Last Thanksgiving I showed up to a potluck with a lasagna that was warm when I left my house and lukewarm by the time I walked in. The host’s kitchen was chaos, there was no oven space, and my dish sat on the counter getting sad. I have fixed that problem permanently, and it costs nothing.

The Cooler Trick

A cooler is not just for cold drinks. It is the best insulated box you already own.

1. Heat a couple of towels in the dryer, or fill a pot with hot water and pour it out to preheat the cooler.
2. Line the bottom of the cooler with a dry towel.
3. Wrap your hot dish in foil, then wrap it in another towel.
4. Set it in the cooler, close the lid, and it stays hot for hours.

The trick is the towels. They trap the heat and hold it against the dish. I have carried a casserole forty minutes in the car this way and it was still steaming when the lid came off.

If You Do Not Have a Cooler

• Stack your dishes inside a cardboard box lined with towels. Works nearly as well.
• Fill a large bowl with hot water, let it sit for a minute, dry it, and put your dish on top of the bowl upside down. The rising heat keeps the bottom warm.
• Bring an electric slow cooker set to low. It doubles as the serving dish.

The Rules That Matter

Keep the lid on until serving time. Every time you open it, you lose heat. And do not unwrap the foil until the dish is at the table, or all your clever insulation work goes out the window.

One warning: do not put a glass dish straight from the fridge into a hot towel setup, the temperature shock can crack it. Let it come to room temperature first. For pies, the same cooler trick keeps them warm, but skip the top towel if the crust is delicate. A warm pie at a potluck is the dish that disappears first.