If take-out foods such as fried chicken or barbecued beef will be reheated on the grill, and they won't be eaten within two hours of pickup, buy them ahead of time and chill thoroughly. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 deg. Then pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home. Keep cold food cold. Avoid opening the cooler lid, which lets cold air out and warm air in.
Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in another cooler.
When handling raw meat, remove from the cooler only the amount that will fit on the grill. Keep everything clean. Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters for separately handling the raw foods and the food after cooking. Don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Any bacteria present in raw meat or juices can contaminate the safely cooked meat.