Packing a Cooler for Food Safety
A cooler is a portable refrigerator only if it stays cold. Perishable food kept too warm can grow bacteria quickly, and it may look and smell fine. A few packing habits keep food safe through a weekend of car camping.
Keeping it cold
Food safety guidance recommends keeping perishable food at or below 4 degrees Celsius, or 40 degrees Fahrenheit. A cooler thermometer makes this easy to check. Pre-chill the cooler and food before packing, and fill empty space with ice.
Block ice lasts longer than cubes, and frozen water bottles double as drinking water once they thaw.
Organizing the contents
Pack raw meat frozen and sealed in leak-proof containers at the bottom, below ready-to-eat foods. Consider a separate cooler for drinks, which is opened often, so the food cooler stays closed and cold.
Pack items in reverse order of use so you do not dig through everything each meal.
Write down what is at the bottom of the cooler and when you plan to use it, so meals can be eaten in the order that keeps the coldest items for last.
At camp
Keep the cooler in shade, covered with a blanket or sleeping pad, and drain meltwater if it can contaminate food. Do not let perishable food sit out for more than a short time, and less in hot weather.
When in doubt about food that has warmed up, throw it out.