5 Ways to Make Ice Last Longer in a Cooler

Pre-chill the cooler and everything inside Chill the cooler overnight or toss a bag of ice in it for an hour before packing. Pre-chill all food and drinks — warm items melt ice fast.

Layer ice between food, not just on top Pack in layers: ice, food, ice, food, ice. This surrounds items with cold from all sides instead of just the bottom.

Use block ice or frozen water bottles instead of cubes Big blocks melt slower than cubes. They act as a thermal battery that keeps temperatures low for longer.

Fill empty space with newspaper or more ice Air pockets accelerate melting. Crumpled newspaper or extra ice eliminates those gaps and preserves cold.

Keep the lid closed and the cooler in the shade Every time you open the lid, cold escapes. Shade prevents direct sun from heating the exterior.