Pack a Cooler for a Tailgate Party
Chill food well in advance of your tailgate party. A cooler is designed to preserve cold food, not to cool it in the first place. Keep everything in the refrigerator until you are ready to pack the cooler, and then move things directly inside, closing the lid as quickly as possible.
Line the bottom of the cooler with ice packs. Several smaller ice packs are better than a single large one, as they will allow for air circulation and make the preservation process easier. If you are packing food in plastic bags or containers, place some ice packs around the food to make sure it stays frozen and in good condition.
Separate all the food items into small, airtight bags. This will not only prevent flavors and smells from mixing, but it will also avoid contamination if you are packing raw meats with other types of food. If you are bringing bread or cooked vegetables, make sure the bags are thick, preventing the evaporation from the ice packs from making the food soggy.
Fill the cooler to the brim. Not only does this reduce the melting time of the ice, but it also preserves the temperature at a lower level for a longer time. If you don't have enough food to fill the entire cooler, use the empty spaces for water bottles or put extra ice packs in the corners.
Keep the frozen food in its original container when you are packing it. Bring hot dogs, hamburgers and other frozen barbecue items in tightly sealed plastic wrapping, and only open up the packaging when you are ready to cook. You can use the cooler for defrosting, especially if you are packing it early in the day and won't be able to start cooking until mid-afternoon.
Alpine Valley, WI. July 19, 2008.
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