• Put foods in “chronological” order – Pack foods that will be consumed last on the
bottom and work upward, storing first-used and often-used items on top. Store
perishable foods like meat and dairy products directly on ice. Keep foods dry by
using sealed plastic containers or zip-closure plastic bags.
• Keep coolers out of the sun – Ice lasts as much as twice as long in the shade. To
keep warm air out and cold air in, open the lid only when necessary and close it
right away. While traveling, pack picnic blankets, sleeping bags or clothing
around the cooler to insulate it even more.
• Don’t drain cold water – Water from just-melted ice keeps contents cold almost
as well as ice and preserves the remaining ice much better than air space. Drain
the water only when necessary for convenient removal of cooler contents or
before adding more ice.