Lifestyle & Community
Five Easy Boat Food Recipes
1. Chilled or Grilled Shish Kebab
We’re a big fan of kebabs for their versatility–you can customize them fresh every time for your resident picky eater, vegetarian passenger, or to make them budget-friendly using in-season produce from the local farmers market.
If you have a grill attachment on your boat (and if you do, we’re jealous!), it’s easy to prep your kebabs the night before, store them in a cooler, and slap them on the grill while at the sandbar so you can have lunch on deck within minutes.
No grill? No problem! Swap out grilled meats and vegetables for cheeses, fruits, olives, lunch meats, and other chilled foods that will keep in the cooler–no cooking required!
Kebab Recipes to Try:
Boat Grill Safety
If you’re grilling on the water, remember to only grill when the boat is anchored or docked.
Keep any flammable materials and boat fabrics far away from your cooking station, and never leave it unattended (especially with kids or pets on board!).
If you’re using a charcoal grill, always make sure you position the grill so embers don’t fall on boat surfaces or near flammable materials, and never dump ashes or coal overboard after grilling. Instead, use a metal charcoal keeper or ash bucket to store used charcoal. Once cooled, simply secure them in a garbage bag and dispose of them properly back on shore.
If using a propane grill, double-check the gas connection before you light it and turn the grill off as soon as you’re done using it, letting it fully cool before you start cruising again!
2. Sun-Melted Chocolate Fondue
Dessert is key for any true summer boating day, but how do you pack something that can withstand the heat and stay fresh for a full day on the water?
We recommend making the sun your friend and using it to your advantage. Grab a couple of king-size bars of chocolate (semi-sweet is best for melting!). Let the chocolate sit in the sun for a few minutes until it gets nice and melty, and let everyone dig in with their favorite dipping snack–like strawberry slices, pineapple chunks, graham crackers, pretzels, or cookies.
All done? Wrap up your chocolate foil and throw it away for easy cleanup. Did someone make a mess? Jump in the water to rinse off and you’ll be good as new!
Chocolate Fondue Recipes to Try:
3. Pasta Salad in a Bag
Pasta salad is a refreshing summer meal that keeps well in a cooler on your boat, but storing a giant container of it all day sounds like a hassle.
Introducing: Pasta Salad in a Bag (it’s like the Walking Taco of salads). Simply choose your pasta, dressings, and mix-ins, cooking and chopping them the night before. We love additions like diced bell peppers, ham or salami, mozzarella balls or crumbled feta, tomatoes, and olives.
After chopping, put all of your mix-ins and pasta into individual, plastic gallon-sized bags (these are much easier to fit into a cooler than a giant Tupperware container!).
Pack your bags of pasta salad components in a cooler along with your bottles of dressing (we like Italian, ranch, honey mustard, Greek, etc.), spoons for serving, and a set of quart-sized plastic bags for everyone to eat out of.
Once lunchtime rolls around on board, put out your bags of pasta salad ingredients with spoons for serving and hand everyone a quart-sized bag to fill with toppings and dressing of their choice, shake up your bag, and bon appétit!
Pasta Salad Recipes to Try:
4. PB & J Sushi
Ideal for picky eaters who want a familiar lunch and an easy prep the night before, these peanut butter and jelly “sushi rolls” (or “pinwheels,” if you prefer) are a perfect solution for a filling boat snack that lasts in the cooler and requires minimal cooking or cleanup. All you need are some tortillas and spreads of your choice.
There’s always classic peanut butter and jelly, but we also love to try sunflower or almond butter (these are a great swap for those with any nut or seed allergies–you can customize as needed!), Nutella, honey, marshmallow creme, cookie butter–the options are endless.
Add some fresh fruit or veggies, or swap for whole grain tortillas to up the fiber and make this option into a meal. For extra fun, pack some wooden chopsticks and sell the sushi theme!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes to Try:
5. Overnight (B)oats
Snacks and lunches are one thing, but what about when you’re heading out for an early morning fishing trip and need some breakfast on the water? Overnight oats are a grab-and-go option perfect for any busy fisherman or woman heading out with friends for an early catch.
Just mix your oats and fixings in a jar (we like the ones that come with a spoon holder for even more mobility), leave it in the fridge the night before, and grab the jars on the way to the boat along with your thermos of coffee.
The best part is, these can be made sweet or savory and you can add chia seeds or protein powder to keep you full all morning long.
Sweet and Savory Overnight Oats Recipes to Try:
- Sweet Overnight Oats (with chia seeds)
- Sweet Overnight Oats (without chia seeds)
- Savory Cheddar and Herb Overnight Oats
- Savory Miso Overnight Oats
Store Your Boat Food in Style
PontoonStuff has everything you need to renovate your boat and get it back on the water for those long days at the sandbar. Need some extra snack storage? Check out PontoonStuff for items like the Captain’s Snack Box, to keep your energy up and your food protected on the water!