Go-To Meals for Long Cruises

When embarking on a long cruise, there will be days when there’s no choice but to make a long passage. After all, for these types of trips, when the going gets good, the good get going. But at the end of one of these passages, after the boat’s secured, and everyone is tired and probably famished, what’s for dinner (or lunch)?  
We asked five admirals how they prepare for these times. Here’s what we learned:

Mary Robbins, Prime Time

• Costco pulled pork sliders and coleslaw
• Grilled hot dogs and potato salad
• Steaks and vegetables with a salad
• Ham sandwiches or left-over steak sandwiches for lunch
• Cereal with blueberries for breakfast on an early start cruise

Marlene Niehaus, Discovery

• I like to prepare meals at home and freeze.  Ribs, pot roast, breakfast burritos, etc.  Just need to add a side or two. 
• We can almost always count on crab and other seafood.
• I also have ready-to-grab appetizers are good to have aboard. 
• I plan a couple of meals that will feed a group.

Bonni Nutter (TheGalleyGal.com), New Adventure

I make and freeze soup ahead of our trips.  That makes a quick meal after a day of fishing. Also any casseroles that we like, I will make ahead and freeze. 
 
Fish is always on the menu. We grill it, bake it, sauté it.  I make fish tacos and serve it with rice or with a salad. 
 
We love to have avocados. I buy several and keep them refrigerated until the day before I want to use them.  If they get ripe too soon you can freeze them. Just scoop the meat into freezer safe container it makes great guacamole. 

Want to know how Bonni provisions? Read herTheGalleyGal blog.

Joann Thornton, Tonic

During the winter, we make large quantities of the following and freeze them in dinner size portions.  These are great to just heat up and eat after a long day or during bad weather:
 
   A. Gallagher’s Guinness Stout and Filet Mignon Chili

   B.  Turkey gumbo made from leftover thanksgiving bird and Evergood Louisiana hot link sausage.

Joanne Wilshin, L’Esprit

• Before we leave on a long cruise, I braise and freeze a couple dozen chicken breasts to make quick salads, tacos, sandwiches, and soups.
• I also dehydrate tons of veggies to add to rice and cream soups, and one-pot simmer meals.  
• I always have a dehydrated soup base on board, which I either buy (le Gout) or make myself. We love cream of whatever soup on a cold day.
• I always have eggs and precooked bacon on board (everything tastes better with bacon) because our decades-old favorite comfort food is a nice, hot fried-egg sandwich.
• Cooked chicken on board – salads, tacos, chicken salad sandwich
• Last, I bring lengths of heavy duty fleece, because it’s possible to “cook” lentil soup or a rice meal by wrapping it in fleece and setting it aside for a couple of hours while traveling to your destination.

I'd love to see photos of your club members' favorite places to cruise.