Provisioning List: If you don't have it, you Can't eat it.

[Anton]

I'm also an oats eater.  I enjoy raw oats with dry milk and raisins, add cold water and stir to make a really tasty cold cereal (although I also learned why horses fart so much eating raw oats...LOL) and in cold weather, hot oatmeal,  but thin enough to pour into a big foam cup and sip on...a real warmer upper, and less to wash.

I also include "storm rations", some instant tea, instant coffee and some individually wrapped pastries of some kind...give some wake up energy during an all nighter.  When things are tough you can just pour dry instant coffee in your mouth and chase it with water, open a Little Debbies with your teeth  if you really can't leave what you're doing.

[Captain Smollett]

ALL the zip locks we've used lately will leak air.

Interesting.  I have a ziploc bag containing some extra dry clothes that I put together before a hurricane was supposed to hit our location, oh about 7-8 years ago.  It's still sealed up and laying in my closet.  This was a heavy duty freezer bag, iirc.

Those vacuum sealers sure are cool, though; we've kicked around getting one.  I'll have to mention to my wife how many of ya'll think so highly of them....

:)

[CharlieJ]

We use ours all the time and not just for the boat.

Buy a family pack of meats and separate into smaller packs- freeze in vaccumn bags- no freezer burn.

Make beef stew or chilli ( or what ever) - cook up more than enough, fill a bread pan with some of it and freeze. Then pop it out of the bread pan like a big ice cube and put it in a vacumn bag ( DON'T vacumn wet stuff). Then when you want that meal, drop the whole bag in boiling water to heat- pots stays clean.

Just a few more ideas. I don't think we've discovered all the ways to use them really ;D

Edited for a typo correction

[s/v Faith]

ALL the zip locks we've used lately will leak air.

Interesting.  I have a ziploc bag containing some extra dry clothes that I put together before a hurricane was supposed to hit our location, oh about 7-8 years ago.  It's still sealed up and laying in my closet.  This was a heavy duty freezer bag, iirc......

  I have noticed that ziplock bags work much better at home then they do on the boat.  ???

  Another area that they consistently let me down is when I place something in a ziplock bag, and put it in a cooler.  The ziplock bag often comes out with whatever it was supposed to protect in a marinade of cooler juice...  :P

[AdriftAtSea]

One other thing my friend does...that I will probably start doing... she bundles small parts, like the things needed to overhaul her outboard engine—spark plug, impeller, fuel filter—together and vacuum seals them as a kit.  The vacuum sealing protects them from degrading or corroding....and they're neatly stored away. 

[Captain Smollett]

she bundles small parts, like the things needed to overhaul her outboard engine—spark plug, impeller, fuel filter—together and vacuum seals them as a kit.   

And from this post:

Spark plugs, oil filters, things like that are great vacumn sealed

I guess great minds think alike!!   ;D ;D

[skylark]

I forgot chocolate  :o

spare teh lashes!

Nobody else willing to provide a list?  It could happen to you, you know.

[maxiSwede]

Skylark! You were right on spot with your list. Couldn´t see anything essential missing, honestly.

;D ;D ;D

Each boat bum among us could of course, change some bits and pieces here and there according to personal preferences. I would go for less canned food (keep a supply as emergency food though) and more vegetables and fruit and beans. Beans are great voyaging food. Stores long, provides lots of protein and other goodies and is quite easy to cook once you get a pressure cooker. (Recommended read: ¨Voyaging on a small income¨ by Annie Hill)

[skylark]

Hmmm, this shopping list is based on personal eating preferences.  This is not a one size fits all list.  For example, I think only Hollanders can eat pea soup every day.  I'm sure that others have different tastes!

Also, those with fridges and freezers would have a different list.  Not everyone will be happy drinking just water, coffee, tea and beer.

I got some good ideas from this thread, for example I forgot the vinegar to make oil, vinegar and herb salad dressing, which can be used with canned green beans, or cabbage and carrots to make a nice salad.  The 15 cans of soup was really just to make sure I had food in situations where I could not cook a full meal.  I'm sure there are better meals to cook, but a can of soup is convenient.

[maxiSwede]

Hmmm, this shopping list is based on personal eating preferences.  This is not a one size fits all list.  For example, I think only Hollanders can eat pea soup every day.  I'm sure that others have different tastes!

Also, those with fridges and freezers would have a different list.  Not everyone will be happy drinking just water, coffee, tea and beer.

I got some good ideas from this thread, for example I forgot the vinegar to make oil, vinegar and herb salad dressing, which can be used with canned green beans, or cabbage and carrots to make a nice salad.  The 15 cans of soup was really just to make sure I had food in situations where I could not cook a full meal.  I'm sure there are better meals to cook, but a can of soup is convenient.

Exactly what I tried to communicate in my posting too. Remember, english is not my native tongue, so I guess I can ¨sound¨ a little weird at times... and obviously I am a bit too  ;D

BTW, this thread leads me to realize that for me; provisioning for a few weeks on the water, does not differ much from provisioning for a a week at home. Just multiply my purchases acoordingly to the time planned to stay out cruising. Plus some reserve/emergency stuff as convenience food (like the canned soups for instance) and then minus fresh meat, since I don´t want to have on board refrigeration.

For further clarification; I am sort of semi-vegetarian. Eat meat once or twice a week or so. Love fresh fish though  :D

[Godot]

Skylark, upon further review you are right in guessing that some of us would provision very differently.  In the real world (as opposed to just thinking about it) I would likely choose very little the same as what you chose.

There would be a difference in the way I pack for a one week cruise, a one month cruise, and a one year cruise.  For a week I'd use my Coleman Extreme cooler for cold stuff.  For one month I'd probably stick with prepackaged easy to make style foods.  For one year (presumable out of the convenience of the U.S.A.) I'd move to a more "from scratch" style of cooking.

So, for a thirty day short notice cruise, I would run down the grocery aisles and pick up what looked appropriate.  I suspect I would end up with something like this...


Fluids

• (20) Gallons water in tank will probably be used mostly for cooking and cleaning, and to supplement the bottled water if I don't manage to restock.  Longer cruises would probably have this as a primary water source; but I mostly drink bottled water at home, and wouldn't expect that to change.  It is far too convenient (and not too expensive in the short term).
• (4-6) Cases (12 - 20 fl oz bottles/case) of bottled water including flavored water. 
• (1) Box of hot cocoa
• (1) Box of Tea (variety box)
• Maybe some powdered or canned milk.
• Chocolate milk mix to offset the not quite right flavor of powdered milk

Breakfast

• (1) Variety box of flavored instant oatmeal
• (2) Boxes of cereal (probably the generic bagged version of Frosted Mini-Wheats, Raison Bran, or Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, although I would probably just take what looked good that day).
• (1) Box of ready mixed pancake mix.  Or maybe those yellow pancake mix bottles, which take up more space, but are just spiffy.

Lunch

• (1) Large jar of peanut butter (the one that peanut butter snobs won't touch... Jiff).
• (1) Jar of grape Jelly.
• (2) Loaves of whole wheat bread (won't last the whole cruise; but would either be replaced enroute, substituted with crackers, or conceivably, if the weather keeps me in port, home made)
• (1) Box of Tuna fish packets (the kind in the nifty foil bags)
• (1) Box of concession packets of mayonnaise.  (I've heard that unrefrigerated mayo in a jar doesn't necessarily go bad as fast as is generally thought; but why take the chance on a relatively short cruise).
• (1) Bottle of mustard (I've successfully taken mustard on backpacking trips without harm).
• (1) Package of American Cheese, which seems to last forever if kept reasonably cool (it melts if not kept cool)
• (1) tub of Promise spread or similar, which also seems to last fairly well if kept reasonably cool.

Dinner

Raid the canned and foil packaged food sections!

• (4) cans chili
• (8) cans Boston Baked Beans
• (10) Flavored Noodle packages
• (10) Flavored Rice packages
• (4) cans stew
• (5) Soup (the thick "hardy" kind)
• (3) boxes of whole wheat pasta
• (6) small cans or bottles of pasta sauce (variety, tomato, meat, cream sauce, whatever looks good)
• (4) boxes Macaroni and Cheese if I can find a solution to the butter and milk requirements (I'm such a kid)
• Add several cans of canned meat products.  I'm not really sure what is out there as I usually don't buy food this way.
• (5) Cans of pees.
• (5) Cans of corn.
• (5) Cans of green beans

Fruits and vegetables

• Small bag of Apples
• Stalk of Bananas
• Small bag of oranges or tangerines
• (1) onion
• (2) Potatoes
• (4) small cans of Fruit Cocktail
• (4) small cans of Pears
• (4) small cans of Peaches

Bread baking stuff (yeah right, like I am actually going to make bread.  I'd probably skip this part except that everyone knows that real sailors bake their own bread)

• (1) bag of flour
• Yeast
• Whatever else is required for bread (beats me, never done it)

Goodies (the important stuff)

• Nachos
• Salsa
• Pretzels
• Peanuts
• ginger snaps
• Fig Newtons
• Crackers or Wheat Thins
• Pudding in a cup
• Stick of Pepperoni
• Small stick of Pepper-jack Cheese.

Ready food for first day (so I don't have to worry about food on the hectic first day)

• (1) Box of donuts or muffins
• (1) Big sandwich from Subway or grocery deli

Miscellaneous

• (1) can Pam non stick spray
• (4) rolls Paper towels (the kind that lets you rip off only a very small sheet)
• (12) rolls toilet paper
• (1) box baby wipes (sheer luxury to a bottom sore with sitting on a hard or wet surface all day)
• (1) Dozen eggs

Alcohol (if time and space permits, low priority as alcohol is a rare treat for me, not something I frequently indulge in anymore)

• (1) 6 pack of beer (Sam Adams, likely) and/or hard lemonade (I find the hard lemonade's to be especially refreshing when it is hot out)
• (1) bottle of red wine (probably a Cabernet or Shiraz)

Frankly, I think this list will have me coming home with food.  Maybe a lot of food.  I won't starve.  I do expect to stop periodically at different ports along the way to explore, eat the local fare, and to replenish perishables (I guess mostly bread and maybe eggs).

If the magic event occurs that would allow me to take such a trip, I reserve the right to completely change this list!

[AdriftAtSea]

Do you really go through 12 rolls of Toilet paper in a month?? That seems awfully high to me...    :D

[Captain Smollett]

Toilet paper is used for many things.  Like checking to make sure you are REALLY hove-to.   ;D ;D

For a 30 day trip, I might be inclined to shop much as I would at home.  Block ice in the ice-box should last 2-3 weeks, so there would be some fresh (or frozen) meats in the mix at least for the first week.  We eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, too (not a lot of canned).   So, I'd probably take fresh fruit and frozen veggies - again for the first week or so.

Eggs coated with vaseline should be no problem for 3 weeks, so I would not worry about resupplying on them.  The last week I would not need eggs.  :)  High fiber, low-processed sugar cereals for Becky and I and Cheerios for the children would comprise the latter breakfasts.  We also like oatmeal or grits for breakfast sometimes (actually, cheese grits is Hunter's favorite breakfast only closely rivaled by Cheerios with raisins).

I would not even plan on hitting the 'more permanent' stores until the second half of the trip.  Brown rice and either dried or canned meats (those tuna foil things ARE very cool...let me lump them as "canned" meat).  Fixins for soups, too.  Ditto the large jar of peanut butter; that's my usual lunch anyway.

Depending on where I was, I might plan to supplement meat with caught fish; I would not rely on this though.  ;)

Would not NEED to bring any alcoholic beverages, but might bring a bottle of wine or two in case the mood hits Becky to sip some in the evening.

[Godot]

Do you really go through 12 rolls of Toilet paper in a month?? That seems awfully high to me...    :D

The way I figure it, of all the things I could run out of, the one thing I ABSOLUTELY don't want to run out of is toilet paper.

[AdriftAtSea]

Good point...that's one reason I generally recommend vacuum sealing the rolls...so that the reserves don't get turned into mush before it should... :D

[skylark]

More things to add to my list!
peanut butter
margarine
foil packs of chicken
other beef/fish/shrimp foilpacks
pasta
how could i forget mac n cheese
individually packed string cheese mozzarella sticks
eggs
box of wine
german sunflower rye bread (packaged)
instant mashed potatoes
ramen noodles
instant pudding
pretzels
peanuts
donuts to start the trip off right?
running out of toilet paper would not be good

One thing that worked really well for me is to add about 4 soup spoons of instant mashed potatoes to hot soup in the pot.  In about 1 minute it turns to more of a meat and potatoes type of mix that sticks to the pot instead of slopping out.  You can eat it in rough conditions without wearing it.  Sometimes I get heartburn from eating canned soup and the potato flakes seem to make it more digestible for me. 

Corn biscuits might be easier to make than bread.  Flatbread (bread dough rolled flat and fried in a hot dry frying pan) is easier than loaf bread too, also known as pita or tortillia. 

Thanks, this is really helpful.

[Ol' Coot]

I wondered when someone would mention ramen noodles.  ;)  Has probably kept more college kids alive than any other substance.

[Godot]

I wondered when someone would mention ramen noodles.  ;)  Has probably kept more college kids alive than any other substance.

Back in my poor days Ramen noodles, mac and cheese (20 cents a box where I shopped) and for the occasional treat, hot dogs where my entire diet.  It was less than than pleasant; but my limited funds went a long way and I never starved.

I should have thrown pop tarts on the list.  I don't really like them that much; but they always seem to end up as a staple when I pack for any kind of trip.

[Norm]

Hello all:
The lists are all pretty much what we have as provisions.  Our method for getting to the list may be a worthwhile addition to the discussion.

Proper prior planning prevents painfully poor performance!

We start our provisioning plan with a model, on paper, of the trip.  We consider day sails and overnight pasages as requiring different meal plans.  Using cruising guides, etc., we organise the plan around shopping ashore or stowing food for the quiet days in secluded anchorages.  This way, we can plan the addition of fresh provisions to dry or canned staples aboard.

The plan results in a detailed provisioning list that is organized by day.

We then pack the food in plastic bags that are organized around the plan.  Since the galley stowage affords enough room for a few days only, we have the "food bags" stowed elswhere.  They are ready to bring out as needed.  Each food bag has main meals and a few treats.  Chocolate, anyone?  It is fun to surprise ourselves with a special snack.   Any recipies that are specific to the meal plan/food bag are kept with the appropriate pack.

We have such things as olive oil, vinegars, spices, coffee, tea, and condiments in the galley ready for any meal.  On very long trips these things also get replenished from stores mid trip.

Don't forget lots of garlic!

Results?  We usually over-buy.  Offshore, two main meals and two snacks per day are about all we ever eat.  I am fond of tea and may have five or six cups a day.  Elizabeth is more a cracker snacker.

On our two week passage from Boston to San Juan this Fall, the meal plan had three major parts:  early voyage home-prepared frozen meals and persihable fruits and vegetables, mid voyage durable fresh vegetables, and end voyage canned and dried foods.  We had refridgeration but did not count on it working.  We aren't meat eaters anyway which makes a big difference.

Anecdote:  On a reverse sail, USVI to Portland, Maine, my crew condemmed the list and went shopping using the hurl stuff into the cart until it was full then declaring shopping done.  He is an ex super yacht captain. I should have known better than to trust guy who had had staff.  We made the trip on one meal a day.  Yumm, I love rice with catsup... not.

Back to the topic.  We use the dry soup mixes from Knorrs in a wide range of meals.  They are great added to pea soup as seasoning or served up plain in a mug during a bumpy sail.  We like the broth/soup boxes, especially the lower salt varieties.  I have snuck mashed up anchovies into a couple of spaghetti sauce conctions without adverse reaction... good flavor.

If I can figure out how to add pictures, I will post a picture of Elizabeth with our food bags prior to our Fall sail.  Half the food was given to a guy in San Juan.  No plan survives first contact with the enemy!

Best regards, Norman

[AdriftAtSea]

Norm-

Just be careful with the sneaking of things like anchovies...some people have food allergies...and the reactions to food allergies are often very serious.

A friend of mine, when we were at a conference, ended up in the emergency room, and got admitted for a day, since there was peanut butter in the chili we had at dinner.  She wasn't expecting it, and no one else was either...but it was apparently used to thicken the chili and give it some body.  She went in to anaphalactic shock and nearly died.  Good thing she carries an Epi-Pen.