How to Keep Food Fresh on a Road Trip

By eHow Health Editor

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Don't let bad food ruin a good trip. With some food-packing know-how, you can make sure your goodies come out of the cooler safe and sound. These guidelines follow the recommendations of the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Ice
Ice
2 Coolers
Ice Packs
Ice packs

Step1

Use two coolers: one that will be opened frequently and one for perishable foods to be used later.

Step2

Fill both with enough ice or frozen gel packs before packing food. Keep in mind the length of the trip and the amount of food you'll need.

Step3

Transfer meat and poultry directly from the freezer to the cooler.

Step4

Fill in any empty spaces in the cooler with nonperishable foods like peanut butter and jelly.

Step5

Store the cooler inside your car where there is air-conditioning; don't keep the cooler in the trunk.

Step6

Keep your food in the cooler with fresh ice or transfer it to a refrigerator once you reach your destination.

Step7

Put leftovers back in the cooler with ample ice or gel packs. If kept on ice, they should be safe to eat.

Tips & Warnings

Keep the cooler at 40 degrees F.

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Comments

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on 11/22/2005 An alternative to keeping food cool is to cook it as you go. Wrap food in aluminum foil and place it on the engine of your car. What you can cook depends on how far you drive and how your engine is shaped. This is NOT a joke--it really works. I have made chicken cordon bleu, barbecued pork steaks, sausages and sauerkraut, salmon in dill sauce and others. There are cook books at your library. It works great and doesn't taste bad from the engine. Vegetables don't cook well unless you blanch them first.

said

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on 11/22/2005 The trunk is actually the coolest place for a cooler if the car is left in the parking lot on a sunny day. The trunk is completely blocked from the sun's rays; therefore, minimal heat enters the trunk unlike the main passenger interior of the vehicle where there are windows. It's like a greenhouse!