USVI-On-Line

Several of you have mentioned bringing along a cooler of meats. We have a couple foam coolers that are disposable and meant for shipping frozen meats. However, they have no closure and we would have to use duct tape to secure them closed. Is this okay as checked luggage? Or do the airport people have to be able to look inside? We are going to have eight people on our trip and would love to bring along meats and cold cuts from home. Any suggestions?

The way they chuck luggage around I wouldn't trust a foam cooler I bought a polar bear cooler and use it to take drinks and lunch to the beach then pack it whit my booze for the trip back

we don't check our polar bear cooler...I bring it on as our carryon.....full of frozen meats and such for the kids....

I'm a meat scientist and over the years have shipped hundreds, or maybe even thousands shipments of meat in Styrofoam coolers, but which type are you talking about?

Some are made for shipping on planes but others are the type you can get in grocery stores which I would not recommend.

This type would be fine, they are used over and over again in the food industry:





I would NOT put this kind on a plane:

I have the first type you've shown. It was filled with steaks from Omaha Steaks when we received it. Thanks so much for taking the time to show me the pictures. How do you secure the lid of this type of cooler when you ship?

It has to be tape you have to hope that TSA re tapes it good when they inspect it

We have taken coolers 2 times, hard type. Used bungy cords to the airport, in case they wanted to check it. Then before it goes on the plane(as we check ours) they tape it for you very well.
Works great and has arrived in perfect condition each time.
mr

Jen East End wrote:I have the first type you've shown. It was filled with steaks from Omaha Steaks when we received it. Thanks so much for taking the time to show me the pictures. How do you secure the lid of this type of cooler when you ship?

They come with a cardboard box as pictured above but if you don't have the box then I'd just tape it. We always take a regular plastic cooler to STJ and tape it. The few times our cooler has been inspected they taped it back up well with their own tape.

Thanks for all the tips. Really glad I asked, one less thing to figure out before we leave. I just love this forum!

We used a soft sided heavy duty cooler bag one time and then a regular suitcase last time. We also wrapped the meat in newspaper to help insulate.

I got the steaks (~10 lbs) from a local butcher and they vacuum sealed them. I then put them in a deep freeze for 2-3 days then we checked them onto the plane in Boston. Both times the meat was fine.

We use a small soft side cooler and I pack it inside my checked luggage. I then use it for our beach cooler. Has worked just fine and very convenient. The meat has stayed completely frozen and we are about 12 hours door to door.
.

FinsUp wrote:We use a small soft side cooler and I pack it inside my checked luggage. I then use it for our beach cooler. Has worked just fine and very convenient. The meat has stayed completely frozen and we are about 12 hours door to door.
.

This is also what we have done except we have brought it in our carry-on also. TIP freeze the soft sided cooler AND the contents for at least 48 hours prior to putting it into the luggage. The styrofoam shipping coolers work very well but I don't think I would pay the $25 to check it. I don't think that we save that much by bringing frozen foods with us. You will also have to deal with either disposal or bringing it back with you. If I recall correctly, styrofoam coolers are not allowed on NPS beaches??? or perhaps that is only Federal scenic waterways. Not certain of the NPS beaches.