When the weather is hot or if you live in Florida like I do, is it OK to put groceries in the trunk? My husband says the trunk is ventilated like the car but I believe the passenger compartment would be cooler since that’s where the AC is. Who’s right? If car type matters I drive a 3series BMW. Thanks!
What kind of groceries do you want to put in the trunk ice cream? Seriously do not put any material that you intend to eat in the trunk for any (over 5 min )Trunk temps will climb to temperatures deadly to humans in a matter of minutes (depending on outside temps) Children die every year by being accidentaly locked in trunks. I would not put my groceries in the trunk if they were at all heat sensitive items (if it comes from the refridgerated section in the store it is a heat sensitive item)If you must use the trunk for food storage get a cooler, still watch the time a cooler without ice in it will buy you a little time
IN my car the trunk gets air from the cabin and then it goes out. I suspect this is a typical design. There will be significant flow into the trunk if your AC is in the fresh air mode and no int recirculate (max). The trunk will be warmer than the cabin because it gets the chilled air last.
My perspective is from living in AZ and i was considering worse case (car is parked)
Given any thought to opening your trunklid and feeling how warm the stuff inside is?
Or, actually putting a thermometer in the trunk so that you can compare trunk temperatures with interior temps?
You are not getting intelligent answers, f.tucker, because no one really knows the answer and they won’t admit it.
I too have wondered about the same thing for years. I have no scientific evidence to back up any theories, but here are my methods that have served me well over the years. There based solely on empirical data. (That means nothing has ever thawed.)
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All groceries go in the trunk.
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When I have multiple errands, grocery shopping is always done last. I’m home in 15 minutes.
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I always keep an empty carboard carton in the trunk. The plastic bags with the frozen stuff all go in the carton together and they are covered with an old towel. No special precautions are taken for the milk and the produce.
That’s all that’s necessary. It’s a simple system and there’s no need to fret over matters. But if you still have a hang-up over grocery storage, just put 'em front as you usually do… especially if you anticipate a delay. And (chuckle) ask your husband to show you the A/C or fresh air ventilation vents in the trunk. (There aren’t any.)
the thermometer idea is a good one. it certainly would give an accurate account. thanks!
We have warm summers and cold winrers. When shopping for groceries at Costco some miles away we put the groceries in the trunk in the winter, so the ice cream does not melt, and in the car in the summer with the A/C on so the ice cream does not melt. We have a Toyota, but have done this with all our cars.
I usually put all cold foods up front as you suggest except when the hubby is with me. He thinks there’s nothing to worry about and noticed that when I buy freshly ground coffee we can actually smell it in the passenger compartment from the trunk which makes him think there is adequate ventilation when the car is in drive mode. But you’re right-I have never seen vents back there and wondered how air got there. I think I’ll put a thermometer in there next time out and see exactly how the temp is. I usually get home also in about 15 minutes from the store but the ice cream is usually melted. Thanks!
Since the trunk doesn’t have any windows, it doesn’t get as hot as the passenger compartment from a greenhouse effect. So initially, the trunk is probably cooler than the passenger compartment.
I’ve always kept a cooler in the trunk and thrown the frozen items in the cooler with the perishables. Perishables by this definition include things like milk and margerine.
I also keep a stack of frozen water bottles in my freezer at home. If I don’t plan to get frozen foods I throw a few water bottles in the cooler on my way out the door. Not only do they not perish like ice does, they reduce my electric bill. A freezer full of frozen water bottles uses less electricity than an empty freezer.