Joining the Cooler Gang

[Pinky]

Last night we went to a friends place for dinner. She called me the night before to see if I wanted them to make me some chicken for dinner, or if steak was ok. I opted for the steak. I thought it was very sweet that she took time to consider my diet plans. HOWEVER, we get there, and for dinner there was, steak, roasted potatoes, garlic bread and salad. Ordinarily, a good dinner, but I can't eat half of that. So I stuck with salad (that already had dressing on it) and steak. I was still hungry when I got home, I had to eat again.

This got me to thinking, I think I need a cooler. On more then one occasion, I have been in a jam, when eating over at someone's house, or out doing errands and can't make it home in time to eat again. So, for now on, I am going to pack a cooler with a bunch of food, and carry it where ever I go. Like a 2nd purse....

So, any suggestions on what to look for in a cooler? Would a soft sided one work? I just figure it wouldn't be so heavy and bulky, but would it keep my food cool all day, even if it was in the trunk of my car? Any suggestions on things to pack for quick snacks I can eat while I am driving?

Oh yeah, how rude is it if you bring your own food to someones house?

[Sarah]

Just make sure it is large enough to fit your Tupperware and icepacks. I carry the soft case ones so I have the option of compressing them.

[amyloo]

I would recommend a soft sided one that can hold at least 18 soft drink cans. (That's how they're measured usually.) Tupperware tends to take up more space than you think. Some days my 18 pack cooler overflows!

Also, I don't think it's particularly rude to carry your food with you. It's your health and well being you're looking out for. Mine goes absolutely everywhere with me. I even took it to my Grandma's house for our family dinners for Easter and Mother's Day. If nothing else, you can take food with you to supplement whatever healthy options are available at the outing.

[Swiss]

Go with a soft-sided one large enough to accommodate plastic containers and several ice packs. If you plan to keep it in the car for 5, 6 hours, you'll need a couple reuseable ice packs to keep the food cold.

As far as it being rude to being food to someones house, well, (IMO) that really depends.

If you have a contest coming up and truly need to adhere to a strict pre-comp diet and you know the people well and told them in advance, I wouldn't consider it rude.

If I was on a pre-comp diet and didn't know the people well, I would probably politely decline. I would feel very odd about breaking out a cooler of my own if I wasn't very good friends with the hosts.

If I wasn't on a pre-comp diet, I would go and eat what the host made, because I (personally) would feel it was rude to the host. to bring my own food. And I don't put wanting to meet weight loss/physique goals in the same category as someone who needs to avoid certain food for medical reasons (diabetics, etc.) or religious reasons.

[hemi]

Originally posted by amyloo@May 18 2006, 10:44 AM
If nothing else, you can take food with you to supplement whatever healthy options are available at the outing.
You took the words right out of my mouth Amyloo! Great compromise.

[Pinky]

Would a soft sided cooler, keep my food cool enough all day, even if it was left in the trunk of my car?

What do you suggest for "driving" snacks? Please don't say trail mix, I have an addiction to that, and eat WAYYYY more then I should....

[Sarah]

Originally posted by Pinky@May 18 2006, 12:34 PM
Would a soft sided cooler, keep my food cool enough all day, even if it was left in the trunk of my car?

What do you suggest for "driving" snacks? Please don't say trail mix, I have an addiction to that, and eat WAYYYY more then I should....
ice packs. frozen bottles of water, frozen diet pop (just make sure it doesnt' explode) my cooler is a soft one but had a hard container inside of it too. that seems to help.

[Brandi]

Originally posted by Pinky@May 18 2006, 10:34 AM
Would a soft sided cooler, keep my food cool enough all day, even if it was left in the trunk of my car?

What do you suggest for "driving" snacks? Please don't say trail mix, I have an addiction to that, and eat WAYYYY more then I should....
Chicken in a ziploc.

[Sarah]

Originally posted by Brandi+May 18 2006, 01:02 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Brandi @ May 18 2006, 01:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Pinky@May 18 2006, 10:34 AM
Would a soft sided cooler, keep my food cool enough all day, even if it was left in the trunk of my car?

What do you suggest for "driving" snacks? Please don&#39;t say trail mix, I have an addiction to that, and eat WAYYYY more then I should....
Chicken in a ziploc. [/b][/quote]
might want to break the chicken up a bit.

protein shakes are easy. no need to cool.

[MichelleS]

when I travel I use my cooler but I use my 1000ml water bootles and fill them with ice and water so that it keeps it cool and it gives me my water later in the day ( I hate bottled water the way it tastes to I drink my fridge water all the time.

[Pinky]

Originally posted by Brandi+May 18 2006, 12:02 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Brandi @ May 18 2006, 12:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Pinky@May 18 2006, 10:34 AM
Would a soft sided cooler, keep my food cool enough all day, even if it was left in the trunk of my car?

What do you suggest for "driving" snacks? Please don&#39;t say trail mix, I have an addiction to that, and eat WAYYYY more then I should....
Chicken in a ziploc. [/b][/quote]
I have seen you mention this before, and it just sounds nasty&#33; I guess I will try it though, just gonna have to season my chicken fairly well. How do you cook it?

I always freeze my chicken already cut up, so no big deal there.

[Pinky]

Originally posted by mmspencer24@May 18 2006, 12:28 PM
( I hate bottled water the way it tastes to I drink my fridge water all the time.
I can&#39;t drink anything BUT bottled water&#33; I will if I HAVE to, but I would prefer not to.

[Tearose]

Originally posted by Pinky@May 18 2006, 10:21 AM
Last night we went to a friends place for dinner. She called me the night before to see if I wanted them to make me some chicken for dinner, or if steak was ok. I opted for the steak. I thought it was very sweet that she took time to consider my diet plans. HOWEVER, we get there, and for dinner there was, steak, roasted potatoes, garlic bread and salad. Ordinarily, a good dinner, but I can&#39;t eat half of that. So I stuck with salad (that already had dressing on it) and steak. I was still hungry when I got home, I had to eat again.

This got me to thinking, I think I need a cooler. On more then one occasion, I have been in a jam, when eating over at someone&#39;s house, or out doing errands and can&#39;t make it home in time to eat again. So, for now on, I am going to pack a cooler with a bunch of food, and carry it where ever I go. Like a 2nd purse....

So, any suggestions on what to look for in a cooler? Would a soft sided one work? I just figure it wouldn&#39;t be so heavy and bulky, but would it keep my food cool all day, even if it was in the trunk of my car? Any suggestions on things to pack for quick snacks I can eat while I am driving?

Oh yeah, how rude is it if you bring your own food to someones house?
:lol: I did this last night. My soon-to-be-mother-in-law invited us over for dinner and I brought my chicken salad. She made a kick ass dinner too :( I did feel kind of rude but she was very understanding and my fiance is great about explaining to ppl why i can&#39;t eat certain things. later i will tell her I am entering a competition, but I would like to lose a bit of weight first so as not to shock her :dry:

I am getting one of those small soft sided coolers and a pack of those plastic food storage containers and I will be taking my food everywhere we go. :p

[Pinky]

I am so stoked&#33; I bought the coolest cooler today. It fits 30 cans, but it collapses, so it is not huge.

[Leah]

Originally posted by Pinky@May 18 2006, 11:21 AM


Oh yeah, how rude is it if you bring your own food to someones house?
I think I have brought my own food to just about everyone&#39;s house I&#39;ve ever been to at some point or another. I just tell them beforehand. I don&#39;t care if it&#39;s rude or not :lol:

[jrb1980]

I couldn&#39;t take my own food to someone else&#39;s dinner party. I think it is rude, though wouldn&#39;t care if someone did it to my house whatsoever (though they probably already know they will be "safe").

I simply try to limit any eating out situations to once a week and then use that as my cheat meal, or tell them I can&#39;t make it in time for dinner but will stop by later for coffee.