Cooler Packing 101
Living in the northwest is fabulous.
It has something for everyone; metropolitan cities, mountains, deserts, rivers, and the ocean.
That means that I don't have to go very far to enjoy a great day escape.
Skiing, hiking, shopping, swimming are just a couple of hours in any direction.
So I don't have to pack an overnight bag to get in a fun-filled adventure.
My husband will tell you that I am a spur of the moment kind of gal.
I can get up in the morning and decide that today is a beach day.
Now, the beach is three hours away, but no worries.
Fill up the cooler and the gas tank and we are on a way to sand and sun.
Warm root beer and food poisoning is not my idea of a successful day.
Sunburn and mosquito bites make for a miserable next day.
So over the years I have learnt some things about packing a cooler and a bag of necessities for a day of fun.
Cooler packing 101 - Take two coolers; one for food and one for beverages.
Opening and closing a cooler repeatedly lets cold air out, so separate coolers will keep your food cold longer.
Make sure your drinks are cold BEFORE you put them in the cooler.
This way they will stay cooler longer.
And remember that cold air travels down, so put them in the bottom of the cooler and the ice on top.
I like to take both frozen and unfrozen bottles of water.
Always pack perishable foods directly from the refrigerator into the cooler.
Keep foods dry and safe from cross contamination by placing in air tight bags or sealed plastic containers.
Also, to fill up the empty spaces, put a couple of frozen water bottles in the gaps.
They double as ice packs and you can drink it later! And a full cooler will maintain safer temperatures longer than a half empty cooler.
When transporting your cooler, if possible, keep it inside the car so that the air conditioning will help keep it out of the heat.
Once at your destination, don't leave the cooler in the hot car or in the sun.
Try to find a shaded place for it.
A cooler is not meant to re-chill food that has remained at a temperature of 40°F or above for one hour or more.
Only food that has remained at safe temperatures should be placed back into the cooler.
To be safe, throw out any food you are unsure of.
Be sure to take bug spray, sun block and sunglasses and/or a hat when going into the sun.
Living in Oregon, I also keep an umbrella and a rain poncho in the trunk of my car; you never know when we are going to have some great "Oregon sunshine".
Happy traveling!
It has something for everyone; metropolitan cities, mountains, deserts, rivers, and the ocean.
That means that I don't have to go very far to enjoy a great day escape.
Skiing, hiking, shopping, swimming are just a couple of hours in any direction.
So I don't have to pack an overnight bag to get in a fun-filled adventure.
My husband will tell you that I am a spur of the moment kind of gal.
I can get up in the morning and decide that today is a beach day.
Now, the beach is three hours away, but no worries.
Fill up the cooler and the gas tank and we are on a way to sand and sun.
Warm root beer and food poisoning is not my idea of a successful day.
Sunburn and mosquito bites make for a miserable next day.
So over the years I have learnt some things about packing a cooler and a bag of necessities for a day of fun.
Cooler packing 101 - Take two coolers; one for food and one for beverages.
Opening and closing a cooler repeatedly lets cold air out, so separate coolers will keep your food cold longer.
Make sure your drinks are cold BEFORE you put them in the cooler.
This way they will stay cooler longer.
And remember that cold air travels down, so put them in the bottom of the cooler and the ice on top.
I like to take both frozen and unfrozen bottles of water.
Always pack perishable foods directly from the refrigerator into the cooler.
Keep foods dry and safe from cross contamination by placing in air tight bags or sealed plastic containers.
Also, to fill up the empty spaces, put a couple of frozen water bottles in the gaps.
They double as ice packs and you can drink it later! And a full cooler will maintain safer temperatures longer than a half empty cooler.
When transporting your cooler, if possible, keep it inside the car so that the air conditioning will help keep it out of the heat.
Once at your destination, don't leave the cooler in the hot car or in the sun.
Try to find a shaded place for it.
A cooler is not meant to re-chill food that has remained at a temperature of 40°F or above for one hour or more.
Only food that has remained at safe temperatures should be placed back into the cooler.
To be safe, throw out any food you are unsure of.
Be sure to take bug spray, sun block and sunglasses and/or a hat when going into the sun.
Living in Oregon, I also keep an umbrella and a rain poncho in the trunk of my car; you never know when we are going to have some great "Oregon sunshine".
Happy traveling!
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