Provisioning for The Bahamas

Provisioning for The Bahamas is a tricky endeavor, even for experienced boaters.

Cranky Cruisers will helpfully tell you “It’s expensive in The Bahamas“, or “There’s no <insert random item> in The Bahamas“.
Positive Paul will chirp in “Don’t worry, they eat food in The Bahamas. Just eat like the locals do!“

I’ve provisioned for the Bahamas about six times (and gone three times – that’s boating for you), and I remember that some stuff is expensive, some isn’t, and I need to buy dog food and chocolate in the States. But, how do I even remember what staples to buy in the U.S.? What do I eat, anyway?

For those struggling to come up with a shopping list or set their Bahamian expectations, well, the struggle is real. In this post, I’m sharing five practical steps to get you provisioning like a pro.

Step 1. Know What You Eat Before Provisioning for The Bahamas

OK, it seems obvious. But, seriously, what do you actually eat? And, can you reduce these meals into individual ingredients for a provisioning list?

You can start this step anytime before your Bahamas cruise, even if it’s a year away. Think about all the meals you had last week, and start writing down individual ingredients. Writing out “chana masala” – the meal, isn’t going to help you develop a shopping list. But, adding “1 tin chickpeas, 1 tin tomatoes, curry spice, garlic” will. 

Once you’ve written out a list for a week, you’ll have a good idea of what your favorite staples are. Are you eating meat three times a week? Pasta? Vegetarian meals?

If you’ve got enough time before your cruise, write out all your raw ingredients for a month. Now you are really getting somewhere!

Step 1.5: Know What You Don’t Eat 

Whenever our South Florida city was in the “hurricane cone”, there would be a run on tins of tuna and spam. I bet much of it remains stacked in people’s pantries uneaten, and many hurricanes have come and gone since.

Don’t buy a bunch of stuff you won’t eat. Most of us are cruising on small boats with limited space. Devote your space to things you want, like brownies.

Do think about substitutes to buy in the US.

Experiment with purchasing small amounts and see if you can live with the substitute.

• Bran flakes and oats to mix your own cereal. Drinkable powdered milk, like Nido.
• Dried black beans and chick peas save space and weight 
• Make brownies from scratch
• Reusable kitchen wipes to reduce paper towel usage
• Bar soap, shampoo and conditioner to save space and weight

I don’t eat spam. I like to eat brownies. There are plenty of brownie mixes available. What gives?

Step 2: Envision Grocery Shopping in The Bahamas

So, what CAN I get in The Bahamas, and how much is it going to cost me? 

Prices vary wildly, from item to item and store to store. I sampled 65 different items, and the average Bahamian price was 178% of the average U.S. price. 

Staples like flour, potatoes, onions, and eggs: 100% – 120% of Florida prices. Always available. 
Fruit and American-brand items: 150%-400% Florida prices, available in large and medium stores. 

Potato chips in the US: $4.50. The Bahamas: $7. 
Eggs in the US: $3. The Bahamas: $3
Whole Bean Coffee in the US: $10. The Bahamas: Cry into your expired Folgers blend. 

Large Grocery Stores

Only found in urban areas are similar to a Winn-Dixie or small Publix with good selection every day.

• Maxwells, Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco
• Solomon’s, Lucaya, Freeport
• Nassau area stores

Medium Well-Stocked Store

Decent daily selection does get better after the mailboat comes.

• Man O War, Abacos
• Exuma Markets, George Town, Exumas
• Salt Pond Grocery, Thompson Bay, Long Island Spanish Wells and Rock Sound, Eleuthera

Small Grocery Store on an Out Island

Don’t bother taking a list because you’ll get what you can get. Try to go on Mailboat Day for the best selection of fruits and veggies.
Expect to find some soda. Hope for eggs and potatoes. Be surprised by anything else.

• Black Point
• Little Farmers
• Staniel

Extra Tip: Check All Dates When Shopping in The Bahamas

You wouldn’t imagine my joy when I found a bag of Cadbury’s Easter chocolate around Easter. Sure, it was $9, but it was worth every penny. 

I’m sure you can imagine some of my horror when biting into a maggot. That’s right, that Easter treat was probably from Easter a decade ago.

Check all dates, especially on expensive brands locals don’t buy. 

Now you have an idea of what’s available at a Bahamian grocery store. You will be able to buy staples in The Bahamas. US provisioning runs should focus on hard-to-find or expensive items.

Staples such as eggs, onions, potatoes, flour are always available. 

Step 3: List What You Need to Buy in the States

First, review your list of ingredients that you use frequently. Next, download a copy of my “Provisioning for The Bahamas spreadsheet“.

On the first tab, you’ll see a list of items, average Florida prices, and average Bahamian prices. You can use this data to decide what to buy and how much to buy. On the second tab, you’ll see my example provisioning list.  Copy the file and save it to your own google drive.

Enter the # of weeks you are provisioning for in U12. Scroll through the list and pay attention to the average Bahamian prices.

Since we are on small boats, and things like milk and fruit don’t last forever, most of us can’t store 100% of everything. 

Here’s my focus when I shop.

Buy 100% of Hard-to-Find Must-Haves

• Chocolate bars 
• Coffee
• Premium dog food
• “Healthy” items–i.e. whole wheat spaghetti, quinoa
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Buy 100% of Expensive Consumables

• Shampoo
• Body soap
• Dish soap
• Sunscreen

Alcohol

• Buy US beer cases ($65 / case in Bahamas)
• Buy wine boxes and take bladders out of boxes
• Look forward to Ricardo Coconut Rum

Substitutes and Space Savers

• Chickpeas and lentils – buy dry to save space and weight
• Nido brand tin of powdered milk–drinkable and perfect with coffee/tea or use in recipes
• Bar soap for hands, body, shampoo, and conditioner
• Reusable kitchen towels instead of paper towels

Condiments and Spices

• Buy as much as you can store

Dairy

• Buy two weeks worth

Dog Food and Pet Supplies

• Hard to find premium brands, impossible to get special diet recipes
• Buy as much as you can, or use DIY recipes

Meat

• Reasonable prices on frozen cuts–chicken and pork are the most widely-available items
• If you have freezer space and like your steak, consider freezing individual portions of the good stuff for special occasions

Produce 

• Buy what you can, freeze what you can
• Can buy in Bahamas, but cost 100-200% of US prices

Rice and Pasta

• Buy 50%, re-stock in Bahamas

Snacks

• Buy what you can before you go because snacks are some of the most expensive food products
• Substitute space-saving popcorn for salty snacks

Step 4. Fit it in the Boat

There’s an attraction to buying at Costco, but I prefer to buy and store items in small quantities. If a 20 lb. bag of flour gets wet or gets weevils, the whole thing is gone. A one-pound bag can be tossed. Small bags make it easier to store, too. When you’re packing food to take to The Bahamas and aren’t sure you have space for it all, well, that’s a problem!

Tip: Use large re-usable bags and extra-large Ikea bags to make getting goods in and out of cars and dinghies easier.

Start shopping for must-haves and see how much space you are using. Most cruisers take a few trips to the store. Perishables should wait until you have a solid weather window. Just remember Positive Paul – the locals do eat in The Bahamas! 

Step 5. Making it Work

I get excited about substitutions I can make in The Bahamas. Crackers and cookies are US prices or cheaper if you buy the British brands (Hill’s, Jacobs, etc). We take a box or two of wine but switch to drinking Ricardo coconut rum. At less than $15 a bottle, it’s inexpensive and absolutely fabulous. 

Customs forms ask for lists of alcohol, etc. Just write “Ships Stores”. It’s OK to have wine and consumables for personal use onboard, but it’s not OK to import for others’ use without declaring. 

Don’t Worry Too Much About Provisioning in The Bahamas

The bottom line is that most cruisers don’t ever get to the bottom of their provisions. Focus on must-haves like chocolate and coffee, look forward to drinking Ricardo coconut rum, and avoid Cadbury’s Easter eggs. 

Looking for more tips and tricks to Bahamas provisioning? Check out my mini-course: Bahamas Provisioning.