Tailgating is a fun American tradition, and between NASCAR, the NBA, and the PGA tour, there’s a lot of tailgating to kick off the spring season. Just as the players are planning their strategies for the game, you’re planning your strategy for your tailgate party food. And if you’re like us, you want to spend most of the time at the tailgate hanging out. That means cooking at home and bringing the food and drink on game day. We’ve got a pretty awesome menu put together, and we definitely do not want to worry about cold food. We needed a reliable way to transport the food and we did some digging.
In our hunt, we found some really cool options we want to share with y’all. These will help you not only keep food warm on the way to the tailgate but at the stadium.
A Note on Food Safety
Keeping your tailgate food warm is not only important for convenience and an enjoyable experience, but it’s also essential for food safety. To keep perishable food safe, you must keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Otherwise the bacteria responsible for food-borne illness, can grow and multiply very quickly. For hot food, that means keeping a consistent temperature above 140 degrees F. It’s a good idea to keep a food thermometer on you to periodically check temperatures, as well as to store your food in insulated containers in conjunction with the methods mentioned below.
Get a Hot Cooler
A hot cooler is exactly what the name implies. It’s an insulated cooler that keeps food hot. Most models of hot coolers provide both heating and cooling options, so you’ll get a lot of use out of them. Hot coolers are awesome for keeping pre-cooked food like queso, chili, chicken wings, and ribs warm.
Here are some hot coolers to consider:
Coleman 40 QT Hot Cold Thermoelectric Cooler
If you have access to an outlet, you cannot go wrong with the Coleman Hot/Cold Thermoelectric Cooler. Iceless, this cooler chills to 40°F below the ambient temperature. It can also hold everything inside up to 140°F. Inside there are shelves that can hold all your dishes for warming. It can also hold 44 cans of beer for cooling. It’s a very versatile option.
Koolatron P20 Thermoelectric Hot Cooler
If you don’t have an outlet but can plug into your car, the Koolatron P20 Thermoelectric Hot Cooler will keep your tailgate party food warm. It’s slim to fit nicely in your vehicle. About half the size of the Coleman model, it holds 23 cans. The Koolatron cools food to 40°F and warms food to 135°F.
DIY Your Own
If you have an old cooler lying around, you can easily DIY your own. Start by finding a couple of bricks. Then wrap them in aluminum foil and heat them in the oven to 300°F for 20 minutes. While they are baking, line the bottom of your cooler with thick cotton towels. When the bricks are done baking, lay them on the towels. Cover the bricks with another set of towels and then just put your warm dishes on top. This will keep them warm for the entire length of the tailgate.
Get a Portable Oven to Go With Your Grill
Another great option for keeping your tailgate party food warm is to have an oven at your tailgate. Camping ovens are portable and easy to set up for a tailgate. They work just like the ovens in your kitchen, just on the go. We love doing all the prep work at home and then heating everything at the stadium with these. Here are some portable oven grill options.
Camp Chef Portable Outdoor Oven
The Camp Chef Portable Outdoor Oven is a double-duty option perfect for tailgating. Powered by propane, this oven is also a tailgating grill. It has two shelves inside so you can bake and warm multiple items. It’s also very efficient. One tank of propane will run this oven at 350°F for seven hours. You’ll be sure to last the whole tailgate.
20 QT Outdoor Camp Oven
Another camp oven option is this 20 QT Camp Oven from Change Moore. It is a very multifunctional option as it bakes, toasts, broils, and works great for pizza. It runs on butane and can heat food to 536°F. Don’t worry about getting distracted at your tailgate and burning something. This unit also has a built-in timer.
DIY Your Own
If you have cardboard and aluminum foil, you have everything you need to DIY your own solar oven. Solar ovens are great for keeping food warm. You can make them in any size or shape to meet your needs. Here’s a list of 19 different models of solar ovens you can DIY. They’re easy and will keep your tailgating party food warm without breaking the bank.
Also, before we move on to the next great option, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also recommend a portable slow cooker or crock pot. If you’re looking for something to keep your chili, queso, or stew warm, these are great. We love this 8 QT Nomad Traveling Slower Cooker from National Presto Industries.
We also love this portable steamer from TFCFL that has three shelves to keep multiple dishes or ingredients warm. This is best for feeding a smaller crowd though.
Grab Some Insulated Bags
Finally, another excellent way to keep your tailgate party food warm is with insulated bags. Insulated bags are perfect for when you really just want to make all the food ahead of time so you can chill and have fun at the tailgate. Here are some options for insulated bags we love.
XXXL Commercial Food Delivery Bags
Designed for food delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats, these commercial insulated bags are perfect for transporting your warm tailgating party food. They hold a lot of dishes and are easy to carry even through a large stadium crowd.
LUNCIA Double Decker Casserole Carrier
These style insulated food carriers hold two casserole dishes easily. They’re perfect when you’re just tasked to bring a dish or two for a potluck tailgate. They are also just great to have around for when you want to make some dishes ahead. They come in two sizes and a range of colors.
Insulated grocery bags also do the trick for keeping your food warm when transporting.
All of these options are ideal for keeping your tailgate party food warm on the go and at the stadium. No matter how big or small your crowd and your budget, we hope this helps you find exactly what you need. Now if you’re looking for great recipes to fill them with, head over to our food section.
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