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I'm crewing on Ximera, a 58ft yacht, sailing out ot the Canaries arounf the 19 November, down to Cape Verde then across the Atlantic to Barbados. I am also the cook. There will be seven of us. Suddenly cooking for the family doesn't look like enoug. I have to plan the inventory too. 

I'm looking at fresh food out of port, and then more pasta and rice based dishes, some with sauces I prepare and freeze. I hate cooking from tins, but will have to. I'm not sure how much capacity thtere is for forzen. There is vaccum packed and dry foor too. 

Whilst cooking at home has always been a case of 'what's in the cupboard' and 'what's in the garden' or ... a quick trip to corner shop, supermarket, farm shop or quay, this has to be planned. I ma therefore working through some cook books for menus.

To start with I'll do a one week menu and simply multiply this three/four times.

Then I'll refine it, and share it with the rest of the crew.

With a month to go I also plan to try out things I've not cooked before on the family. More pasta dishes, more use of couscous as well as rice - curries for the first time as well.

Butternut squash will keep for a few weeks surely? Onion in a paper sack carefully stored. Onions as well?

Anyone out there got ideas? Done a 'great adventure' like this or regularly cook for seven adults and have suggestions.

My other thinking is to start vegan, add some milk products and fish, and have red and white meat frozen or in tins. These days that is how we eat, far less milk products, meat and fish less often and 'local'. 

I wonder if we'll fish?