USVI-On-Line

Okay I know this has been addressed many times but I want to take our own steaks etc (meat) from home, pack it in the carry-on etc but we have to leave the day before and stay all night to fly out of St Louis and I dont know if I can swing it ...any suggestions? I have never taken food before and I'm kind of leary about doing it anyway...Thanks in advance! Lori

We have done over 36 hours with no problem at all. Make sure every thing is frozen as solid as possible. Get your stuff in the freezer days ahead of time.

I used a layer of techi ice on the bottom, one in the middle and one on top. This was probably over kill.

Keep it packed tight, fill all the voids and don't open it.

PA Girl's advice is excellent -- absolutely agree with letting everything freeze nice and solid for several days prior to the trip. I used to think that frozen was frozen, but a couple of days in the freezer really makes sure the food is as solid as it's going to get before packing it.

I also second the recommendation to RESIST the temptation to check on it during transit -- whenever you open the cooler, you're raising the temperature inside and defrosting the meat faster. Pack at home, seal it up, and then don't touch it until you get to the villa (of course security will have to open it at the airport, but that's the only exception!)

Once you have everything frozen good and solid I've found that it also helps to wrap things tightly in several layers of newspaper and tape it with masking tape. That further insulates each frozen piece and keeps things frozen even longer.

We were less confident in our soft sided cooler this trip, and we leave home at 3pm the night before our flight; reach our accomodations about 4pm the following day.
On the night before our flight, we left the soft sided cooler INSIDE a Coleman extreme cooler, in our car. Our food was still (as always) frozen solid on arrival.
We wrap our items in newspaper as well, as mentioned above.

We use a soft sided cooler, so I freeze that the night before as well.

This reminds me of my trip last year. I had purchased 3 or 4 good size blocks of gourmet cheeses to take for snacks during the week. Going through airport security I had a problem with the cheeses. Security said cheese is considered a "gel" I got swabbed with the little devise, the cheese got swabbed a couple of times, and finally, I was led off to a private area and searched. They also took my drivers license and ran a check on me Security folks were really nice about it all - and kept asking where the crackers were - lol. I had packed the crackers in my checked suitcase. FINALLY, all was OK's and the cheese and I were on our way. Anyone else ever have that experience?

LOL! I've brought cheese, and frozen shiitake pate, on our last two trips, and had no problem. They weren't big chunks of cheese, but we didn't have any problems.

The tsa in wisconsin wouldn't try to do that asjust about everybody has cheese boarding the plane

Thanks for all the advice! I cant remember the name of those coolers you use...I already have my lists made...can you say excited!!
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Mine is a polar bear cooler they are great

We have two freezers and the necessary room so we packed the polar bear the night before and put the entire PB in the freezer overnight.

Just need the room of course and a post it note to remember it in the AM.

Does anyone ever take a bigger cooler? On our way home we saw many of them on the checked bag scanners where you drop your luggage after going through customs? I'm curious if how larger coolers fair during travel and how do you secure them properly? My husband hates carry-on luggage and would much rather just buy the food when we arrive but i'm the more practical one.

thanks

Hey Sunflower, that reminds me of the time I had thrown a leftover (unused) can of Spaghettios in my carryon (don't ask -- it's one of my husband's favorite snacks for some reason!). The TSA confiscated it, saying that Spaghettios are a liquid/gel.

I know they have to do their job, but c'mon...

Just recieved our Polar Bear coolers yesterday for STJ trip in Nov. Look to be very well made; will try them out soon.