A few years ago I started using my crockpots for all events that I needed to transport food that needed to stay warm. This can be food that was prepared in the crockpot but doesn't have to be. I have even used the crockpot to transport mashed pototes. For this reason, I have several different crockpots of different sizes. This helps with the transportation, keeping the food warm and using crock pot liners helps with clean up. Just like my father always told me, work smarter, not harder