I love family and friend gatherings for any occasion. Since I have a large family and a great group of friends, when we get together, we all contribute no matter what we celebrate.
Whether it is potluck dinner or not, whenever we head over to someone’s house, we usually bring something to share.
At the last gathering, I went to, I ran out of time to get ready, so instead of transferring the dish I made into a Pyrex container, I just grabbed my entire Instant Pot with me.
I did not think to bring it with me since I thought it might have been a bit too much and a little heavy, but it ended up being a great idea.
After having this experience, there are many reasons why I will always use my Instant Pot as a travel container, the main reason being that it saves me time by not transferring the food contents to another container. It goes from a cooking pot to a travel container to a serving container without removing the food.
Spill-Proof
The seal of the cover is impressive on the Instant Pot. There is a label on the lid that shows if it is closed or open.
The rubber lining inside the top seals it tight. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about any contents leaking out during transit. Especially while it is in the car and experiencing a bumpy ride.
Typically, whenever I am traveling with food in the car, there is some spillage, even if only a little. Using my Instant Pot, there were no leaks at all, and I didn’t have to worry about it on my ride over.
Another benefit of the Instant Pot being spill-proof is that you can grab and go.
I mentioned how I came across using the Instant Pot as a traveling container was that I ran out of time, running late to the party, so I grabbed it quickly and left out the door.
I didn’t have to take my sweet time, being careful how I handle the container or worrying about spilling the. I grabbed it by the handles, and moved as fast as I could, and laid it flat in the backseat of the car, then drove off.
I didn’t have to take my time, carefully arranging it in the truck, securing it tightly between other items, or putting it in a basket.
It was a game-changer for me. Being able to grab and go where I need to go, without any fussing about.
Fewer Pots to Wash
Since I made my dish in the Instant Pot and used it also as a serving container to hold my meal, I only have one pot to clean when I get home.
It holds quite a bit of food as well, so I can make a dish enough for a large group, and I don’t have to split the contents into a few containers, which means less mess and less work. Sometimes when I get home late, I would just let it sit in the sink with soap and water and wash it the next day.
I’m a little OCD, and I typically don’t like going to bed with dishes in the sink, but, knowing that it is only one pot, allows me to be okay with it, and go to bed in a relaxed state.
You Won’t Get Burned
Due to the double-wall insulation design of the Instant Pot, you don’t have to worry about the heat if you just finished making your dish. You can easily carry it to where you want to go, and the outer wall stays cool to the touch.
Your Dish Stays Warm
I don’t know about you, but at the gatherings, I go to, most of the time by the time we all arrive and are ready to eat our dinner, the food is cold.
We don’t always have food warmers as everyone brings their dish, and on the way over, it gets cold. So we either eat a cold meal, or we line up in front of the microwave to reheat it.
Because of the Instant Pot’s insulated design, you can keep your dish warm and will be able to serve it warm at the party. I love this feature, especially when you have a long distance to travel.
Warm-up Food
Let’s say you made your dish ahead of time, maybe earlier in the day, or the distance you drove is quite long. For example, sometimes we are headed somewhere where it will take us about 1.5-2 hours to get there.
When we arrive at our destination, our food is not hot. The remarkable thing is that you can warm up your food in the Instant Pot directly, you don’t have to take it out and reheat it somewhere else. Just remember to bring the detachable cord with you.
Easy to Transport
The handles make it easy to carry, they feel secure, and therefore, you pick it up by the handles and carry it around.
The plug also detaches from your Instant Pot, so you don’t have to worry about the dangling wire hanging off of it as you carry it.
You can set it in your vehicle quickly and don’t have to worry about wires or any other items hanging off of it.
You can even leave the wire at home if you don’t want to bother reheating anything, especially if you are not traveling far, and the contents inside your Instant Pot are still hot.
No Food Smell in Your Car
Typically when we go to family events, the food items we’re hauling smells up the vehicle.
Not that the food smells bad or anything like that! It’s just not flattering greeting and hugging family members you haven’t seen for a while, and you smell like you just came out of a pot of seasoning.
Due to the instant pot locking lid feature, it keeps all the delicious smells inside, not in your vehicle or your clothing.
So you can confidently greet all the family and friends at an event without smelling like a pot roast!
If you cooked something which has a pretty strong smell, you don’t have to worry about that lingering food smell in your car.
Conversation Piece
Every time we take the Instant Pot out to family dinners, it becomes an instant conversation piece. People are intrigued by its unique look and its hybrid functionality.
I love to chat about how much time it saves me when I’m making meals. I go into how well it cooks the food and how it makes delicious fall-off-the-bone tender meats.
We even decided to get a neat personalized wrap for it! The wraps make it look fabulous on any holiday table. Depending on the occasion, we stick on our festive wrap to liven up the instant pot and hide the generic silver surface.
By the end of the conversation, all listening participants are ready to buy Instant Pots, and the vinyl wraps for it!
Pot Is Removable From the Primary Container
Once you arrive at your destination, if you don’t want to carry your entire Instant Pot inside someone’s household, or if you don’t want an appliance sitting on the table, you can always remove the inner cooking pot. It’s a beautiful stainless steel pot, so it looks good on its own.
When you purchase the Instant Pot, it does not come with a lid for the inner pot, just the outer pot lid, so you do have to make a separate purchase for a cover.
You can purchase a silicone lid, which will seal it if you prefer it over a standard glass lid, which is also another good option.
Genuine Instant Pot Silicone Lid Mini 3 Quart
Instant Pot Tempered Glass Lid
Save Money While You Travel
I remember growing up, and whenever we would go on long drives, my parents would pack meals to go. When I say meals, I mean tuna sandwiches or maybe rice and chicken.
There was no such thing as stopping over at a fast food joint to grab a bite to eat. And yes, we would be eating the food cold.
They planned what we were going to eat and drink and had those items packed for our travel.
I find that nowadays, we got used to eating takeout and grabbing our meals on the go, especially when we are traveling. Doing this is pretty costly, especially if you are a family of 4 or more.
Why not save some money, and make a dish in your Instant Pot and take it with you?
It will keep warm for hours as long as you don’t open and close the lid too often, and that way you don’t have to worry about reheating it.
You will be able to save money, and you can also save time.
Make a dish that you can throw in your Instant Pot set it and forget it. And then pack up your things for your trip and head out the door.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Instant Pot is not only a multi-functioning kitchen appliance; it is also a very versatile food travel container.
Being able to save time and energy by cooking meals in it, especially for something like a potluck, and taking it safely and securely where you are going.
Next time you plan on bringing a meal that you made yourself, think about using your Instant Pot as your cooking appliance as well as your container. You’ll be sure to impress the other guests at the party.
