Everyone working at sea understands the importance of a balanced diet, which contributes to a sound physical and mental health condition. As it is necessary to plan food and drink stocks for a month or more ahead, making smart choices is crucial: account must be taken of the shelf life of the products, whether they can be frozen, whether any dishes can be cooked from the available products and whether the ordered quantity of food products will be sufficient for the whole crew.
Before Ordering Food Stocks
Before ordering the food stocks, answer the following questions:
- How long will the journey last?
- How many persons are going to be on board? Remember that, according to recommendations, one adult should consume about 3000 kcal a day.
- Is anyone allergic to a certain product group?
- Are any members of the crew vegetarian/vegan?
- How many people are going to be responsible for cooking: one or more?
- Find out your colleagues’ favourite foods and draw up a list of TOP 10 products – order larger quantities of these products.
Upon analysing the information obtained after answering the questions hereinabove, proceed to making a list of food stocks.
Food Stocks
Plan the quantities of food stocks to be ordered upon assessment of the number and capacity of the refrigerators/freezers available to you. If you have enough space in the freezer, you can prepare more products, freeze diary products, meat and fish. It is recommended not to freeze meat with bone, as it requires much space. Don’t forget to supply sufficient quantity of canned foods, as they save both time and space. Order canned stews or soups that can be heated and eaten straight from the can.
First, start consuming the products with the shortest shelf life or the ones taking up a lot of space, i.e. fresh meat products, perishable vegetables and groceries.
Food Pyramid (Nutrition)
Keep in mind the nutrition pyramid when planning food stocks: it is very important to consume sufficient quantity of nutrients, as diet has a direct impact on health, physical and mental wellbeing. If your journey by sea will be a long one, choose non-perishable vegetables, such as cabbages, carrots, root vegetables, pumpkins, apples, etc. They should be stored in net bags.
Snacks
Remember to order snacks, as most of them have a long shelf life. Of course, it is not recommended to abuse in nutrient low snacks. They interfere with the functioning of the digestive system and cause heaviness and sluggishness. Don’t forget water, coffee and tea stocks, as these products have a long shelf life. All you need to do is to find out the needs of your colleagues and to order appropriate quantities of the said products.
Follow one simple rule while at sea: eat what you would normally eat at home. Try to refrain from emotional eating, limit the quantity of products of low nutritional value and you will soon notice improvement in your health condition.
Need a reliable supplier of food products for your crew? Contact us – JPS offers a wide range of food products.