For Long-Lasting Ice On The Go, Prep Your Cooler

Whether you're packing up food for an adventure or need to keep drinks cold at a party, an ice chest is the quintessential go-to container. But the ice inside your cooler has a limited timespan for keeping things chilled. If you prep the cooler in advance, however, you can make the ice in it last much longer.

Think ahead about where your cooler is being stored. Is it in a hot garage or outdoor shed? The insulation that keeps your ice chest chilly will similarly retain heat, so if the cooler is kept somewhere toasty, bring it into your climate-controlled home a couple of days before use and open the lid so it can cool down. You should also clean it well, as any residue inside can negatively affect functionality.

Before you pack your cooler, get it as cold as possible. This can be achieved several ways. If you have the space, you can put the whole thing into a deep freezer for a few hours or even overnight. You can also fill it with ice the previous day or a few hours in advance for the purposes of pre-chilling. This ice will be emptied to make way for fresh ice you'll be packing your goodies into. Frozen gel packs can also get the pre-chill job done. Inserting a cooler liner or lining your chest with aluminum foil will further insulate it – aluminum foil is actually the key to keeping ice cream frozen in a cooler. Tip: The official word is that using the shiny side of the foil versus the dull side doesn't actually matter (per leading manufacturer Reynolds).

There are other tips to maximize the coldness in your ice chest while it's in use. The golden rule for packing a cooler is the 2:1 ratio — two parts ice to one part other contents. Overpacking the container with food or drinks and skimping on the ice will lead to premature warmup, so use more than one cooler if needed to ensure there's plenty of ice.

You should also chill and freeze (depending what the item is) the things you're packing into the cooler ahead of time, rather than placing them in the cooler at room temperature or, worse, hot. Having them chilled will help retain the cold inside the container, while warm contents will accelerate the melting of your ice.

It's a good idea to separate food items and beverages into different coolers. The chest with the drinks is likely to be opened more frequently, and — similar to what happens to the heat in an oven — opening the cooler lets the cold air out and raises the temperature. So, separating spoilage-prone meats and other edible items into their own vessel, away from the drinks (which won't spoil) will keep them cool longer. In a similar vein, pack the items you'll be reaching for most often at the top of the cooler so you can get them out quickly and shut the lid. In general, keep the lid down as much as possible to keep the cold air from escaping. Frozen items that melt easily like popsicles should be buried in ice at the bottom of the cooler, where it's coldest.