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When the act of provisioning for that first cruise was upon me, I found it to be a daunting prospect and made many mistakes.  After years of extended cruising adventures, I found that it's not that big a task if you evaluate the basics and then purchase accordingly.  The information contained here has been compiled to give cruisers a basic guide for getting started.  Just like in a land based environment, the food you buy and prepare is a matter of taste and appetite.

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1.  Evaluate your appliances and the available storage areas.  The type and cubic feet of available refrigeration, your cooking appliances (range, stove, small appliances, too), the amount of dry storage available, etc. will determine what type, how much and where you can store your provisions.

2.  Evaluate the crew members.  How many crew members will be on board and what are their likes and dislikes?  How many adults; how many men, how many women; how many teenagers, how many young children?  Each group eats differently and in different quantities.  Does anyone have diet restrictions or requirements?  Take into consideration that some of the crew may be big eaters, so provision accordingly.  Allowing a little extra for visitors and/or spur of the moment guests is a must.

3.  How long will your trip last?  Always add a cushion of time as the 'weather god' doesn't always cooperate and some trips are necessarily extended due to weather and other unforseeable circumstances.  The longer the cruise, the more food you will need to keep everyone healthy and happy.

4.  Nutrition is of utmost importance.  Not only is it essential to keep the crew healthy, it also keeps the crew happy and a happy crew make the trip enjoyable for everyone.  Vegetables (including potatoes), fruit, meat (foul or fish), dairy products and starch (including bread, rice, pasta and cereal) are daily requirements.  All serving quantities listed below are to be considered per person, per day and need to be evaluated according to the eating habits of the crew members.

Vegetables: In the vegetable category, plan on 3 servings of vegetables, 2 servings of fruit or vegetables.

Fruit: 1 serving of juice (citrus, tomato or fruit) plus 2 additional servings of fruit (can be interchanged with vegetables).

Meat: 2 or more servings (2-3 ounces) of lean, boneless meat, poultry or fish.  A breakfast with 2 eggs is considered one serving of meat.

Dairy: 2 servings (cups) of milk for adults; 2 servings for children 9 to 12, 4 servings for teenagers.  Cheese can be used to reduce milk product usage.  Speak with a doctor for dairy requirement for all children.  See the Galley Page for cheese storage.

Starch: 4 or more servings of whole grain or enriched bread (1 slice), cereal (3/4-1 cup), pasta and rice (1/2-3/4 cup cooked).  See the Galley Page for an easy bread recipe.

5.  Specialty items are a must for every crew.  Know your crews' likes, dislikes, dislikes and weaknesses.  Make sure you have chocolate for the choc-a-holic (see Wacky Cake on the Galley Page) for a great treat that doesn't require milk or eggs).  Popcorn is a low cost, small space item that is a real treat on any voyage.  If happy hour is a 'must do' for your crew, make sure you have the beverages and mixes that will make them happy campers.  Soft drinks for non-alcohol drinkers is a must.  We keep powdered mixes on board as they take up little space and stay fresh a long time.  Gum, candy, chips and those old staples, peanut and jelly are more often than not a welcome treat during a long crossing.

6.  Be sure to take some instant meals along with you to cover those times when the weather is rough or all hands are having too much fun for someone to go below to prepare a full fledged meal.  There is quite a variety of canned and packaged quick meals in all grocery stores these days.  Much more so than when we left for our first cruising adventure in 1985.  Check them out before you provision your boat.  Some are pretty good and some border on the inedible!

The following lists should cover basic needs.  I've broken the items down into separate lists... Primary Staples, Extras for Special Occassions, Non-edible Supplies, Personal Items, Medical Items and Miscellaneous Items.  Some of the items listed you would expect.  Some others will be a surprise to you.  Use this list as a starting point and add or delete items based on you and your crew's personal tastes.