We went from a kitchen that looked like this:
To a galley that looks like this:
Both lovely, but that’s about all they have in common. Full size double convection ovens? Nope. Five burner induction cooktop? Nada. Extra-large refrigerator freezer with water filtration and ice maker? Who am I kidding?! Dishwasher? Me. Although to his credit, Todd often lends a hand. If the rubber glove fits…
Consequently, I am having to learn to buy groceries much more frequently, store them in odd places, and cook with way fewer pots, pans, and implements. I’ve also had to reduce food portion sizes to fit our nine-inch plates, the maximum our cabinet will accommodate. Oh well, better for my miserably failing diet.
But I’m not complaining – just the opposite. We love the simplicity of our meals now. Meat, veggies, an occasional starch for Todd (I’m back on the low carb regimen, note diet reference above). Pick any combination two of the three. By my calculation, which required an Excel spreadsheet, we have six possible different combos. When you then factor in the variety of meats, veggies, and starches available in the universe, and the myriad of Pinterest recipes that require only a miniature gas grill, a crockpot, a two-burner stove and/or an Easy-Bake oven, and we have practically an endless plethora of culinary options.
True, our choices become more limited once we begin actively cruising. Who knows what fresh foods we’ll find in the hinterlands we hope to explore? Better stock up on canned goods just in case. (As an aside, I once read an article about a famous chef who made a gourmet meal out of the handful of galley items left at the end of a long sail – stuff like tuna, peanut butter, and stale Lucky Charms. It was disgusting.)
Thankfully, there are tons of resources for learning about food storage, meal planning, and meal prep while cruising. I am trying to spend some of my time while we remain in the marina to absorb that knowledge, along with about a zillion other boat things I still need to learn. But for now? I mostly just try to work with whatever is on sale BOGO at the local Winn Dixie.