5 Rules for Packing Ice in a Cooler for a 3-Day Trip

Use a 2:1 ice-to-food ratio by volume For a 50-quart cooler, that means about 33 quarts of ice—roughly two 16-pound bags of bagged ice or a couple of homemade block ice bricks.

Block ice lasts longer than cubes Fill empty milk jugs with water and freeze them solid. They melt slower and double as drinking water later. Cubes melt fast and leave a soggy mess.

Pre-chill your cooler and food the night before Don’t put warm drinks in expecting ice to cool them down. That wastes ice.

Expect ice loss from opening the cooler Every time you open it, cold air escapes and warm air rushes in. The ice takes the hit. Skimping means warm sandwiches by day two.

More ice is always better on a 3-day trip You cannot have too much ice. More is safer.