My daughters college is only a four-hour drive away, so she comes home often. How can I safely pack home-cooked foods for her to take back to school?
A. For a four-hour drive, food must be handled properly to keep it safe from spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Cooked foods should be divided into shallow containers and cooled in the refrigerator prior to the trip. To transport the food, place it in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, frozen gel packs, or containers of frozen water. Add the cold containers of food from the refrigerator when she’s ready to leave. Freezing foods prior to the return trip also helps keep food safe. Advise your daughter to refrigerate the food as soon as she arrives at college.
