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Planning day trips or weekends away this summer? Chances are, a cooler is one of the things on your list to bring to the beach, mountains, lake or campsite. How do you keep the items in it cold and dry? Throwing everything in a basic plastic cooler and covering it with ice only leads to spoiled and soggy food. That can be enough to ruin any appetite not to mention the hassle of clean up. Here are some clever cooler hacks that will help to preserve your food and keep a smile on your face.
If you’ve got one you’ve used for a long time, it might be time to upgrade to a better cooler that is well insulated and seals in the cold. Among the top-of-the-line options is the Yeti. You’ve probably heard of — and maybe even own — the Yeti travel mug tumblers, known for keeping beverages ice cold or piping hot for hours. The company also offers a line of hard and soft coolers of all sizes. They’re durable enough to get you through the most active of adventures.
Common sense would tell you not to start out with a cooler that’s been sitting in the sun or a hot garage. At the very least, make sure your cooler is at room temperature before you fill it. You can also give your cooler a boost by filling it with cold water and ice hours ahead of time. Dump it out when it’s time to pack the cooler with food and drink.
It’s also a good idea to make sure everything going into the cooler is already chilled. Even room temperature items will melt the ice more quickly than if they were cold. Portion out your food and condiments into smaller leak-proof containers. You may even want to freeze some of your food items prior to packing them to allow them to thaw throughout your trip. Frozen water bottles are great for keeping your cooler cold and keeping you hydrated once they thaw out.
Blocks of ice and large cubes are preferable to shaved ice or chips.The recommended amount is one pound of ice for every quart your cooler holds. For a large cooler that you’re using to hold mostly drinks, cubes are the best way to pack everything in and keep it cold. If they won’t take up too much space, use ice packs in combination with traditional ice. They will help keep the ice from melting. You can make your own ice block by freezing water inside an airtight plastic food storage container. Pack food and other perishable items around it in the bottom of the cooler. Another idea is to fill water balloons and freeze them and then place them around your items. Then when they thaw, you can start an epic water balloon fight.
Place ice blocks or cubed ice at the bottom with any bulky containers. Find something to create a metal shelf — the cooling racks you use for freshly baked cookies will work just fine — to place on top to create a dry zone for loose food items or cartons you don’t want to become wet. Fill in any extra space with cubed ice. Make sure the cooler is the last thing you load into the car to keep it as cool as possible.
Always remember to keep the lid latched and store it in the shade. Try to open it as infrequently as possible to avoid letting cold air out. When you have a big group, expect that people will be reaching for drinks often. That’s why separate coolers for beverages and food is a good idea. Place some glow sticks inside the coolers so you can see what’s inside once the sun goes down and you won’t be wasting time — and cold air — looking for something.
Believe it or not, water from melted ice will preserve the leftover ice, and it’s actually better to leave the water in there to keep things cold than to dump the water. Empty air in the cooler will only warm things up.
Do you have any of your own smart tips for packing a cooler? Share them with us! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Be sure to bring that ice-cold cooler with you to Butcher Boy Market so you can stock up on everything you need for the weekend away!
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