Provisioning a Caribbean charter week — what to buy for 7 days
Updated 2026-10-08
A charter week is short, but six or eight people eating three meals a day add up quickly — and in the heat, fresh food goes off faster than at home. Shop once, well, and leave room for a couple of meals ashore.
By the numbers
Example: 6 crew, 7 days from Antigua in February, with a 20 % safety margin. Planned by Galley Wizard — breakfast, lunch and dinner for 7 days plus 2 spare days.
- Food to buy
- 49 kg
- Per person per day
- 1.2 kg
- Fresh fruit, veg & herbs
- 10 kg
By category
- Tins & jars16 kg
- Vegetables9.4 kg
- Bread, pasta, rice & grains8.4 kg
- Dairy & eggs7.9 kg
- Baking2 kg
- Meat1.3 kg
- Fruit1 kg
- Nuts & seeds1 kg
- Oils0.8 kg
- Fish0.8 kg
- Sauces & condiments0.6 kg
- Spices0.2 kg
- Fresh herbs0.1 kg
The 20 biggest items
- Canned chopped tomatoes · Tins & jars5.7 kg
- UHT milk · Dairy & eggs3.8 kg
- Onion · Vegetables3.4 kg
- Canned chickpeas · Tins & jars3.2 kg
- Eggs · Dairy & eggs2.8 kg
- Dried pasta · Bread, pasta, rice & grains2.4 kg
- White rice · Bread, pasta, rice & grains1.8 kg
- Coconut milk · Tins & jars1.6 kg
- Canned white beans · Tins & jars1.3 kg
- Roasted red peppers · Tins & jars1.3 kg
- Potato · Vegetables1.2 kg
- Canned tuna · Tins & jars1.1 kg
- All-purpose / plain flour · Baking1.1 kg
- Carrot · Vegetables960 g
- Butternut / winter squash · Vegetables900 g
- Lamb shoulder · Meat900 g
- Basmati rice · Bread, pasta, rice & grains900 g
- Rolled oats · Bread, pasta, rice & grains900 g
- Almonds · Nuts & seeds870 g
- Frozen prawns · Fish840 g
Weights as bought, for normal appetites, including the spare days. Your own boat, crew, diets and menu change these numbers — the free calculator works them out for you.
Buy local fruit and vegetables
Island markets have what's in season locally — cheaper and fresher than the imported produce on supermarket shelves.
Keep it cool
Charter fridges are small and the cabin is warm: fridge items first, fruit in a hammock with air around it, and anything that keeps without a fridge in the lockers.
Plan the nights ashore
Decide in advance which evenings you'll eat out, and plan nothing for those — it's the simplest way to come back without a fridge full of leftovers.
Questions
How much food should I buy for a 7-day charter?
For 6 crew and 7 days with a small safety margin, the totals on this page are what Galley Wizard's planner buys. Use the provisioning calculator for your own crew size and diets.