I volunteered to cook for the dive trip...

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Location
Baltimore, Maryland
# of dives
0 - 24
I'm heading to Barbados in early September, and I've volunteered to cook for my 7 co-divers. We're staying in Holetown, which has a good grocery store, and bars and restaurants abound. We are doing this trip on the cheap, and the hotel has kitchenettes. There's a stovetop and a microwave, but no oven. What's good for divers, both for dinner and during surface intervals on the boat?
Many thanks!
 
Fairhaired ~ I am usually the one who does the cooking for our crew. Here are a couple of my strategies:
Pasta - carb load after diving. Pack dry pasta, placed in ziplock baggies for easier transport. Buy some ground whatever meat, saute up on stove, add sauce and cooked pasta. Serve with salad and bread.
Roasts - pre-cooked at home, sliced and frozen in ziplock, wrapped in wetsuit (thermal insulation). Usually stays frozen for the entire flight. Rewarmed makes a great dinner, thrown on a roll, wrapped and thrown in the cooler for lunch on boat.
Rice - a world wide staple. Pack your own or buy where ever, mix with veggies and meat.
Cans of tuna and chicken - chix can be warmed on stove w/ taco seasoning and made into spicy wraps/taco's or served over rice ala stew. Tuna can be mixed into pasta along w/ veggies or served over salad.
I ALWAYS bring small packets of seasonings (labeled), bottle of decent olive oil and balsamic vinegar ~ all the staples of an Italian cook :D. Oil and balsamic can be used as salad dressing along with a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper; as a marinade; dip for bread.
I try to keep cooking simple ~ 1 or 2 pots as I usually don't have my 'normal kitchen', pots, pans and sharp knives (oh yeah - dive knives and tools have been used to cook). Stow ziplock baggies both quart and gallon size for leftovers. They can be rinsed out, dried and used again. I pack tea bags and make my own iced tea. Also have a collapsible cooler, folds flat, great for the boat and day excursions.
My local shopping list always includes cheese and sliced meat/salami, bread, fresh local meats, fresh fruits and vegetables. Ask around and shop/think local ~ we found some fishermen in GC selling their catch cheap, in Bonaire we hit the downtown market, in SXM it's Wednesday market day in Marigot.
We typically spread the stuff amongst the team, so no one feels over burdened. I've even packed whole frozen chickens, honey baked hams and my buddy once brought a frozen turkey for a November trip. Don't laugh, ideas like these have seriously cut down my travel food budget and increased my travel and diving time! Good luck!
 
Thanks Jersey thats some good stuff right there!
 
A pretty quick and easy one is tortilla pizzas- what ever toppings and you could do pizza or BBQ sauce. Individually made over the stove or grill for a quick hot meal with some fruit salad for a side.
 
Thanks Jersey thats some good stuff right there!

Welcome Riley ~ life is too short to eat poorly, even when eating cheaply! Fresh and local can be reasonably priced. Always good eats when I'm around...diving (and snow skiing my other gear-intensive-uber-expensive-hobby) makes me hungry!

Dragon - good idea for the tortilla pizza! I will be expanding on that idea. I use tortillas for tons of stuff - wrap for scrambled eggs/cheese/meat = on the go breakfast; heat with a bit of shredded cheese and pico de gallo and roll for an appetizer; throw some sliced bananas, sliced almonds, chocolate chips and a sprinkle of cinnamon on a soft tortilla warmed in saute pan w/ butter, roll, heat through and top with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream. MMMmmmm - dessert!
 
Welcome Riley ~ life is too short to eat poorly, even when eating cheaply! Fresh and local can be reasonably priced. Always good eats when I'm around...diving (and snow skiing my other gear-intensive-uber-expensive-hobby) makes me hungry!

Dragon - good idea for the tortilla pizza! I will be expanding on that idea. I use tortillas for tons of stuff - wrap for scrambled eggs/cheese/meat = on the go breakfast; heat with a bit of shredded cheese and pico de gallo and roll for an appetizer; throw some sliced bananas, sliced almonds, chocolate chips and a sprinkle of cinnamon on a soft tortilla warmed in saute pan w/ butter, roll, heat through and top with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream. MMMmmmm - dessert!

It's been a while since I made eggs to go that way, but add a little salsa and ummmmm. You can also scramble eggs and put into a cup to go with or without silverware.
 
Welcome Riley ~ life is too short to eat poorly, even when eating cheaply! Fresh and local can be reasonably priced. Always good eats when I'm around...diving (and snow skiing my other gear-intensive-uber-expensive-hobby) makes me hungry!

Dragon - good idea for the tortilla pizza! I will be expanding on that idea. I use tortillas for tons of stuff - wrap for scrambled eggs/cheese/meat = on the go breakfast; heat with a bit of shredded cheese and pico de gallo and roll for an appetizer; throw some sliced bananas, sliced almonds, chocolate chips and a sprinkle of cinnamon on a soft tortilla warmed in saute pan w/ butter, roll, heat through and top with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream. MMMmmmm - dessert!

I was a white water rafting and Sea kayaking guide and generally the cookie on the the trips I was on. it is a very different beast when preparing for a river tip. Some fun car camping ideas are.
in a dutch oven, line the bottom with jack cheese then a layer of macaroni noodles/w red sauce (pre made) then a thin layer of biscuit dough. then another layer of pasta then cheese and top with another biscuit dough layer.

or hollow out an orange (save the pulp and juice for breakfast) by cutting the top 1/8th off and saving the top piece. mix up some Jiff just add water cake mix and add some of the orange and some pieces of Heresies bar into the mix. fill the orange about 2/3's of the way up place the lid on and wrap in foil. place right on the hot coals of your fire. when you see cake oozing out of the foil is good to go. let cool for 5 mins and have at it. great to do with kids.
 

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