5 Ways to Make Ice Last Longer in Your Cooler

Pre-chill your cooler An ice-cold cooler doesn’t waste energy melting ice just to cool itself down. Stick it in the fridge or freezer overnight if you can.

Pre-chill everything going in Room-temperature drinks and food force ice to work harder. Put drinks, water bottles, and food in the fridge the night before.

Use block ice instead of cubes A big block melts slower because less surface area is exposed. Freeze a Tupperware of water, or buy cubes and let them re-freeze into a block.

Pack it full Air is the enemy — every gap is warm air that speeds up melting. Fill voids with ice, cold water bottles, or even closed-cell foam.

Keep it shaded and closed Open the cooler as little as possible and keep it in the shade. Don’t drain the meltwater until you’re done — cold water keeps things cold better than air does.