How to Keep Food & Groceries Fresh While You're Out

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I received these products from Hydro Flask to review on Schimiggy Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and my own.

I am a huge Hydro Flask fan!

I carried their 12 oz beer cooler/cup all over Europe and it prevented me from using single-use plastic while traveling abroad. And if you decide to get the cooler cup, make sure you buy the wine lid. They’re a match made in kitchenware heaven.

Then they recently started offering insulated totes as part of their soft goods collection!

I am stoked about their totes becuase they keep things cool or hot up to 4 hours and come in various sizes and colors to fit your personality and needs.

The last thing I want is for my food to become a warm soggy mess while I am out and about. Let’s talk more about these totes.

The insulated totes come in three sizes:

Lunch Tote (8L) – Great for taking your meals to and from work. Costs $44.95.
20L Tote – Great for quick trips to the grocery store or farmers markets. Costs $64.95.
35L Tote – Great for toting all your party supply needs or grocery store spoils. We recently transported our finished sous vide meat to ur friends house along with other ingredients and supplies in our large Hydro Flask tote. Costs $74.95.

There’s a size for everyone. Make sure you choose a size that best fits your needs. One small and one larger tote is perfect for our household of two.

Pros of Hydro Flask Totes

Comes in various sizes so that you can use them for different purposes.
The colors are bright and cheerful. You can choose from sunflower (yellow), grapefruit (pink), mushroom (brown) or blackberry (gray).
Insulates for up to 4 hours.
Easy to clean. Just wet a towel and wipe down the inside of your bag.
Comes with a lifetime warranty.
Comes with a mini front zip pocket that you can stow your wallet and keys in while you’re busy.

Cons of Hydro Flask Totes

Doesn’t come with a crossbody strap like their Unbound Cooler totes. I wouldn’t be able to go hands-free with my totes.

What I Loved Most About the Insulated Totes

I received a lunch tote in grapefruit pink and the large tote in yellow. I love how brightly colored they are! Definitely makes grocery shopping less boring.

I love that I could carry my beverages to BYOB parties. We were able to fit 5 bombers (750 ml bottles) and 12 cans of beer in the lunch tote. This tiny little tote holds so much!

The lifetime guarantee. The totes are also durable and easy to clean. So it’s totally worth it!

Other Tips to Keep Food Fresh

Aside from having an insulated cooler to keep your food fresh, here are some other tips you can use to prolong the quality of your food:

Only bring what you need. Oftentimes I bring too much stuff to an outing and most of it goes to waste. Plan ahead and buy stuff that you know will be consumed immediately. Think about the number of attendees and if someone has already brought something so that you don’t have to much of it.
Need to be out longer than 4 hours? Use a cooler pack to keep your food insulated even longer.
Keep your food and drinks in the shade under a tree or canopy. Keeping it away from direct sunlight will allow your food to stay fresher.