys.

I'll let the other old salties continue from here.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by habanaman

Hi!

So what do you eat on board, what are the most practical foodtypes with the least possible space, waste and the longest "best before" features, how do you carry fresh water, how do you handle stuff that easily gets foul, etc.

Before food, the type and quantity of containers often determine the food that is suitable for non-stop passages at sea. First the container should be re-usuable, be airtight, fit the spaces available on the boat, have different sizes for certain foods.

Canned food in metal containers require that the can's paper label is removed, then using a permanent marker write on the can the contents and date - then lightly coat the can with cooking oil, let it dry before storing.

Food :- a general rule :- Food that only has a short life without special storage or treatment should be limited, although some fruit, vegetables and eggs can last up to 2/3 weeks.

Keeping food refridgerated is an option but if the appliance fails ????

Your question "what do you eat on board" is one of those that cannot easily be answered, other than "it depends, nationality, availabity, who is on board -- men women children, food alergies, rough seas, etc..

[JeanneP]

I am still not back with reliable Internet connection, so this is a quicky and a promise to write more in two or three days.

Look over some of the topics in my Cruiser's Dictionary on the Wiki: http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Cruiser_Dictionary

I'll try to think of some more as we're heading back to the US.

Jeanne

[Aquaria]

Originally Posted by habanaman

..., how do you handle stuff that easily gets foul, etc.

We love to have fresh vegetables and fruit as long as possible. When provisioning for the 3-4 week Atlantic crossing, Â*we found it a good idea to do that from a harbour or marina where many fellow sailors do the same and there is the spot where the knowledge about the freshest goods is. It was not in the supermarkets where the distribution chain is the reason that fruits and veggies are already many days old before they are on the shelves.Â*

We used local markets (farmers selling directly) and grossists that also sell to restaurants and hotels. Â*Here you get mostly fresher fruit or vegetables and they are unpacked and not in plastic bags - a chance to look at every item.

Stowing: Lots of room, stowing them carefully side by side - not piling them up - and looking Â*and squeezing gently every item every day to decide what should be eaten next. This is the best way to avoid rot and mold which spreads very fast to other fruits and veggies and can ruin all within hours. This way, the most delicate items will be gone after a few days, others hold longer and the limes made it all the way over the Atlantic! Yes this takes up alot of room - we use the forepeak, spreading loosely old towels and placing everything in there, so that they do not roll back and forth. Â*All in all quite some efford, but we found it worth it and we did not have to throw away anything. Â* Â*

Uwe

SY Aquaria

[redbopeep]

Agree that spreading things out helps. Also, washing (and allowing to dry) fruits and veggies in a very mild bleach solution can help prolong storage time. Typically, eggs do last a little longer than MMNETSEA's projection of 2-3 weeks but it depends upon how fresh they are when you get them. Plan on 3 to 6 weeks. A friend who is in Antarctica and has spent many years traveling to-and-from Antarctica from Tasmania and staying in the Antarctic for months at a time says they do all sorts of interesting things with eggs--from greasing them (to prevent air transfer through the shell) to turning the eggs (to keep the yolk from settling against the shell) and manage to keep fresh eggs for months with the "extending" methods.

Waxed cheeses and cured meats (like pepperoni and summer sausage) will keep in a cool dry location for months as well. The bilge is cool but seldom really dry so finding that combo is sometimes difficult. At present, we have two 2 lb sticks of pepperoni sitting in a dry portion of our bilge--and though we're not at sea--it's been there for three months. Just a couple days ago, there were three but we decided to consume one.

Canned goods, dried fruits, dried veggies, jerky, and sprouting supplies are all realities for anyone trying to live for a period longer than a few weeks away from a provisioning source. Just a different way of eating.

[habanaman]

Thanks for all your answers . Seems like you have to be really prepared for such a journey, a bit like travelling in space, except for the sea food.

And how about cooking? How about the waste? Do you collect it until you reach harbour? How do you minimize the amount of it, because - I think - it takes a lot of place.

[Aquaria]

Originally Posted by habanaman

(...) How about the waste? Do you collect it until you reach harbour? How do you minimize the amount of it, because - I think - it takes a lot of place.

When it comes to cooking, I'm just the mate. Therefor I was in charge of the waste the cooking created

No, waste is not a problem. Once you have eaten the content, you can flatten nearly every package to a volume of almost zero and stow it in a locker until you reach shore again. Washing out the empty cans makes sence before flattening them (/removing the bottom with a can opener too) to avoid smell in the locker.

Plastic never goes over board because it stays in the water for ever and adds to the billions of tons of plactic on the hight seas or on the beaches of such remote places like the Midway Islands (click for the marine debris problem) in the Pacific.

Paper and carton is not a problem - it dissolves under constant swell (but it does not look good for the weeks it floats at the surface). Combined materials like juice bricks (carton with a plastic- or aluminum layer) should not go over board - we rinse and fold them for the locker.

Long ago we threw glass over board, but making sure that it sunk. But during the years the amount of glass in the waste decreased, as many things are out of plastic now and plastic bottles are way easier to stow! So, these few jam-glasses stay on board, when they are empty.

And in most waters and also due to international regulations the disposal of waste on the open sea is either prohibited or strictly regulated. The Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 shows detailed information about the disposal of waste at sea. And after reading all that it is the best for our environment to collect the waste until you reach harbour.

Uwe

SY Aquaria

[danblu]

Hi Habanaman, Vegetarian is the best way to fulfil this requirement...." what are the most practical foodtypes with the least possible space" . I'm a vego, have been for years and I find it imminently suitable for onboard tucker. Tasty , healthy, easily stored and economical. My favorite is Black Beans. Beans ,Lentils, Rice probably double in size and weight when soaked in water which of course means less space is needed for your food. Flat bread and Sprouts plus a few beans with a grunty chilli salad dressing is quick and easy to prepare. In NZ we get these cans of tomatoes with spices and herbs already in them, such as Moroccan or Indian, Basil etc. Really do need a pressure cooker for this type of food onboard as it cuts the cooking time and saves fuel.

Soak your beans for about 6 hours, pressure cook for 8 minutes, fry some garlic and onions or leeks,

combine the lot with a can of tomatoes and enjoy.

Green peas and Black beans are nutritional powerhouses combined and taste great together. I use surprise peas, that is dried.

These types of food also settle the stomach which definitely can be a bonus at times.

Go vegetarian and do the planet a kindness.

Cheers

Pete.

[jcarter]

thanks for these posts...got some information for my daughter's school requirement.

[redbopeep]

Pete, do you not eat fish while you're at sea? I'd have a hard time subsisting without some sort of meat, fish, poultry myself.

[danblu]

Don't eat anything but vegies and some cheese. Lately I've been soaking brown lentils overnight , draining and leave to sprout. Just before or after sprouting they are sweet and tasty great in salads. I chop some sun dried tomatos and onion and garlic combine with sprouted lentils and herbs spices then hit em with the blender. I then put some olive oil into the brew. shape into patties and fry gently. Serve with a good homemade tomato sauce. Really nice have a try.

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by danblu

Don't eat anything but vegies and some cheese. Lately I've been soaking brown lentils overnight , draining and leave to sprout. Just before or after sprouting they are sweet and tasty great in salads. I chop some sun dried tomatos and onion and garlic combine with sprouted lentils and herbs spices then hit em with the blender. I then put some olive oil into the brew. shape into patties and fry gently. Serve with a good homemade tomato sauce. Really nice have a try.

Now that's a good sounding recipe. I haven't sprouted lentils in 20 years and I'd forgotten how much I like them. Now to just dig out a bag of lentils since we've always got some around.

[danblu]

Let me know if you like them Brenda, also any suggestions to improve them. Really healthy tucker and great for aboard. cheers.

[Bermuda]

I am also a veggie, and I think that it is the most logical diet for living at sea. Let's be frank, just because you are at sea, doesn't mean you can catch fish. You can go quite a while without seeing a living creature!

Having to rely on food that can spoil is also a no-go when you are so far from future provisions. Of course it's great to have fresh fruits and vegetables, you should not rely on them. Things spoil, get moldy. The only thing that happens to dried beans, rice, and other grains is the occasional weevil infestation. The best things to bring with you on your passage are oats (whole and rolled), rice (variety is key!), barley, beans (smaller means less cooking time and gassing time, lentils and moong are great options), sprouting is simple and a great way to have a fresh crunch, dried goods (potatoes, vegetables, fruits), nuts and seeds.

Things so consider... Coconut oil is amazing. It can be used in your cooking, and for your sunburn, as a lotion, and a hair conditioner. Everything on your boat should be utilitarian and multipurpose.

If you want fresh foods with you, consider ones that keep the longest. Gourds like pumpkin and squash (though easier to store in a can), potatoes, apples, limes, ginger, onions, and garlic.

Also, you can sprout your own garlic and onions in no time without any soil, and enjoy the greens.

If you want meat, think of how long it keeps and how it's stored. Consider the different options of ways to prepare it. Do you really want to eat fried summer sausage or spam every day?

Store things air-tight in different sizes and coloured containers, because labels can become wet or faded. You should be able to just see something in the back and know exactly what it is.

[redbopeep]

Acorn squash. Ah--we just ate a baked acorn squash that I've had aboard for 6 weeks. Another is still sitting here. Yummy with wild rice, dried cherries, and a bit of brown sugar.

[Toomas]

Don't know about eating all vegetable. Veges produce oxygen and the flesh I eat produces methane. There is your answer.

[wavestimulus]

For a non-stop long passage, how do you store your dry beans (lentils, rice, etc.)?
What kind of air-tight container ? or do you use sealed bags, like myllar bags with small pockets of oxygen absorbant inside the bag ?
I guess the question is, for non-stop passage do you need special containers to keep dry beans and seeds ?

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by wavestimulus

For a non-stop long passage, how do you store your dry beans (lentils, rice, etc.)?
What kind of air-tight container ? or do you use sealed bags, like myllar bags with small pockets of oxygen absorbant inside the bag ?
I guess the question is, for non-stop passage do you need special containers to keep dry beans and seeds ?

Many cruisers find that the Food Saver type vacuum bag systems work well for a lot of different things. You can package the legumes or rice in small enough quantities for regular use but then stash them away in various parts of the boat where they will fit. You will likely have room in the galley proper for some small canisters/containers but it's on a individual boat basis as to what will actually fit in the given space.