The Cheap Aluminum Foil Pan Hack That Keeps Food Cold For Hours (Even Outside)

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If you've ever gone to a get-together in which cold food is on display, you've likely wondered how long it's been sitting and if it's still good to eat. Restaurant buffets serving fruit can often navigate this scenario by placing refrigeration and ice under the trays. The question is, what can a host do to keep food cool at home or at an outdoor event?

Ice is the key. There are a couple of ways to use ice effectively, including using a plastic bag filled with ice cubes covered with a protective layer of lettuce leaves or other suitable decoration. However, there's a unique way to prepare and use the ice that is worthy of attention. Ideally, you can use a longer-lasting block of ice to cool your food. Block ice stays cold longer because it has fewer exposed edges, causing warm air to take more time to penetrate it. The trick becomes how you obtain this block of ice. One solution is to fill an aluminum foil pan with water and set it in the freezer. This way, you'll have a solid block of ice already formed in the pan, on which you can set your food.

If you plan to make an expert-level charcuterie board and need items to stay cool, you'll have the option to place your tray or board on a formed block of ice resting inside a pan that provides borders. This would also be a wonderful option when serving fruit, whether you decide to purchase a pre-made tray, or better yet, purchase whole fruit to make a fruit platter on your own.

You have control over the size of trays you use, as you can choose to freeze water in a larger foil pan or a smaller one, depending on how much room you have in your freezer. That way, you can customize your size to accommodate a large or small portion of food. Many foil pan sets come with a large number of pans. If you only need a few pans, shop on Amazon to purchase a set of four 3-quart Kingsford Heavy Duty Large Aluminum Pans, which measure 15.75 inches by 11.25 inches. If you'd like smaller pans, try a set of two Handi-Foil Utility Pans, measuring 13 inches by 9 inches. You can freeze water in each individual pan and stack them in the freezer, saving them for later so you'll have enough when it's time to serve all of the food at your get-together.