Best Insulated Food Carriers

If you're looking for a cute, high-quality bag to carry both hot and cold food simultaneously, the Rachael Ray Expandable Lugger may be exactly what you need. Available in a wide variety of nice designs, it's the ultimate "two-story" carrier allowing you to place your hot dishes in the bottom story and salads in the upper one. Besides that, it is constructed with Triple-Tek foam insulation and Temperfoil radiant barrier which allows keeping meals hot or cold for longer and, what's more important, without any flavor contamination.

Out-of-the-box, the carrier looks very attractive and seems ultra-sturdy. The heat resistant lining inside is thick and well made. The carry straps are also quite durable with no missed stitches and other flaws. Zippers and outside fabric hold up perfectly as well. The bag comes compressed and takes little storage space. Once expanded, it makes 16.5" x 10.5" x 6.8".

The inner dual compartments expand to a great extent and can accommodate 9" x 13" baking dishes or pans. That will be enough for quite a lot of food. So, if you need a capacious insulated carrier that will be ideal for transporting casseroles, lasagna, and desserts to parties and picnics, this pretty bag may fit that bill perfectly. It's also great for keeping food hot or cold for several hours until your guests arrive. Ready to feed a crowd?

The MIER company offers another expandable travel bag that is suitable for everything from taking casseroles to your friends' house to going on a car weekend trip with your family. It has a generous 6.6-gallon capacity and is made with two large compartments to let you separate hot food from cool dishes. That is to say, it can fit a hot, out-of-the-oven dish in the bottom section and a fresh salad in the top one. The interior lining is made with food-grade aluminum foil and filled with a thick 8-mm foam. Yet, despite the aluminum barrier and great insulation layer, the manufacturer doesn't recommend putting oven-hot dishes directly into this carrier. It's better to let your dish cool down for a few minutes or put a towel under it. Otherwise, you may damage the lining.

The bag is made of durable 600 denier material with padded handles, good stitching, and sturdy "SBS" zippers known for their increased smoothness and durability. Each layer of the bag has two zip pullers which make it more convenient to put food in. Also, there is a zippered area on the top that can be used for stashing hot pads, BBQ tongs, or serving utensils. Overall, the bag is well-organized and nothing gets crushed inside the compartments.

With so many products on the market, it's a pretty daunting task to find a high-quality bag for a reasonable price. That's why we have included the LUNCIA Insulated Casserole Carrier onto our shortlist. Although this thermal bag isn't the largest and the most versatile option on the market, it strikes the perfect balance between the price, quality, and design.

At 15.7" x 11.4" x 4.7", it has only one compartment but can fit not only standard 9" x 13" casserole and baking dishes but also larger 11" x 15" ones. Plus, it leaves enough room for other things like towels. The inner metallic insulation layer is very thick and durable in this bag. On top, there’s a handy zip compartment that spans the entire length of the bag. You can use it for carrying utensils and napkins.

The wide opening and zipper on the top of the carrier allow for easy loading and unloading of food. And the smart positioning of the handles ensures that the food will stay upright and won't tip over. Yet, if you still happen to spill something, you shouldn't worry since the lining is leak-proof and easy to clean. What's more, the exterior is made of water-resistant and dirt-proof Oxford fabric for easy cleaning and long-lasting durability as well. So, if you need a nice-looking, pan carrier that will not only keep your food hot or cold but also keep its top-notch look for many picnics to come, the LUNCIA Insulated bag may be a perfect pick for you.

The Juvale Rectangle Insulated Thermal Food Carrier is a little more humble than most of its contemporaries size-wise. The model is long and wide but not tall, which means that the bag might not always fit containers with high borders. On the plus side, the flat cardboard reinforced bottom makes sure the bag holds its shape so that the casseroles and lasagna dishes inside do not turn and tumble. The snap-together handle is pretty brilliant as well, enabling convenient food transportation without introducing sizable handle straps dangling everywhere.

Matching teal with grey, the bag's quite attractive too, but that's beside the point (unless it isn't?). What's not beside the point, however, is the aluminum lining working alongside the thick foam. Between these two, the bag delivers top-notch insulation, making sure that the food or drinks inside remain hot or cold. The last little touch here is a transparent plastic compartment that can accommodate ID cards and name tags, borrowing inspiration from luggage/suitcases.

In closing, as long as you're fine with the bag not quite fitting the tallest containers, there's no reason you'd regret buying the Juvale Rectangle Insulated Thermal Food Carrier.

The Arctic Zone Deluxe Thermal Carrier is another neat model that is perfect for food transportation. The manufacturer has paid attention to the finest details and made this travel bag from premium materials, so just everything about it screams high quality and comfort.

To begin with, we would like to note that the carrier boasts a specially-designed thermal insulation layer with the innovative heat-reflecting Therma-Flect barrier. This type of insulation works by reflecting heat rather than absorbing it, thus keeping food fresh for longer. That is to say, the carrier can keep the food hot or cold for as long as six hours. And what is great, you can take the food right out-of-the-oven and place it inside the carrier with no extra towel required using a removable dish holder/trivet that the manufacturer has thoughtfully included with the purchase.

The folks at Arctic Zone have also taken safety concerns seriously. This carrier is made without the use of BPA, PVC, lead, or phthalate and it meets all applicable FDA and CPSC safety requirements. Also, it's treated with Microban coating that provides antimicrobial protection, so you won't experience uncontrolled growth of bacteria, stains, and odors. All this surely makes the Arctic Zone Deluxe Thermal Carrier one of the best products available for sale now. It has a thought-out design, retains temperature for long hours, and won't degrade soon because of bacteria build-up, which makes it a useful addition for anyone who often travels long distances.