What I Need the Most Often, and How I Make it Last the Longest . . .

[F15EWSO]

What I need the most often and how I make it last the longest...

I reviewed many provisioning posts here and gained lots of insight so thanks to those who have gone before. What I am looking for are the most COMMON food (or grocery) items that drive YOU back to shore to get more. These might not be common to the rest of us but they drive you to the beach early and often.

Some assumptions; ice, bread, and milk are all perishable so I got those on my list. Beer, wine, and alcohol are common sailor needs to I think I can handle those as well.

What I hope to get from each of you is that nugget of experience regarding how you get your eggs, lettuce, produce, cookie or whatever it is that you find yourself craving, needing, must have and yet you can’t seem to keep enough in supply. AND then when you get it you crafted an insanely brilliant scheme to store it, make it last, preserve it to shorten the need for your next fix on-shore. Clever methods or locations for storage are highly encouraged here as well.

Finally this might not be a food item; it could be something that is used in provisioning (think grocery store) that you don’t eat.

Hope this is clear as mud and let’s see what knowledge base I can tap on this subject.

[Mav]

This could also be in the Sex Afloat thread.

[boatman61]

Tobacco, papers and fire... bulk purchase
The rest are luxuries....

[F15EWSO]

Originally Posted by Mav

This could also be in the Sex Afloat thread.

Well yes it could! I figured this would be the first response so I left it out of the thread as I didn't want to spoil any creativity (you think I stumbled across the thread title by accident?).

Let's hope our patrons don't have to go ashore for this and for Pete's sake don't pay for it!

[JanetGroene]

This is an interesting thread. A lot depends on you, of course, but I found myself developing cravings for certain foods while living on stored provisions for long periods. Once it was canned peaches. Another time, canned tuna.

[F15EWSO]

Originally Posted by JanetGroene

This is an interesting thread. A lot depends on you, of course, but I found myself developing cravings for certain foods while living on stored provisions for long periods. Once it was canned peaches. Another time, canned tuna.

Janet, so in this case of tuna or peaches since they are canned you could buy loads of them the next time ashore and eat until you were sick of seeing them? Then it was something else I assume? Do you think your "cravings" developed due to the somewhat less varied fare that one finds or is available when living aboard? I love to eat and cook so am very interested in getting this right.

Where I would normally not be a fan of canned peaches (probably goes back to grade school cafeteria lunches), on our previous boat we used to say "everything tastes better on the boat..." so canned peaches might be just fine.

THanks

[IrishLass]

This is not very clever, but I like other folks on CF love the "Lock and Lock" storage. Stored items don't ever spill and these containers always keep the water and air out.

[barnakiel]

Nothing really. Most of the stories we heard about things going bad onboard prove urban legends. "Eggs go bad in no time ..." Blahblah. We had eggs for up to 30 days in the tropics, no fridge, no vaseline. Yes, we did turn them upside down, yes we did buy fresh from a farm.

I think the single worst bummer was veggies and youghurt/butter lasting too short. A small and efficient fridge would go a long way towards improving our comfort in this department. Buying vegetable and fruit from a farm would help too, but we found it next to impossible today - vast majority of sellers keep their stuff in fridges these days.

b.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by F15EWSO

Well yes it could! I figured this would be the first response so I left it out of the thread as I didn't want to spoil any creativity (you think I stumbled across the thread title by accident?).

Let's hope our patrons don't have to go ashore for this and for Pete's sake don't pay for it!

Anyone ever bought a lady dinner paid for it. Anyone ever married the lady they bought dinner for is still paying for it. Anyone ever divorced the lady they bought dinner for and married is paying until the day he dies...

But I'm not Bitter

[Bash]

...I'd observe that the more you learn to appreciate whatever provisions are fresh and local, the happier you'll be during the provisioning process.

Going into port with a shopping list that starts with: milk, ice, bread, et cetera, can sometimes generate frustrations that just don't need to be there.

Going into port with a shopping list that reads: find something fresh and local will almost always lead to the type of discoveries that make the cruising lifestyle so transformative.

If there's no bread, but if the tortillas were made this morning, you may actually come out ahead.

[zeehag]

on my boat---coffee, dark chocolate--powder for the coffee and pieces for me....sugar, cream, or nido milk.....then kat food. then the rest.

cant make kat fudz last long.... he isnt cooperative--i do catch fish ad cook for him to stretch his favorites....
chocolate--i eat one piece/bit per day...coffee--i regrind mine into espresso grind-- uses every bit. i addd powdered chocolate to min and sugar and cream/nido---but only a lil chocolate....and i buy PLENTY!!!! dont wanna run out with a chocoholic on board.
as for menus--i am very flexible in what i cook--- varies a lot with region and native foods....

[capngeo]

Zee... haven't seen NIDO milk in ages! Had no idea they still made it! Thanks!

I buy UHT milk when cruising away from fresh... lasts months!

[zeehag]

wow-- walmart and publix have it.... oops sorry loud again...lol...
i can taste the aftertaste in the liquid milks--i wont use em -- but they are good and work well. i use the nido when i run out of half and half -- will keep for up to 5 days--if cold out--a week... so i use it for my coffee, and nido in cooking.... mashed taters, mac n cheese, yup alladat...i buy a large can of it about every 6 mos to yr.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Bash

...I'd observe that the more you learn to appreciate whatever provisions are fresh and local, the happier you'll be during the provisioning process.

Going into port with a shopping list that starts with: milk, ice, bread, et cetera, can sometimes generate frustrations that just don't need to be there.

Going into port with a shopping list that reads: find something fresh and local will almost always lead to the type of discoveries that make the cruising lifestyle so transformative.

If there's no bread, but if the tortillas were made this morning, you may actually come out ahead.

100%. Go with local. If you go cruising with the goal of living and eating like you did back home then you're missing half the fun and making your cruising life more difficult at the same time.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Bash

...I'd observe that the more you learn to appreciate whatever provisions are fresh and local, the happier you'll be during the provisioning process.

Going into port with a shopping list that starts with: milk, ice, bread, et cetera, can sometimes generate frustrations that just don't need to be there.

Going into port with a shopping list that reads: find something fresh and local will almost always lead to the type of discoveries that make the cruising lifestyle so transformative.

If there's no bread, but if the tortillas were made this morning, you may actually come out ahead.

Great advice Bash and when cruising continental waters I totally agree.

However, when you are in remote atolls like Micronesia or PNG islands with subsistence living on their patches of land, all you can find to buy (or usually trade) are staples like taro, coconut and reef fish.

When we are in those kind of areas, we Can or freeze the basic western meals like stews or sauces to reduce the storage volume and use those lock and lock containers for bulk items like rice or flour in dated bins.

Supplement with what you find ashore to add freshness

Seafood hopefully plays a big part of your diet and when you get good fruit and veggies, eat fresh and restock your canned supply with the remainder.

Funny thing is, after a while your needs and tastes change along with the cravings