Food on a boat, particularly on a long voyage is more important than simply fuel. Mealtimes are an opportunity for different watches to meet and for people who don't normally cook to channel their inner chef. Snacks are the fuel that keeps the night watch operating and breaks-up a long watch.
What do you want to eat?
Sit down with your crew and talk about the kind of food you like to eat. Don't forget to clearly discuss allergies, intolerances and food hatreds - you don't want to find that someone is allergic to fish on day three of your passage. HiperDino, SuperDino and El Corte Ingles have a good range of gluten-free foods.
Experiment - something you might love eating at home may be repulsive at sea. Your delicious herring sandwiches may leave your fellow crew feeling green! You may crave foods you wouldn't usually eat, like sugary sweets or nuts, especially on night watches.
Most fresh fruit and vegetables, especially those that have been previously refrigerated will not last long. Look for unblemished produce, and store carefully. Items that do last include squashes, potatoes, cabbage, onions, beets, apples, oranges and lemons. Carrots, cucumber, zucchini, pineapples, pears and grapeful also last well. Eat the avocado, lettuce, aubergine/eggplant, peppers, banana and melons first. If you are worried about getting enough fruit and vegetables in your diet, don't forget that cooked veg in pre-prepared meals, canned/tinned produce and frozen vegetables and fruit are all good.
A menu plan is a good idea. As well as helping you to work out quantities, it can keep that day's chef from using the entire supply of cheese, or from using long-life items before the perishables have been finished. Plan for three meals a day plus snacks, and allow 20% extra for a slow passage. Don't forget that fridges and freezers can break, so have a mix of fresh, frozen and ambient foods.
If you can cook and freeze meals in advance, it will give you easy options for the first couple of days when the crew are finding their sea legs. Batch cook sauces to make a easy meal option by adding herbs and spices and serving with rice, couscous, pasta or tacos. If you can rent an apartment for a couple of days it will give you more space to prepare meals and a bigger, more effcient freezer to get dishes chilled down quickly. It is better for your freezer onboard to add food that is already cold, rather than warm.
Provisioning isn't an exact science. It should be fun - mealtimes are enjoyable.
Food shopping in Las Palmas
Once you know what you want to eat and how much you need, it's time to go shopping. Las Palmas has a great selection of food shops, from the traders in the central market to major supermarkets and specialist yacht suppliers to independent stores. We recommend using your time before departure to shop around - see who has the quality of food you prefer and who you want to buy from. Try unfamiliar brands to see how they taste before you commit to purchasing in quantity.
Many of the suppliers in Las Palmas, even the market traders and independent greengrocers, will deliver to the marina. If you're sailing on the ARC or ARC+ rallies, you'll get a welcome pack of special offers.
Good Las Palmas suppliers include:
HiperDino - large supermarket on Luis Doreste Silva, about 15 minutes' walk from the south end of the marina. Really good choice of fresh, frozen and canned goods. They will deliver to your boat for free for spend over 120 Euro. Open Monday-Saturday 08:30-22:00. There are smaller SuperDino stores in town. hiperdino.es
Ahembo - drinks wholesaler who supplies cases/trays of cans and bottles of soft drinks, water, fruit juices, water and a small selection of wines and beers. Ahembo will deliver to your boat, and you can win 100 Euro back in their popular ARC lottery. ahembo.com
Fruteria Chira - a greengrocer and delicatessen on Luis Doreste Silva, next to HiperDino. Excellent quality fresh produce at good prices. Lots of local Canarian-grown fruit and vegetables. Use the order form in your ARC welcome pack and they will deliver to your boat - payment on delivery by card. Open Monday-Friday 08:00-21:00 and Saturday 08:00-14:00.
Albatros - a specialist superyacht supplier who can provide almost anything for delivery to the boat. Albatros also supplies ready-made meals with 100% natural ingredients, including gluten-free options. albatros-shipping.com
Central Market - located on Calle Galicia about 15 minutes walk from the north end of the marina. A good selection of independent butchers, egg suppliers, fish and fresh produce. You can select the cuts of meat or fish, and most market traders will deliver to the marina. JP Rosper is one of the few remaining butchers who will deep freeze meat before delivery to the boat. The market stalls are open Monday-Saturday 08:00-14:00
El Corte Ingles - the famous department store on Jose Mesa y Lopez has a fantastic basement food hall with a full range of supermarket products, a bakery, a delicatessen and fresh produce. El Corte Ingles will deliver to your boat. Open Monday-Saturday 09:30-21:30 and Sunday 11:00-21:00. elcorteingles.es
5 Oceanos - a frozen-food retailer with three stores in Las Palmas. Good quality and has an excellent range. Visit the store or buy online. 5oceanos.com
Las Palmas is an excellent place to shop, but don't forget to stock up on your personal favourites before you leave your home port.
Beyond Las Palmas
If you are sailing via Mindelo or on to the Caribbean you will find your shopping habits will change. You won't be able to go to one big supermarket and get everything - you might need to visit several shops or markets. This doesn't mean you need to shop for 12 months in Las Palmas though - you'll soon get bored of eating the same supplies, plus it's good to spread your money around in small communities. Embrace the difference and enjoy food shopping as part of the cruising experience.
Top Tips
- Don't bring cardboard packaging onboard as it can contain cockroach eggs
- If you cook with gas, fill the bottles and ensure you have a spare regulator
- Folding plastic storage crates are useful for stowing hard items below bunks or in lockers
- Don't forget the bilge - this is a cool place to store bottles of water
- Eggs don't need to be refrigerated, varnished or covered in vasaline - they should last 3 weeks
- Check fruit and vegetables daily and use any that are showing signs of damage
- A snack box for each watch is a good way of rationing the treats
- There are lots of great kitchen gagets that are useful on a boat if you have enough power - portable induction plates, Remoska, Ninja, Thermomix, breadmakers and coffee machines
- If you use gas for cooking, a pressure cooker will save both water and gas