Over the Christmas holidays, many families will be taking road trips to see friends and relatives and – no doubt – there will be food involved in the travel plans. Cold food means ice and heavy coolers – or maybe not! Your daily newspaper can help eliminate much of the need for ice.
Years ago, I was hosting a Fourth of July pig roast and I had to pick up the pig the day before. This was about a 6 foot pig when stretched out and I had nothing to put him in and I wanted to cook the pig in tact. The pig farmer advised me to use a large cardboard box and paper as insulation. So I found a big box, put the pig inside and filled the swine’s cavity with 4 bags of ice. Then I put newspapers all around and closed the box – and prayed. Remember, this was July 3! The next morning, I opened the box and hardly any ice had melted. Paper is one of the best insulating properties of all.
I have since come to use paper on road trips of up to 4 and 5 hours. If you pack a good cooler with cold foods and insulate the top with lots of newspapers, the food stays cold on its own for an amazingly long time. If you add a little ice, it’s even better. This means lighter travel and fewer coolers.
Next time you pack a cooler, cut back on the ice and put newspapers on top. You will be amazed how cold the food stays.