Traveling for the holidays is always a lot of fun for the family. My kids start bouncing around excitedly the moment they see my kitchen island covered in ingredients. They know that after my two-day bakefest is over, we’ll be off to Grandma’s house where they can visit with cousins they have missed all year. The only hurdle we have to cross is how to get six kids, two dogs, luggage, and a carload of food to Grandma’s house safely…
Traveling with Food for the Holidays in 5 Easy Steps!
Quick Tip: In the weeks before the holidays, wash and save plastic bakery containers
or recycle gently used pizza delivery boxes for traveling with baked goods!
My biggest concern when traveling with food is to make sure everything arrives as perfect as it was when we left the house. My top tools to make that happen are tight-seal containers, towels, boxes, a cooler, ice packs, packing tape, and aluminum foil.
Step 1: Pack your car with luggage and pet carriers. Use cargo nets or elastic bands to keep your luggage from shifting. Secure to your rooftop cargo or hitch receiver cargo rack whenever possible.
Step 2: Test spacing for your cooler(s) before you pack it with food.
Step 3: The cold stuff! Pack your cheesecake, cold salads, fresh cranberry sauce and any other deliciously cold goods inside your cooler using ice packs (not ice) to keep the cooler cold. Use only containers with a complete seal to prevent condensation from entering your dish. Use towels between layers dish layers to prevent shifting and keep the dish level. Tape your cooler closed once all of the items are inside to keep as much cool air inside as possible for the entire trip.
Step 4: Hot cross buns. After tightly sealing all of your hot dishes in their serving containers, wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil (the exterior of each container). Heat towels in the dryer on high heat. Layer two hot towels on the bottom of your cardboard box. Add food dishes. Use additional towels between each dish and to tuck into any empty spaces. Lay a hot towel across the top, cover with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, close the box and seal with packing tape. Seal all box seams with packaging tape. (If you are traveling longer than two/three hours, consider lining your entire box with aluminum foil before adding towels.)
Step 5: The sweet stuff. Remember when I told you to keep those bakery containers and gently used pizza boxes? This is where they come in handy! I use them to transport cake balls, truffles, candies and breads. Tape closed and tuck them under SUV seats if you are running out of room!
