How to Pack a Cooler To Keep Food Fresh Longer

Soggy or crushed food can ruin even the most perfect day at the beach. Instead of always worrying whether or not your food will stay fresh as you're spending time in the great outdoors, we have a few tricks that are guaranteed to keep your favorite munchies safe and sound.

Whether you're camping in the great outdoors, taking a scenic road trip, picnicking, or tailgating, keeping food fresh is always a challenge when you're miles away from the nearest fridge. Here are smart tips for packing a cooler or ice chest so food stays cold longer.

How To Pack a Cooler: Top Tips

  • Chill all food and drinks before packing them.
  • Seal food in waterproof containers to keep it dry and uncrushed.
  • Pack food in layers with ice in between each layer. See the illustration below for help.
  • Keep the cooler as full as possible.
  • If you can, have a separate cooler for drinks so the cooler doesn't lose its cool every time someone opens it to get a drink.
  • Keep the cooler in the shadiest spot you can find.
  • Don't drain melted ice water — it actually helps keep food cool longer.
Seal food in waterproof containers and fill the cooler with ice.
Meredith

How To Pack a Cooler: An Illustrated Guide

Instead of tossing everything in randomly, try to pack your cooler in layers. Use the illustration below as a guide. Bottles of frozen water form the bottom layer, sealed packets of frozen meats are the next layer, with cold drinks on top of the meat.

If you're using a separate cooler for drinks, then just use layers of ice instead. After the ice or drinks fit a rack into the cooler, place sealed packets of unfrozen foods on the rack. The topmost layer should be the fragile items such as eggs, fruits, or salads in sealed containers.

How to Pack a Cooler Infographic by Allrecipes
Allrecipes

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