Traveling with Food for Summer Tailgating and Trips

It’s that time of year—the time when you are pre-gaming and tailgating concerts and sporting events, or traveling far distances to meet up with family for a good ol’ fashioned cookout. While it’s fun to tailgate, it isn’t always easy transporting food—whether cooked or uncooked—to an event that may be hours away. Would it be better to have a nice ice cooler or a 12v-powered travel refrigerator? 

A Portable Refrigerator 

One of the advantages of having a portable fridge that plugs into a 12v socket is the ability to carry a wide range of foods at consistent temperatures, without having to worry about thawing, condensation, or wet food resulting from melting ice. But, if you don’t have constant power in your car when the car isn’t running or have a car where the sockets turn off after a certain period of time, you may wind up spoiling a lot of food. There are also refrigerator/freezer combos that will run you about $500-$1,000, depending on size. This way you can have half for cold drinks and the other side for ice cream, steaks, chicken, and other frozen foods. This will make everyone in the car very happy when traveling long distances as snacks and drinks are at the perfect temperature without getting wet from thawing ice.  

Coolers Are Better than Ever 

Since you don’t need a power source to keep your cooler, well, cool, that becomes its biggest advantage. Modern ice coolers have come a long way, too, as you can keep things below 50 degrees for two or three days. Thanks to YouTube channels like Outdoor Empire, it’s easier than ever to find out what coolers are the best bang for your buck. Some of the good ones that’ll keep ice as ice for days can range from $80 all the way up to $500 or so, which is significantly cheaper than a portable fridge.   

No matter what, when traveling with food, it’s best that you prep ahead of time. To save space, you should have meats packed in freezer bags with their respective seasonings or marinades, which will only help them taste better. Some people prefer to fully cook meats and then put them in a cooler and warm them up on a grill once at the destination. This saves a lot of prep time at the campground or tailgate.  

Your Needs Will Dictate the Best Purchase 

What you intend to bring to any tailgating or summer trips dictates what you need in terms of an ice cooler or portable fridge—and especially the size. Coolers are easier to use, as they don’t need any power. However, you do have to keep them filled with ice and will need to check on them frequently. A portable fridge or fridge/freezer combo will protect foods better, but you also need a constant source of power. This is fine if you’re driving, but parking could create a problem. 

Why Choose Alderman Automotive  

Alderman Automotive has all the best summer prices for trucks and SUVs that are great for long-distance travel. At Alderman Automotive, we work tirelessly to give you the best possible price and service on every used car we sell, and our finance department will work within your monthly payment needs. Whether you are looking for a high-end luxury car or SUV, or if your budget is something under $15,000, we have a whole host of vehicles best suited for your wants and needs. Our state-of-the-art service department and helpful staff will ensure that your vehicle is always in the best condition possible.