Cooking on sailing boat
Cooking on sailing boat i.e. preparing meals on our standard category boats is the question we get asked a lot. As our standard sailing offer does not include food and beverages, our guests are often inquiring whether they can cook on the boat, what do they need to pack, can they dine out and what do sailors even eat.
In the following couple of lines, we will try to bring you more information regarding this topic.
What to bring?
Before boarding the sailboat, we always advise our passengers to buy supplies for the first day. There are supermarkets on the islands along most of the routes so it is important to have things prepared for the first day while you can restock and buy fresh groceries in the shops along the coast.
The most important thing to have before boarding is enough of drinking waters supplies. We recommend that you purchase some drinking water (approx. 2 litres per person per day) to keep you well hydrated. Soft drinks and smoothies are also a great on-the-go option.
As breakfast is not that popular in many of the bars/restaurants on dalmatian islands, it might be a good idea to have some breakfast items on board and enjoy your meal there. Popular breakfast items among our guests are cereals, bagels, eggs, ham, jams, butter and bread, fruits, and unavoidable coffee&milk. If you would prefer to explore the town, you can buy some pastry at local bakeries, sit in a local bar and enjoy the view over a cup of coffee or tea.
What to eat?
All of our boats have kitchen utensils and are equipped for cooking and preparation of simple meals. The most significant difference compared to a standard kitchen is the size. As space, fuel and refrigeration are limited, it is important to plan, organize and design food that is quick and easy to prepare.
Having a pack of pasta with ready-made sauce in the jar or different items that can assemble into light salads or sandwiches can do magic for a lunch on board. This grants you independence in creating the route. If you do not feel like cooking, your skipper can plan stops in bays where you can have lunches, and then dinner in ports where you dock.
Another essential thing to have on your sailing food list are snacks. It is nice to have something to nibble while relaxing on board after swimming, especially if you are taking children with you. Potato chips, granola bars, cookies, chocolate, dried fruit and nuts all fall into the category so be sure to bring your favorite ones.
Whatever option you prefer, cooking on sailing boat or dining out, you cannot go wrong. As sailing holidays represent a great chance to spend some quality, relaxing time in the company of your loved ones we are sure that even the most basic meals will turn into a delicious feast.
At the end we will add some of our favorite recipes to enjoy cooking on sailing boat or can be used as inspiration:
Pasta with tomato sauce and basil
This is an easy summer classic and one of our favorite meals.
If you wish to shorten preparation time, you can use ready-made tomato sauce in a jar or, if you prefer, you can make your own. For that, you will need some olive oil, 2 -3 cloves of garlic, approx. 3-4 medium tomatoes and a few basil leaves.
First, heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan and add the crushed garlic cloves. After shortly frying the garlic, add chopped tomatoes (you can peel them first if you prefer it that way), add a teaspoon of sugar and salt, reduce the
heat and simmer for approx. 5 min, stirring occasionally. Before serving, tear a few basil leaves and stir them into the sauce.
As for the pasta, you can use any type you like, our favorite one is whole wheat fusilli pasta. In a bigger pot bring water to a boil, add pasta with some salt and a few drops of oil. Cook to your preference. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and mix it with the previously prepared sauce. As simple as that!
An upgraded version of this sauce can be easily done if you add canned tuna, olives, capers, or similar items to the sauce.
Colorful couscous salad
This is also one of our favorite lunch ideas when you want to eat healthy but do not want to spend a lot of time by the stove.
You will need a cup of instant couscous, a small jar/can of cooked chickpeas, 2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 1 smaller onion, 1 red pepper, 1 jar of feta cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper.
First, put the couscous into a large bowl and pour over the boiling water (1 cup of dry couscous to 1½ cups of water). Cover, then leave for 10 mins until all the water has been absorbed and the couscous is soft. Meanwhile, slice the onions, tomatoes and pepper, and dice the cucumber. Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas.
Once the couscous cools a bit, add the sliced vegetables, crumble in the feta, finish with some olive oil, salt and pepper to your preferences and enjoy a quick, healthy and tasty meal!