How "clean" is the food?

[Jenorama]

All I know is that Grassland butter is awesome.

 

Jen

[isdoo]

I assume the OP never eats in a fast food location!!

 

Steaks should be just that, but as for burgers, mince, pies, sausages, nuggets and such like it is anyone's guess. However the majority of what you eat will do you no harm.

 

Quite happy to eat insects and such like - they are nice deep fried :)

[rvsullivan]

Well, someone else just posted there is sugar added. There is no sugar in a "real" egg. I'm sure a lot of people do not have problems with processed foods. I have a lot of food allergies, and need to eat as close to "whole food" as possible. Even artificial coloring is bad. So, I avoid it.

 

 

Pretty funny!! What is "whole food"? According to the list posted above the eggs in the container do not have any sugar added. Whole eggs and whole milk are to two main ingredients. And those eggs in the shell that everyone likes, have ingredients in the feed the chickens get to make the yolks more yellow so folks like them more. Things are in all the food we get now.

[NH Cruisers]

I have had no problem ordering two "overhard eggs" for breakfast in the MDR. I only have the scrambled when at the buffett. Not the best I have had, also not the worse.

 

On embarkation day it is fun to watch the supplies get loaded on board the ship. I have noticed that there is NOT a LOT of premade food loaded. Once I saw a Dole & Bailey truck unloading meat for our DAWN cruise out of Boston. They are very good quality. Musta been going to one of the specialties. It is amazing what the food service department on board does week to week.

[LrgPizza]

The next time I'm asked, "how to you want your eggs cooked?" I'm going to answer "deviled" and see what happens.

[chengkp75]

My guess would be not clean at all. I read an article (can't remember where) that said the mass market cruise lines spend less than $10 pp per day on food.

 

The average restaurant food cost/price ratio is 30%, so that $10 per person per day equates to a restaurant price of $33. And your $20 dinner entre costs about $7. Not that different when you factor in the economies of scale providing thousands of meals daily generates.

[Fishbait17]

Dealing with allergies in general but especially so when it comes to food. The more obscure your allergy is the harder it is to navigate through the process of ensuring that everything you eat is safe for you.

 

So true!

 

Robin

[chengkp75]

I have had no problem ordering two "overhard eggs" for breakfast in the MDR. I only have the scrambled when at the buffett. Not the best I have had, also not the worse.

 

On embarkation day it is fun to watch the supplies get loaded on board the ship. I have noticed that there is NOT a LOT of premade food loaded. Once I saw a Dole & Bailey truck unloading meat for our DAWN cruise out of Boston. They are very good quality. Musta been going to one of the specialties. It is amazing what the food service department on board does week to week.

 

There is not a lot of pre-made food. What is generally considered as processed food is things like sauces, dressings, etc. Soups are generally made from scratch in 35 gallon steam heated kettles. Breads, rolls, and nearly all pastries are made from scratch onboard, using a variety of machines to shape dough, proofing cabinets, and convection ovens with racks that rotate an entire cart of 20 baking sheets. In addition to the main galley areas that guests see in the ship tours, and the specialty galleys, there are separate rooms for vegetable prep, fish prep, meat prep, cold buffet (salads), and others I can't remember.

 

Again, the use of pasteurized egg product (and I'm sort of sorry this got brought up), is for USPH sanitation reasons, not because it is any cheaper than using fresh eggs. Since every food item served onboard a cruise ship is subject to USPH regulations starting with where the supplies are purchased from, and continuing on through every stage of handling, preparation, and serving, until finally going through the regulated disposal methods, I can say that the food onboard is exceptionally "clean". As to its "purity", which is what I think the OP was asking about, it is similar or better to most land restaurants (better than chain restaurants), and better than most buffet or institutional food services.

Edited March 18, 2014 by chengkp75

[che5904]

There is not a lot of pre-made food. What is generally considered as processed food is things like sauces, dressings, etc. Soups are generally made from scratch in 35 gallon steam heated kettles. Breads, rolls, and nearly all pastries are made from scratch onboard, using a variety of machines to shape dough, proofing cabinets, and convection ovens with racks that rotate an entire cart of 20 baking sheets. In addition to the main galley areas that guests see in the ship tours, and the specialty galleys, there are separate rooms for vegetable prep, fish prep, meat prep, cold buffet (salads), and others I can't remember.

 

Again, the use of pasteurized egg product (and I'm sort of sorry this got brought up), is for USPH sanitation reasons, not because it is any cheaper than using fresh eggs. Since every food item served onboard a cruise ship is subject to USPH regulations starting with where the supplies are purchased from, and continuing on through every stage of handling, preparation, and serving, until finally going through the regulated disposal methods, I can say that the food onboard is exceptionally "clean". As to its "purity", which is what I think the OP was asking about, it is similar or better to most land restaurants (better than chain restaurants), and better than most buffet or institutional food services.

 

Thanks for all the information you have provided.

 

I'm not sorry you brought that up, actually I found it quite interesting.

 

I can't say I give a lot of thought, to what I'm eating. Probably if I did, I would never eat another thing. So I'm good to just take reasonable precautions (like not drinking water in a Country other than Canada/U.S., or what I eat from those places).

Edited March 18, 2014 by che5904

[NH Cruisers]

There is not a lot of pre-made food. What is generally considered as processed food is things like sauces, dressings, etc. Soups are generally made from scratch in 35 gallon steam heated kettles. Breads, rolls, and nearly all pastries are made from scratch onboard, using a variety of machines to shape dough, proofing cabinets, and convection ovens with racks that rotate an entire cart of 20 baking sheets. In addition to the main galley areas that guests see in the ship tours, and the specialty galleys, there are separate rooms for vegetable prep, fish prep, meat prep, cold buffet (salads), and others I can't remember.

 

Again, the use of pasteurized egg product (and I'm sort of sorry this got brought up), is for USPH sanitation reasons, not because it is any cheaper than using fresh eggs. Since every food item served onboard a cruise ship is subject to USPH regulations starting with where the supplies are purchased from, and continuing on through every stage of handling, preparation, and serving, until finally going through the regulated disposal methods, I can say that the food onboard is exceptionally "clean". As to its "purity", which is what I think the OP was asking about, it is similar or better to most land restaurants (better than chain restaurants), and better than most buffet or institutional food services.

[Cruising4]

Thanks to everyone who replied. It's been interesting reading and I appreciate the insights.

 

Che5904: The food supply in Canada is much healthier than in the US. Just a few "ingredients" that are permitted in the US but banned in Canada:

rBGH (in dairy products),

azocarbonimide (stuff used in yoga mats and sneakers - used in breads to make them fluffy and light),

Olean (manufactured by Proctor and Gamble - a fat substitute),

BHA/BHT (initials make stuff seems less bad, right?)

 

Heinz ketchup ingredients for Canada and the US:

 

Canadian Ingredients

Tomato Paste made from fresh ripe tomatoes, Liquid Sugar, White Vinegar, Salt, Onion Powder and Spices.

 

US Ingredients

Tomato Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Spice, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring.

 

Ketchup in consumed abundantly in my house - Heinz now sells "Simply Heinz" which has the ingredients listed for the Canadian version.

 

As I said in the original post, I'm curious about what other think about the food on NCL. Fortunately, it's not an allergy or food related illness so I don't feel it's important for me to contact NCL.

 

I'm trying to feed my family healthier ingredients - like bread that doesn't contain HFCS and azocarbonimide.

 

Trying to convince DH that diet coke with lime is an incredibly unhealthy choice or drinking a quart of Crystal Light to rehydrate after the gym isn't going a well as I hoped LOL. I know DS14 is going to get a Mountain Dew after school on Friday from the convenient store, not much I can do about that but I can make sure I don't buy it to have in the house.

 

Isdoo, I do eat fast food. Less often than we used to but sometimes Subway is so convenient and dare I say yummy .... even with their yoga-mat bread.

 

Can't wait to enjoy a variety of food on NCL next month!

 

Thanks for the tips everyone!

[chengkp75]

Thanks to everyone who replied. It's been interesting reading and I appreciate the insights.

 

Che5904: The food supply in Canada is much healthier than in the US. Just a few "ingredients" that are permitted in the US but banned in Canada:

rBGH (in dairy products),

azocarbonimide (stuff used in yoga mats and sneakers - used in breads to make them fluffy and light),

Olean (manufactured by Proctor and Gamble - a fat substitute),

BHA/BHT (initials make stuff seems less bad, right?)

 

Heinz ketchup ingredients for Canada and the US:

 

Canadian Ingredients

Tomato Paste made from fresh ripe tomatoes, Liquid Sugar, White Vinegar, Salt, Onion Powder and Spices.

 

US Ingredients

Tomato Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Spice, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring.

 

Ketchup in consumed abundantly in my house - Heinz now sells "Simply Heinz" which has the ingredients listed for the Canadian version.

 

As I said in the original post, I'm curious about what other think about the food on NCL. Fortunately, it's not an allergy or food related illness so I don't feel it's important for me to contact NCL.

 

I'm trying to feed my family healthier ingredients - like bread that doesn't contain HFCS and azocarbonimide.

 

Trying to convince DH that diet coke with lime is an incredibly unhealthy choice or drinking a quart of Crystal Light to rehydrate after the gym isn't going a well as I hoped LOL. I know DS14 is going to get a Mountain Dew after school on Friday from the convenient store, not much I can do about that but I can make sure I don't buy it to have in the house.

 

Isdoo, I do eat fast food. Less often than we used to but sometimes Subway is so convenient and dare I say yummy .... even with their yoga-mat bread.

 

Can't wait to enjoy a variety of food on NCL next month!

 

Thanks for the tips everyone!

 

Not being an ingredient reading person myself, I can't say where some of your gremlins are introduced into the food chain, so I can't say whether or not the flour used to bake the bread has azocarbonimide (never heard of it before) in it or not. You have to realize that with loading 6-8 40 foot tractor trailers of food each week, that the lines go to major suppliers like Sysco for most of their food. That's not to say that they cannot get "organic" quality foodstuffs, but that your ketchup will be institutional Heinz. Yogurt will be Yoplait, milk will be from the local dairy supplier.

 

Be aware that most of the food on NCL, as well as all the other lines, will be saltier than you are probably used to, and this can cause problems including water retention. Remember, this is not like eating out for dinner a couple nights a week, here you are eating out 3 meals a day, so the sodium can be an issue. Eating healthy is not exactly what the lines promote, trying more for rich and decadent, but there are venues on NCL ships and menu choices that are healthier than others.

 

In Hawaii, NCL has a partnership with a local farm co-op on Maui to provide all of the fresh vegetables, and a partnership with Leilani ice cream, a local producer, which benefits both the local economy as well as NCL since they don't have to pay to have these foods shipped from the mainland.

 

If you are interested, I believe that all NCL ships do a "behind the scenes" tour, which includes the galleys, where you can talk to the chefs, and this can give you a good feel for what they are serving.

[che5904]

Be aware that most of the food on NCL, as well as all the other lines, will be saltier than you are probably used to, and this can cause problems including water retention. Remember, this is not like eating out for dinner a couple nights a week, here you are eating out 3 meals a day, so the sodium can be an issue. Eating healthy is not exactly what the lines promote, trying more for rich and decadent, but there are venues on NCL ships and menu choices that are healthier than others.

 

 

That was going to be part of my response. I think if trying to eat healthier is going to carry over to vacation, that sodium would probably be a bigger worry of mine.

 

Since previous to my last cruise, I was eating very healthy (little to no processed foods, no salt). The reason was a weight one, I lost 30 lbs.

 

My first 2 cruises I never noticed the sodium, because I always had salt in my diet prior to them. But boy when you are not used to it anymore, you really do notice how much sodium is actually in restaurant food.

[Cruising4]

The sodium in the food forces me to order my margaritas without salt! My ankles swelled up so much last year I could hardly walk one night.

 

We did the galley tour last year after the Chef's Table - I was impressed, so clean and so many procedures to make it run smoothly. Hadn't considered the ingredients at that time.

 

Thanks again.

[SissasMomE]

Pretty funny!! What is "whole food"? According to the list posted above the eggs in the container do not have any sugar added. Whole eggs and whole milk are to two main ingredients. And those eggs in the shell that everyone likes, have ingredients in the feed the chickens get to make the yolks more yellow so folks like them more. Things are in all the food we get now.

 

Funny? It's really not rocket science. :rolleyes: If the egg in the container contains anything other than an egg, it's not a whole food. I certainly can't speak for anyone else, but I only buy grass fed, organic beef, and organic pastured free range chicken and eggs. "Things" may be in all the food you get, but it's definitely not in mine.

[sjbdtz]

 

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[SissasMomE]

Thanks to everyone who replied. It's been interesting reading and I appreciate the insights.

 

Che5904: The food supply in Canada is much healthier than in the US. Just a few "ingredients" that are permitted in the US but banned in Canada:

rBGH (in dairy products),

azocarbonimide (stuff used in yoga mats and sneakers - used in breads to make them fluffy and light),

Olean (manufactured by Proctor and Gamble - a fat substitute),

BHA/BHT (initials make stuff seems less bad, right?)

 

Heinz ketchup ingredients for Canada and the US:

 

Canadian Ingredients

Tomato Paste made from fresh ripe tomatoes, Liquid Sugar, White Vinegar, Salt, Onion Powder and Spices.

 

US Ingredients

Tomato Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Spice, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring.

 

Ketchup in consumed abundantly in my house - Heinz now sells "Simply Heinz" which has the ingredients listed for the Canadian version.

 

As I said in the original post, I'm curious about what other think about the food on NCL. Fortunately, it's not an allergy or food related illness so I don't feel it's important for me to contact NCL.

 

I'm trying to feed my family healthier ingredients - like bread that doesn't contain HFCS and azocarbonimide.

 

Trying to convince DH that diet coke with lime is an incredibly unhealthy choice or drinking a quart of Crystal Light to rehydrate after the gym isn't going a well as I hoped LOL. I know DS14 is going to get a Mountain Dew after school on Friday from the convenient store, not much I can do about that but I can make sure I don't buy it to have in the house.

 

Isdoo, I do eat fast food. Less often than we used to but sometimes Subway is so convenient and dare I say yummy .... even with their yoga-mat bread.

 

Can't wait to enjoy a variety of food on NCL next month!

 

Thanks for the tips everyone!

 

Unfortunately, the USA has sold out to the almighty dollar. We spend a significant amount of money on food so that we don't get the antibiotics, additives, and other garbage the gov't allows into our food. I read labels on everything, and yeah, even the ketchup I buy is "all natural" and "organic" to avoid the crap and cancer causing ingredients they add to our foods. It's a shame, and it shouldn't be that way, but it is. Thankfully, we don't cruise every day of our lives, so the foods we eat in a week won't affect us like they would if we consumed them every day!

[sjbdtz]

 

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[sjbdtz]

 

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[SissasMomE]

Stephen - cool pics! How did you get them? Look at all of that ice cream :D

[ImaKrazyKruizer]

US Ingredients

Tomato Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Spice, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring.

 

There is absolutely nothing in that list that is unhealthy in anyway what-so-ever.

[sjbdtz]

Stephen - cool pics! How did you get them? Look at all of that ice cream :D

 

 

I was a tad picture-crazy during the platinum behind-the-scenes tour. :)

 

 

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[SissasMomE]

There is absolutely nothing in that list that is unhealthy in anyway what-so-ever.

 

What??? LOL High Fructose Corn Syrup is poison that causes dementia, heart disease, obesity, liver failure, tooth decay, and more. Natural Flavoring is often a chemical made to taste like something - in this case, a tomato, and is often genetically modified and loaded with pesticides.

[SissasMomE]

I was a tad picture-crazy during the platinum behind-the-scenes tour. :)

 

 

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They are very cool! I love the picture in the kitchen with the guys doing the prep work on the meats. Awesome!

[ImaKrazyKruizer]

They are very cool! I love the picture in the kitchen with the guys doing the prep work on the meats. Awesome!

 

That work may not look like it is hard but trust me it is not the easiest job in the world.

Edited March 18, 2014 by ImaKrazyKruizer