PatrickGSR94

Just thinking if I ever were to use my bike, probably with InStep kid trailer attached to get groceries, how do most of you haul the cold/frozen stuff? Cooler with ice inside?

I usually shop at 2 different stores across the street from each other. It would take me 15-20 minutes to bike there, and 15-20 to bike back, plus the stuff from the first store sitting for the time I'm in the second store. So the stuff from the first store could potentially be out in very hot weather for as much as 45 minutes or so - probably not good for things like milk, frozen fish and chicken, etc.

vik 

I buy cold stuff in batches and pack them together so they keep each other cold.

I'd buy as much cold stuff as you can from one shop. You can always buy the smaller load of cold items from shop #1 and take it into shop #2. Tell them you are buying groceries from them and you'd like to pop a bag of perishables into their coolers for a few minutes. I doubt they will mind if you are a regular customer. Then you only have the ride home to deal with. 15-20mins shouldn't need any protection.

I've never troubled with a cooler - too bulky and never seemed needed.

khergert

I use the Jandd grocery panniers with the covers. Pack the cold together, shade from the sun and you will be fine. I buy gallon jugs of milk, and they hold the cold good. 1/2 pints might be different. I'd be partial to one store at a time. Leaving stuff on the bike is taking a chance. You'll be ok for day after day, and then one day, you'll be short. You could always try morning shopping. these days, I get the heavy stuff once a week or so via pickup, and get the day to day small stuff by bike.

PatrickGSR94

Well I normally go shopping once a week for everything. We try our darndest to not have to go to the store between the weekly trip. Problem is there is cold stuff that one store might have that the other might not have. And we drink lactose-free and almond milk around here, so I usually have to buy 4 or 5 half-gallon cartons every week. PITA even with a car.

cabledawg

I bought a bunch of grocery store insulated bags. A few are canvas outers with mylar looking insulation inside and zippered tops, the rest are just space-age tech looking plastic bags with ziploc closures. The plastic bags go inside larger canvas bags so they dont get tore up in the trailer/freeloaders. Since we do almost all of our grocery shopping on bike and our two grocers are in opposite directions from the house, we pick one store at a time. Since both stores we shop are equally a 15-20 minute ride from the house, we just use the insulated bags and have never had issues, even on days when the kids are being "pokey". And like others have said, pack all the cold stuff together.

Another trick/tip if you must hit two stores on the same day is bring a thick wool blanket and wrap the cold stuff (inside insulated bags of course) on all sides inside the trailer. Wool is an excellent insulator and that extra few layers may buy you enough time to make another quick stop.

PatrickGSR94

Thanks, yeah I bring canvas bags to one store (Aldi). One of them is the insulated/zippered type (aluminum foil bubble-wrap insulation inside) which I use for all the cold stuff as it sits in the car while I'm in the other store. It's usually fine if there's something like a bag of frozen chicken or fish inside with the other stuff. But for not-as-cold stuff like salad and cheese I'd be a bit more worried about them staying cold. I guess I could get a couple of those reusable plastic ice pack things to stick in there.

MadCityCyclist

I use a cooler because some items may thaw and get wet during the ride home, so when it is in a cooler (with or without ice) there's no leakage issues.

kevbo

I stop on the way home from other trips...mostly my work commute. Buying a week of groceries at once was not the norm before cars and must-have-a-car suburbs. Use a bike on a bike's terms...don't try to force fit it into car duty. Note that the interior of a car gets hotter than a cooler would in the shade though... So just find a shaded spot to lock up.

dayworks

I carry them like this:

jdswitters

your cold groceries may be different than mine, as I only need to shop for one. But I found a an ozark trail cooler, 6-pack with removeable hard liner that fits into a wald folding basket perfectly. The other basket carries a full reusable grocery bag.

PatrickGSR94

Yeah yesterday I purchased FIVE half-gallon cartons of milk along with several other cold items.

Allen

I add some Ortlieb spare parts to those soft side coolers one can buy almost anywhere. Look for the ones that have the hard plastic insides.
Basically a few of these parts-->https://www.ortliebusa.com/ProdList.asp?scat=21
Plus one of these-->https://www.igloo-store.com/products/...softiglobasics
Equals a relatively inexpensive insulated pannier.