A day out on the boat may well be the most important and fun day of any waterfront vacation. For this reason, it’s critical that you absolutely crush the food situation. After your friends and family work up an appetite swimming, catching footballs off jet skis, reeling in fish, and just plain laying in the sun, you want to make sure you feed them well to prevent any possibly mutiny.
We’ve put together a list of things you want to make sure you include in your boat trip meal, things to surely avoid, and some other important things to give you a recipe for success and make the day on the boat the best day of your vacation. A little bit of careful preparation will make your day much more enjoyable!
Essential Food Items
Feel free to get creative, but don’t forget to pack something from each of these categories.
- Sandwiches: The core of every boat day meal. Whether it be a wrap, sub, traditional sandwich, or ciabatta roll, these should be your go-to food item. We suggest an Italian, ham & cheese, good old-fashioned PB&J, tuna, or club sandwich. For ease you can make a ton on some Hawaiian roles. You’ll want to avoid too many tomatoes or sauce around the edges that gets the bread all soggy.
- Chips: The key to hitting this one out of the park is to bring an assortment of chips – the more the merrier. We suggest some crowd favorites: Cool Ranch Doritos, BBQ, pretzel twists, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Sour Cream & Onion Lays, and Garden Salsa Sunchips.
- Dessert: A day out on the boat usually means you’re on vacation, and that means the diet can wait. A nice bag of cookies is always a crowd-pleaser. We recommend bringing some Oreos to really hit the spot.
The Intangibles
There are a few things you want to keep in mind when putting together your day trip feast
- Little to no preparation: You’re going to want to just open and eat! Most boats won’t have anything to heat up your food, there is limited space for trays of food and dips, and nobody wants to wait to eat while in the hot sun. The same thing goes for utensils – just bring foods that are easy to eat!
- Minimize the mess: You don’t want to get the boat all dirty. Stay away from orange Cheeto fingers and leave the melty popsicles for back on shore. Sweets like candy and chocolate will melt and get all sticky. Colored drinks like Kool-Aid and red wine could splash around after getting hit by a wave and stain seats, paint, and floorboards.
- Keep it small: As great as a watermelon might be, lugging one and storing it somewhere on your boat might cause more grief than it’s worth. Stay away from bringing large food items on the boat like pizza.
- Oddball items: Don’t forget to bring a roll of paper towels, paper plates, Ziploc bags for sandwiches, a couple of trash bags, and some koozies or solo cups to cover all your bases.
Storing Your Food
- Cooler: Keeping your refreshments fresh, chilled, and out of the sun is essential. Make sure to bring a cooler for all of your beverages and lunch items that you want to remain cool. Don’t forget to pack some ice in there too!
- Dry bag: A dry bag is another great option for storing your drinks and snacks for a day on the water. Make sure you get one with handles to easily take on and off the boat.
A well-prepared meal can elevate your boat day experience, ensuring the crew is well-fed and satisfied. By carefully selecting a variety of easy-to-eat, minimal-mess foods, and remembering essential items like a cooler and paper towels, you can be smooth sailing. With a bit of planning, your day out on the boat will not only be fun but also a culinary success, making it the highlight of your trip.