Have you tried reusable ice packs in the cooler instead of having to make or buy ice? I know some people have ice makers, but not everyone does (and not all of them are able to keep up with the demand, especially in the summertime). I recently bought some reusable ice packs, because I need them for my back. I was thinking about picking up some more for the cooler, so I don't have to bother with the extra effort of making ice or the extra expense of buying it. Have you tried these in the cooler? Do they work well and last long?
I've used them before for keeping things like picnics cool on hot sunny days and I've found they seem to last quite a while, although it depends how hot it is of course. An alternative that I tend to use for things like picnics is that I'll freeze some water in bottles and use them to both keep the food and other drinks I have cool. And to have cold water by the time I want to use it.
I have only ever used ice packs to help with sports injuries, and I have had them for about a year and have used them quite a bit. The instructions on the side have faded, but they still do their job just as well as they did the first time I used them. Well worth the investment.
We also have never used ice packs, because we just use ice trays if we want to drink liquids with ice. We have a cooler at home but we don't use it, so we use a freezer for storing ice.
We have those and they are great. The best thing about it is that it doesn't melt and make a mess once they are warmed. The biggest downside is that we had to buy a lot for a normal sized cooler and usually we could just fill it up with cheap ice we can get at a convenience store, but considering it is reusable it's not such a big deal and in the long run we would probably have spent around the same in ice. That said I so believe it's only worth buying a lot if you do plan on using it frequently enough.
We use the ice pack for cold compress purposes. Last month my husband was ailing from planta fasciitis that give s pain in the sole of his left foot. The doctor said that cold compress will ease the pain. And he was right. Every night my husband uses that blue ice pack for his foot. For making ice when we have a trip, what we use is the big plastic can of biscuits. The big block of ice lasts longer in the cooler than the ice cubes.
Re-usable ice packs are something I've used for as long as I can remember - mainly because - living in a country were it gets way beyond extremely hot and especially during the summer months - they're a necessity and very definitely worth every cent - as apart from them staying cooler for much, much longer than ice - they're way less messy too. In fact - as ice melts in next to no time here - I'd be totally lost without them - as not only do I use them to keep food cool when traveling or having days out - but more importantly when grocery shopping - as it would be absolutely impossible to get everything home from the store in an edible state without them - for the simple reason - that the majority of it would either have melted or started cook in the intense heat - long before I got anywhere near my home.
Reusuable ice packs are great for keeping kids' lunches cool. When we go on long trips and pack a cooler I like to freeze juice boxes and use them as ice packs as well as reusuable ice packs. Then I top up the cooler with ice. I have a thing about spending money on ice. A bag of ice at the store is $4-5. I have a hard time spending money on something I can make. I just have to be organized and I start making ice about 4 days ahead of our trip. I freeze water in large containers and put the blocks of ice in a zip lock bag.
We have an ice maker which is great when we have quest we still make extra ice or purchase ice to ensure there will be plenty of ice during the event. The day before the event we start to put ice in the cooler to hold the extra ice. We put ice in zip lock bags to travel with also.
I have a freezer full of ice packs and I use for various purposes. I tend to use the gel packs for my pain/inflammation, and then there are ones that have a quilted appearance, that come in sheets, which are very flexible, so can be woven among food items for beach outings, picnics, etc. I will sometimes grab one if I've been outside in the heat for too long, wrap it in a tea towel, and hold it over my face or neck, which helps a lot with overheating.
I try to keep an ongoing stash of ice cubes in my freezer, frequently emptying out my ice cube trays into an ice bucket, and refilling them all with water to make more ice. But it is tricky space-wise when you're trying to stock up on other stuff like bulk packs of meat or whatever other deals you come across. I've sometimes debated getting a second freezer, or perhaps one of those ice making machines. At one point in time, I had to make do with a smaller 3 ft fridge, and it was a real hassle trying to create ice in it, with such a small freezer section. So I ended up buying bags of ice frequently, since it could not keep up with my usage. They may seem inexpensive at around $1.50 a bag or so, but when you're buying it every day or every other day, that starts to really add up. Not to mention the inconvenience of having to keep going to the store every day to get it. One interesting thing I came across, was someone online who was making their own ice packs. If I recall, they mixed dish detergent with rubbing alcohol, and put it in resealable bags. I guess the mixture will freeze up but not get solid, so it could be used for sprains and aches.
