Goal: To help children understand why it's important to keep frozen foods frozen until you are ready to prepare them.

Background Information: Thawing commercially frozen foods improperly can affect their quality and consistency and allow bacteria to grow.

Share these tips with your children:

• Select packages that are clean and firm.
• Buy only ice-free, undamaged packages.
• Make the frozen food aisle the last stop before leaving the store.
• Pack all frozen food items together to help maintain their cold temperature.
• Return home immediately and store all frozen items in your freezer.
• Label and date all purchases.
• After frozen food has thawed, use it immediately or discard it.

You'll Need: ice cubes; plastic containers; insulating materials such as newspaper, fabric scraps, plastic bags, cardboard, foil, foam peanuts, etc.; and Reproducible Panel 1.

Activity: Read the Cool Clues on Reproducible Panel 1. Then help children perform the simple experiments as described in each clue. Discuss the findings. Next, have children try different insulating materials. Encourage them to notice packing materials manufacturers use to help keep foods frozen between the store and home.