Transport Your Holiday Foods Safely

CARS.COM — Getting trapped in a political conversation with Uncle Bob this holiday season isn’t nearly as perilous as dangers travelers face on the way to the party. If you thought food poisoning was the only deadly outcome from a Thanksgiving meal gone wrong, think again: While your family may at times seem lethal at these gatherings, it’s the getting the food there that can pose real danger.

Related: Thanksgiving Traffic: Highways Stuffed With Turkey Day Travelers

Unsecured dishes can become deadly projectiles in the event of a crash. A study by Intel and the University of California at Irvine showed that unrestrained cargo or loose objects in a car can severely injure or even kill a vehicle’s occupants — not just in a crash, but even during emergency braking.

What’s more, that pan of piping-hot potatoes sitting on your lap in the car could spill and burn you at the first sharp corner, or it could end up all over your clothes, seat upholstery and floor during sudden braking.

The safest place to keep any item is in your car’s trunk (use a grippy drawer liner to keep it from sliding around) or secured in the cargo area. Continue below for other tips and products to ensure that the food you’re transporting doesn’t become a projectile. Bonus: Our advice will help you get that leftover pie home in mint condition.

Casserole Dishes

For your famous cornbread stuffing, try a Pyrex Portables set ($39.99) with a three-quart baking, a plastic lid and a handy zip-up carrying case that can be used to keep food hot or cold. If investing in more kitchen equipment is the last thing on your to-do list, try Reynolds Bakeware Disposable Carrier Kit ($4.99) with a disposable pan and lid and a cardboard carrier. Secure this kit — or any dishes you’re bringing to the feast — in your car’s trunk or cargo area by placing it in a towel-lined laundry basket. The towels will absorb any leaks, and the laundry basket makes it easy to use bungee cords to secure it to cargo hooks.

A cooler is another item you probably have at home that can be useful for transporting food. Don’t be fooled by the name, a cooler can be equally effective in keeping hot food hot. It’s all about the insulation. Wrap your hot dish in a towel to keep it from sliding around in the cooler and then pop it in the car’s trunk. Make sure to secure it with bungee cords too.

Slow Cookers

Keep your candied yams in your slow cooker by investing in one with a lockable lid, which keeps leaks at bay and your food secure. There are even slow cookers with temperature gauges that continue to work even when unplugged.

Pies

It’s not Thanksgiving without the pies, but how best to get them to your destination? Use a pie or cake carrier to get that pumpkin pie safely to Granny’s house. If you want to make sure your flaky piecrust doesn’t end up in pieces, consider an insulated carrier to protect your masterpiece from being jostled in the trunk. If you’re bringing several pies, a tiered bamboo steamer can work wonders.

Leftovers

Be a great guest and bring a few of your own containers for the host to use when it comes time to dole out the leftovers. If the plastic containers seem too presumptuous, instead grab a box of zip-top bags for transporting leftovers; you can even label them with your name so there’s no confusion.

With our tips, you’ll be able to make the most of the coming months filled with food, family and football.

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