Why do I say try one first? Well, let me start with a quick story . . .
A few years ago, we went on a major family camping trip. A total of 21 of us — kids, grandkids, cousins, aunts, uncles and us!
While not on a boat, many of the same principles applied — no electricity, no refrigerator, and hot! Actually, my galley is quite luxurious by comparison . . .
Rather than trying to keep meat all week in the cooler, I opted to use canned meats (see how to use canned meats for great meals). And that brings up today’s tip:
When you buy a new brand of an item, buy ONE first and try it before buying several!
When I was planning our meals, I planned a couple using canned ham. I went to the store and they only had one can of the Hormel ham that I usually buy . . . but there was another brand, so I bought one Hormel and one can of the new brand.
The first night camping, I made ham and pasta with lots of veggies mixed in. So I grabbed the new brand of ham and opened the can. Talk about totally unappetizing, mostly fat and disgusting looking! (I’m sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the can or note the brand, but it had a blue label and I’d never heard of the brand before.)
I quickly substituted one of the cans of Hormel (thankfully, I always take food for at least an extra day, so we weren’t going to go hungry). I thought I’d give Paz (our dog) a bit of a treat, so instead of just throwing the other out, I put a couple of spoonfuls in her bowl. She sniffed and refused to eat it!
When we’d been cruising outside the US, I’d always followed the “buy one first” rule, as we’d discovered that many times things weren’t quite what we expected (very sweet ketchup or peanut butter, tough canned peas and corn). But this reminded me that it’s a good rule even in the US, particularly when you’re going to be in places where you can’t easily buy something else. I’m sure glad I had plenty of proven alternatives with me!
And while my example is of canned ham, the rule applies to pretty much anything — canned goods, packaged foods, cookies, crackers, soft drinks, beer, baked goods and more. Many times, you’ll discover wonderful new treats. But sometimes, you’ll save yourself both money on unappetizing food . . . and the choice of either going hungry or eating what the dog won’t!
Read More
Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
Lois Grimmer Edwards on Facebook says
Same goes for growing it if you don’t eat it (unless you can sell it) don’t grow it.
Jorge Bermudez on Facebook says
It was hot? What country?
Robert VanBurkleo says
In the survivalism and preparedness world the mantra is “Store what you eat and eat what you store” Survival and preparedness shops are great places to find canned meats such as Mountain House and Yoders brands that store for 10 years or more and taste good. Survival and being prepared is exactly what you are doing on a boat so look in those shops for long term food storage when you provision a boat.
Elaine Ebaugh on Facebook says
Definitely the smart thing to do when you can. But for the cruising chef on the move there isn’t always time to sample products short of doing it in the store. New markets & products in different countries, limited transportation & logistics can make for challenging shopping days. Sometimes we have to buy and hope for the best. Have had some pleasant surprises along with the disappointments.
Jan Bogart says
on one visit to martinique, we started a new thing while buying wine. we previously would buy 4 or 5 bottles in our price range, then try them over several days. often our favorite would be sold out when we went back to the store. so we started popping them open with our swiss army knife outside, doing a quick comparison, and going right back in and stocking up on the best one. many of our friends startd doing the same!
Peggy Stone says
Very good advice. We made this mistake on our first long trip.
Keith Marler says
Brooke Todaro Marler Carlos Hernandez
James Fiske says
Michael Crees. Probably good advice. After all those hot dogs weren’t great were they…
Gayle Fox says
Like my hurricane panic purchases at Dollar General..ugh.
Anya Samuel says
Just saw your Newsletter and you mentioned about cauliflower rice, well I just bought RightRice that is made from vegetables and comes in assorted flavors. Also use the grain farro, good source of fiber and protein.