Got a party or picnic to get to with a delicious warm rice appetizer, entree, or dessert?
Cooking the rice was the easy part.
Keeping it safely warm is the hard part. And trust us, you don’t want to be that person bringing a rice dish that poisons the guests with spoiled rice.
How To Keep Rice Warm Safely
“Can cold rice really poison my guests?”
Yes, it’s called rice poison.
Rice contains tiny spores of Bacillus cereus that pose no threat in uncooked rice. However, cooked rice creates the perfect environment for the spores to grow into bacteria.
And too many bacteria will multiply and produce toxins that may induce food-borne illness.
But don’t worry, here are our favorite secrets to practicing safe food handling and keeping your rice dish warm when transporting it from home to the party.
1. Stainless Steel Insulated Food Jars
Stainless steel-insulated food jars are best for transporting picnic-size rice dishes like sticky rice, fried rice, Spanish rice, or rice pilaf.
Food jars can keep your rice warm for 6 hours without leaking or brewing bacteria.
Try out the Stackable Stainless Steel Lunch box for a good container.
Food jars are eco-friendly and easy to clean and reuse. Just cook your rice dish to the preferred temperature, place it in the insulated food jar, and transport it. And don’t forget your cutlery!
2. Disposable Aluminum Pans
Disposable aluminum pans are best for on-the-go rice dishes that have to feed a large crowd.
You can purchase single-use disposable aluminum pans at the grocery or in bulk like these Heavy-Duty Baking Pans on Amazon.
Aluminum pans can serve up to 80 5-ounce rice dishes. They are also:
- Lightweight and easy to transport
- Stays warm for up to 1 hour
- Come in a variety of catering sizes
And don’t forget to tightly cover your pan with aluminum foil or a tray lid. Then, if need be, quickly warm in the oven on low heat.
3. Electric Food Warmers
When paired with a portable battery, electric food warmers are the perfect options for hosts that want fool-proof warm rice when the guests arrive.
They let you quickly control the temperature without the mess or risk of getting your guests sick with the switch of a button and an extension cord plug-in.
For a big party, you can try out the Proctor-Silex Buffet Server & Warmer for Amazon.
4. Aluminum Foil Wrapped With Towels
If you’re transporting warm spring rolls or rice paper rolls, aluminum foil wraps can help your rice rolls warm without reheating.
Because let’s admit it, microwaved rice noodle rolls don’t taste the same as steamed fresh.
It’s simple! Grab a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap it around your rolls without leaving an opening.
After, wrap your foil-wrapped rolls in a towel and transport them. The towel will keep the steam and moisture from escaping.
5. Reusable Insulated Lunch Bags
Reusable insulated lunch bags or thermal insulated cooler bags are perfect for warm rice dishes on-the-go fit for a picnic.
They match the temperature of the food stored inside and protect your contents from spilling inside your car.
Some reusable insulated lunch bags feature one bag with two compartments for hot and cold rice dishes.
We personally recommend the MAZFORCE Insulated Lunch Bag for compact traveling.
6. Hard Coolers
A hard cooler is a perfect option for traveling long distances and is easy to wrap rice dumplings or warmed rice pudding. Hard coolers can keep your rice warm for up to 8 hours.
We like to use the Coleman Chest Cooler from Amazon to keep our rice dishes warm. Don’t let the name fool you.
Here are a few quick tips for keeping your rice hot in a hard cooler:
- Line your hard cooler with aluminum foil
- Place pre-heated heat packs or hot water bottles in the cooler
- Place food inside the cooler
Hard coolers are economical, reusable, and easy to carry when you need them most. You can find them at your local outdoor outfitters or online.
They make for the perfect transport for rice in the mountains, on the campgrounds, or at the vineyard.
FAQ
These are some frequently asked questions about safely transporting your rice.
Can rice be kept warm?
You can keep rice warm if you follow these easy tips to prevent food-borne bacteria from entering your rice during transport.
- Retain the heat of your rice with an insulated container.
- Tightly wrap and seal your rice until steam and heat do not leak
- Choose insulated food jars for drives longer than 3 hours
Do not let your rice remain warm for more than 6 hours.
Although untouched rice will quickly turn dry, rice that sits for too long may turn yellow with a sour smell.
Also, do not eat the rice if you notice a funny smell paired with slime.
Can you keep rice warm in a chafing dish?
Chafing dishes are traditional portable catering pans that keep rice warm with a small flame.
They offer enough heat to keep your rice hot and ready without scorching or burning the rice.
We personally like the Buffet Serving Kit from Amazon.
Chafing dishes are durable and long-lasting, feature easy-to-open retractable lids, and come in a variety of sizes fit for rice dishes:
- Reuseable standard chafing dishes like Spanish rice and jambalaya
- Disposable chafing dishes for BBQ rice pairs
- Drop-In Chafers for upscale rice dishes
- Marmite Chafers rice curry soups
Chafing dishes also come in various sizes for serving rice appetizers, entrees, and desserts.
Can you keep rice warm in a rice cooker?
Yes, you can keep rice warm in a rice cooker at room temperature for up to 2 hours without risk of getting sick.
However, you can store rice in your rice cooker under the keep-warm function for up to 8 hours.
Transporting rice in a rice cooker is best for short city drives under 30 minutes.
We recommend making your rice before transport before turning it on warm once it reaches its designation.
How do you keep large quantities of rice warm?
You can keep large amounts of rice warm in a crockpot or slow cooker. Slow-cooked rice is a good option for hosts that are not in a rush.
The slow cooker distributes heat to the rice slowly and evenly without overcooking or burning your rice.
When transporting your rice in a slow cooker, don’t forget to place your crock pot in a towel-lined tote for the most effortless damage-free rice delivery.
Alternatively, you can use a cooler if you don’t want to carry the crockpot.
