Road trips can be a great way to save money and see the countryside, but they can lead to a lot of questionable food choices. People often stop for fast food at greasy truck stops that will result in an upset stomach in the one place you don't want to have one. Bringing food from home can be a great solution to this problem, but it can be a challenge to keep it fresh on the road.
The first step in keeping food fresh can be done before you ever leave home. Put sandwiches and drinks in the refrigerator and meat in the freezer the night before. You can freeze some drinks as well, but be sure to open them and let some of the liquid out first so that the bottles don't burst. Just don't do this with all your drink so you have something available the first time you get thirsty. When it's time to go, transfer everything from the refrigerator directly to the cooler.
The more often you open a cooler, the more the ice will melt, so it's a good idea to bring two. Store items that you're going to want frequently, like snacks and drinks, in one and keep lunch and dinner items in the other. Make sure everyone decides what they want before opening the cooler and get your items out quickly. The longer that lid stays closed the fresher your food will be.
You'll also want to keep your cooler in the main compartment with you. Not only will this make your food more convenient to reach, it will also help keep it cool with the air conditioning. Coolers stored in the trunk will get warm much more quickly. If it's comfortable, you can keep the air conditioning high to keep the food fresh longer. Try to avoid leaving the car parked in the sun for long periods of time throughout your trip.
If you know the trip is going to be long, plot some places you can stop to buy more ice. Most grocery stores and gas stations will sell it, and it's worth the extra stop to make sure that your food is safe to eat. Make sure to dump out the melted ice before adding more.
If you have chips or similar snacks, make sure you close the bags tightly with a clip when not using them. This will keep them from going stale. You can keep cookies fresh by storing them in a container with a single slice of bread. The bread will dry out and the cookies will remain moist.
A road trip can be a great experience for the whole family. With a little planning, you can be eating safe, fresh food the entire way.
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