Shopping

What you buy is what you eat. Shopping can be as simple as going to the store for what you need. But feeding more people (crew, guests, family) and planning farther ahead (boat trips, emergency) takes forethought and practice.

I shop once a month for staples, once a week for roots, and twice a week for fresh produce. The grains are my foundation staple and long-term emergency food along with some canned vegetables and beans. The roots are my medium-term emergency food, and supplement my grain as alternate starch.

Roughly, my shopping strategy look something like this:

Monthly (big one, often Indian grocery for brown Basmati rice and spices, local for fresh produce)

- 10# brown rice, with 1-2# puffed brown rice or brown rice flakes.

- 5# bag with onions, etc., and small 5# bag potatoes.

- 10# seasonal fresh produce

Weekly (often Whole Foods for bakery and salt-free cans, local for fresh produce)

- 5# bag with onions, etc., and small 5# bag potatoes.

- 10# seasonal fresh produce

Daily (2x week, local)

- 10# seasonal fresh produce

Monthly

dry grain
brown rice	6 months	10 lbs	essential
puffed brown rice	1 month	0.5 lb	optional
flattened rice	1 month	2 lbs	optional

Weekly

root
potatoes	3 months	5 lbs	optional
carrots	2 weeks	2 lbs	optional
onions	3 months	5 lbs	essential

Daily (2x week)

fresh
red pepper	1 week	1 lb	optional
tomatoes	1 week	2 lbs	essential
eggplant	1 week	1 lb	optional
cooking fruit
lemons	2 weeks	1 lb	essential
limes	2 weeks	1 lb	optional
plantains	2 weeks	1 lb	optional
dry fruit
raisins	6 months	1 lb	essential
shredded coconut	6 months	0.5 lb	essential
snack fruit
oranges	2 weeks	1 lb	optional
bananas	1 week	1 lb	essential
mango	1 week	1 lb	essential