The Most Basic Essential Foods

[Chickenlips]

Have a look at thier website , I've made the ice cream...little bit of work but you can add fruit to it during the 2nd stage...if you can get the fruit monsterio delishio ( i've spelt that wrong ) and add that fresh, hide it because everyone will want it ! Just buy the Ice cream mix you don't need to buy the special container...it's just a tupperware container anyway, and follow the instructions. It's easy cause it's already mixed up in the packs.
J

[Mariness]

You don't need a fancy machine, can make yogurt on stovetop or in crock-pot (though it does take a while - I'm at work today but crockpot is happily perking away at home waiting for me). Do cruisers carry crockpots?
You just need about a cup of the last batch of yogurt to act as your starter.
Oh, and if you have some ice and salt, you can make ice cream with 2 ziploc bags. Make Ice Cream in a Baggie - Freezing Point Depression (There are tons of others too)

I have lived on land my whole life, so I never realized until now that living on a boat is the perfect excuse for eating a whole container of ice cream in 1 sitting: "I had to, the icebox won't keep it cold enough to last!"

[sarafina]

amazon has it, but man the shipping is killer. If the packet costs 5 bucks and it's 15 to ship... thats one pricy cuppa yogurt... makes the folks who make my sheeps milk yogurt look pikers! and before this I was sure that was the most expensive yogurt ob the planet!

Amazon.com: Used and New: Easiyo Greek Style Yogurt Base and Culture, 6-Ounce

[fishwife]

I'm not sure quite how basic Coconut Milk is, but I try never to be without a supply. My crew quite like Thai style cooking where it's often essential. Instead of the tins I carry the Maggi Coconut Milk Powder, 350g to the packet. It comes in a inner metallised film packet, which makes it easy to discard the outer cardboard packet. A packet makes a litre of coconut cream or around 1.5 litres of coconut milk It's not very bulky and I can make the thickness I want.

P.

[MartinJ]

tins tin and more tins stays fresh for years! saved my life once and will never be without tinned food plus it cant spoil and keeps all of its nutritional value.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by idpnd

May as well add canned tuna to your list then..

This is an area where modern technology has helped us. Tuna (just like the canned variety) is now available in foil packs. Lighter and less bulky, and easier to open. Also, less weight and bulk to the empty package. The perfect boat food packaging.

[Auspicious]

Do you folks really eat all that stuff? I carry some tins and dried food (mostly fruit) as well as staples like sugar, salt, flour, and such. The only difference from living ashore is that I keep goodly supplies of UHT milk. Even on passages of 20 days we eat pretty much like I always did ashore. A refrigerator and freezer certainly makes some things easier, but eating aboard doesn't have to be a chore.

sail fast and eat well, dave

[zeehag]

i wont do uht milk-i will buy regular cream--i use half and ahlf--keeps in 70 degrees fairly well for 2-3 days, 1-2 in 80s and 5 days in winter in sin diego... i use nido powdered whole milk for cruising when i know i wont be near any grocery stores or markets. i refuse to use fake creamer--makes ye burp soap-therefore not good for ye..lol....i use real butter--hasnt been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be more bad for you than is the fake stuff, and it tastes good...i wont eat if it doesnt taste good....

my main food groups are
dark chocolate
coffee
dinner
snax.
fresh fishies
crackers and schmeer
finger foods

ice cream is not on this list, there fore does not need to be monitored, as it is NOT a food. lol. i like that one. mebbe pizza should join this one also.....
while cruising i try to maintain intake from each food group each and every day. to with hold coffee or chocolate is an act of war. to run out of either is a major cardinal sin on a par with murder and father raping. we dont go there.
oh i forgot--finger foods is a major food group. not needed every day--only on days with heavy focus needs......like heavy weather....heavy seas......heavy rain.....
those days it could be the only food group----besides chocolate and coffee.......


mostly everything else is negotiable....LOL!!!

[SaucySailoress]

We did it!! We made it through our first month on a grocery budget of $300 - practsing for leaving next year. (That's excluding the weekly dining at the sushi restaurant, which is a further $300, but I'm sure we'll stop visiting there when we sail!)

[Sea Yawl Later]

We just came back from the Exuma's and produce could be found at Marsh Harbour, Nassau and Georgetown. Georgetown the selection was ok but very, very expensive. 1/2 of milk was almost $9.00, a can of beans over $3.00. I used boxed milk and it was great.
Hungry Jack Instant potatoes are wonderful. I made my own bread ( fool proof) pizza dough and my own torilla's.
I have some recipes I used on our trip on our web site www.sittononthebeach.com
Other items
canned salmon for salmon cakes (see receipe)
croutons- great for crunching up to put in meats and coatings for salmon cakes and soups.
Soups we liked tomato and added rotel and cheese
evaporated milk bo
sweetened condensed milk
boxed brownie mix
hot cocoa
Crystal light
smoked oysters
barbeque sauce
cubes of onion
corn chips and salsa
Worcheshire sauce
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
mustard
hot sauce
Tex Joy
Saffron Rice
15 bean soup (dry in bag) Yummy
Top Ramaen Noodles--all kinds of uses ( in slaws and salads)
Poppy Seed dressing
bread flour and all purpose flour
corn meal
canned chicken
canned mushrooms
sweet relish (in packets- no refrig required)
minced onion (dry)
Hungry Jack Pancake mix (you only need water and they are great)
syrup
Oatmeal (flavored packets you only add water)
brown sugar (used in pizza dough and on oatmeal)
powdered sugar (didn't use this much)
garlic salt, garlic, crushed red pepper, peppercorns, taco seasoning, ginger for marianades with soy sauce ( great on Mahi Mahi) Penenzy's is a great place to order spices.
Hope this helps. I tried not to duplicate. I am sure there are other things but this is just off the top of my head.
Sea Yawl Later!
Linda

[Curmudgeon]

It's funny that I've never eaten about 50% of what some folks consider "basic essential foods," not even on land lol.

For a week-long cruise, I take rice, pita bread, lemons, the usual spices (including lemon pepper), cheese, margarine, egg beaters, hummus and guacalmole, some canned stuff (I'm partial to turkey chili and tuna fish) as much fresh produce as possible (tomatoes, corn, onions, green beans, celery, fresh basil, lettuce, etc.), Alessi Italian soups, coffee, green tea and of course wine and tequila. I have energy bars and peanut butter for emergencies. I've thought about powdered milk, and would probably carry it on a crossing, if I ever do one.

I expect to catch fish, so that is all I need.

[JanetGroene]

Many people don't know how easy it is to can your own meat so you aren't carrying bone, fat, salt and nitrites. Get a canning cookbook. I use my pressure cooker, which can hold 4 pints of boneless, skinless, trimmed meat. I wash and save empty jars, carry extra jar lids, and if we catch a big dorado and can't eat it all (when we have no refrigeration) it's canned on the spot. Janet Groene, Janet Groene's BoatCook

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by JanetGroene

Many people don't know how easy it is to can your own meat ...
... if we catch a big dorado and can't eat it all (when we have no refrigeration) it's canned on the spot.

It should take most of a day to do it right. Not hard, but time consuming.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by GordMay

It should take most of a day to do it right. Not hard, but time consuming.

Can it, or eat it?

[Curmudgeon]

I have a pressure cooker, and if I were cruising full time I would can the fish I catch. I might even invest in a smoker if I could find one that was not too bulky and energy intensive.

But alas, I'm not crusing full time.

Someone in this thread said that the basic essential foods are the ones you like. I think that was very good advice.