A well-packed cooler does more than keep the beer cold. It protects perishable food, prevents raw meat from leaking onto ready-to-eat snacks and makes it easier to find what you need without digging through melting ice every time someone wants a drink.

Just like packing a cooler for camping, packing one for tailgating presents a few challenges you may not encounter on an ordinary picnic. The cooler can spend hours in a hot car or sunny parking lot, drinks are constantly being removed and raw meat may need to stay safely chilled until the grill is ready. Whether you’re packing one cooler or several, a little planning (and plenty of ice!) can help everything stay ready to enjoy.

Should You Bring One Cooler or Two?

If you have the space, bring two coolers: one for drinks and another for perishable food. The beverage cooler will be opened every time someone grabs a beer, soda or bottle of water, allowing warm air in and melting the ice more quickly. Keeping food in a separate cooler lets it remain cold until you’re ready to cook or serve it.

The two-cooler system also makes it easier to keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods. Pack burgers, sausages, chicken and other uncooked proteins in leakproof containers or securely sealed bags in the food cooler, then store dips, cheese, cut produce and other foods that won’t be cooked above them. The drink cooler, meanwhile, can stay in an easy-to-reach spot where guests can help themselves without rummaging through the food.

When space is limited, you can still organize one cooler into separate zones. A rigid cooler divider, removable bin or interior basket can keep drinks from shifting into the food section, but it won’t prevent temperature fluctuations or contain leaking meat juices. Pack the beverages you expect to use first where they’re easiest to reach so you can open the lid, grab what you need and close it again quickly.

Prep Wisely

A cooler is designed to keep cold things cold, not rapidly chill food and drinks that start at room temperature. Refrigerate all perishable foods and beverages overnight, and leave them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to load the car. Adding a warm case of soda or freshly prepared food will immediately raise the temperature inside the cooler and cause the ice to melt faster.

Pre-chill the cooler itself whenever possible. The night before the tailgate, fill it with a bag of inexpensive ice, frozen gel packs or frozen water bottles and close the lid. Discard that ice and any melted water just before packing, then replace with fresh ice. This prevents the cooler’s warm interior and insulation from drawing heat from the ice intended to protect your food.

As for the food, complete as much prep as possible at home, where you have clean counters, running water and the right utensils. Slice burger toppings, portion dips, shape patties and transfer condiments into small, leakproof containers. Remove unnecessary cardboard packaging and oversized containers, which take up valuable cooler space and can become soggy as the ice melts. Frozen water bottles and juice boxes can supplement ice packs, then become cold drinks as they thaw. You can also freeze foods that will thaw safely before you need them, but think through the timing: Solidly frozen burger patties or chicken may not be ready for the grill when the tailgate begins. Once everything is cold and prepared, pack the cooler last and move it directly from the kitchen to the car.

How To Pack a Tailgating Cooler, Step by Step

Once everything is prepped and thoroughly chilled, pack the cooler in deliberate layers. The goal is to surround the contents with cold sources, prevent leaks and arrange everything so it is easy to retrieve.

Step One: Start With Ice

Cover the bottom of the cooler with frozen gel packs, frozen water bottles or block ice. Block ice melts slowly, while loose cubes fill gaps and make better contact with food and drinks. Using a combination of both provides lasting cold and more complete coverage. A great space-saving option is to fill gallon-sized resealable bags with water and freeze them flat on a baking sheet. Slip these at the bottom of the cooler before loading in other items.

Step Two: Pack Raw Meat at the Bottom

Place raw proteins directly above the bottom layer of ice. Seal them in leakproof containers or double bags to prevent juices from escaping.

Step Three: Add Prepared Foods in the Middle

Pack dips, salads, cut vegetables, cheese and other prepared foods in sturdy, tightly sealed containers. Keep delicate items, such as sandwiches and deviled eggs, away from heavy cans or containers that could crush them. Group toppings, condiments and other related items together so they can be removed all at once.

Step Four: Fill Every Open Space

Pour loose ice between containers and around the walls of the cooler as you pack. Filling empty space reduces the amount of warm air trapped inside and helps the cooler maintain its temperature. Use additional ice packs or frozen water bottles if there are still large gaps.

Step Five: Finish With Ice and Seal

Cover the top with loose ice, flat gel packs or a reusable ice sheet before sealing the cooler. Keep the lid closed until you need something, and retrieve several items at once whenever possible. At the tailgate, place the cooler in the shade and away from the grill, hot pavement and direct sunlight.

Keep Food Safe at the Tailgate

There are a few simple rules for keeping everything fresh and edible when packing a cooler.

• Keep perishable foods at 40°F or below by packing plenty of ice and placing an appliance thermometer inside the cooler.
• Raw meat should remain securely sealed until it goes on the grill, and the plates and utensils that touched it should never be reused of cooked food unless they have been thoroughly washed.
• Discard perishable food that has been unrefrigerated for more than two hours.

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