The Best Boat Foods

Living on a boat means that space is limited. The majority of cruisers cannot afford to squeeze in a full-size refrigerator and freezer and finding room to store enough food for a long cruise in a boat-sized refrigerator is like a giant game of Jenga. Food brought on the boat needs to be easy to store and long-lasting. Below is a list of some of the best boat foods!

Potatoes

They do not need any refrigeration and stay fresh for weeks at a time. Potatoes last the longest if they are stored in a cool dark place. There are many different kinds and plenty of different ways to cook them.  Our favorite recipe is coconut mashed sweet potatoes (recipe coming soon).

Squash

You have spaghetti, acorn, butternut and many more. There is no need to refrigerate squash and there is also loads of nutrients in each one! Roasted, sautéed, or baked every way is delicious. My personal favorite is acorn squash baked with cinnamon and a tiny bit of real maple syrup.

Sprouts

Greens are one of the hardest things to keep fresh on a boat. Leafy greens need to be refrigerated and kept dry. Sprouts, on the other hand, can be made in batches and they only take about 3 days to grow. They are light and easy to store. You can throw them on almost anything to get some extra greens or you can make an entire salad out of different kinds of sprouts.

Soup

Soup is our go-to meal when we have had a long day of sailing and are too tired to cook. The cans are super sturdy and can be stacked and packed almost anywhere. We love Wolfgang Puck organic soups. Classic Minestrone is one of the best! You get vegetables, beans, and a little bit of pasta, a complete meal in a tiny little can.

Apples

Other fruits do best while refrigerated but apples do great at room temperature. If you are craving some sugar but want to stay on a healthy path grab a juicy apple. They also do not come with superstitions as bananas do.

Rice/Quinoa

These can be bought in bulk with enough to last a lifetime which could come in handy if you ever get stuck out at sea for longer than expected. They also last forever if you put them in an airtight container. Rice and quinoa are a great compliment to almost any meal. For a yummy quinoa breakfast recipe click here 🙂

Peanut/Almond butter

This is an easy no-cook way to get some protein in. Most come in plastic jars which will withstand any sea state. They also do best at room temperature which keeps the limited refrigerator space open for more necessary items.

Canned Tuna

If the fish have not been biting and your meat is all gone, canned tuna is a great plan b. It is low in fat and sugars but has a good amount of protein. We love to mix ours with avocados instead of mayonnaise.

Avocados

If you buy them in different stages of pre-ripeness each day you will have one ready to be eaten. To make them last even longer try to fit the ripest ones in the fridge. If you have not tried our guacamole recipe yet I suggest you give it a try!

Tortillas

Bread does not do very well in a warm humid environment but we have found that corn and even flour tortillas last much longer. They are perfect for breakfast burritos, tacos, and any lunch wrap you could possibly whip up.

Granola bars

We try to stay away from processed food but we have found that Lara and RX bars are great to throw in a backpack and enjoy while out adventuring.  You can read and understand every ingredient on the list (it’s not that hard there are only about 6 of them). Larabar coconut cream pie is my absolute favorite.

Nuts

These make a great snack or topping to a salad. They are high in protein and fiber. Nuts of all kinds are really easy to grab on the go or snack on while underway. We keep a mix of all different kinds stored in stackable containers under the settee in our boat. Any other cashew fans out there?!

Popcorn

No microwave popcorn for us! We keep kernels on the boat because we do not have a microwave 😛 Popcorn is one of our favorite “healthy” desserts. Really easy to make and it does not take up freezer space like cookie dough and ice cream do…

These are the foods that we find to be the most nutritious and easiest to store. What other foods do you find do best on the boat?

Thanks for reading:)

Sierra