The camping coolers are regarded as the most excellent choice for keeping the lemonade and beverages cool. It is also effective when it comes to keeping the drinks and food frosty. Choosing the right coolers provides a suitable opportunity in bringing perishable products, such as dairy products, meats, and vegetables.
When it comes to camping, it is worse to open the cooler and find messy containers. Hence, it is a prerequisite to pack the coolers properly. It assures that the food will remain chilled to perfection across the whole adventure.
As you pack the camping coolers properly, you will be successful in bringing the perishable food. It plays an integral role in keeping frozen products from thawing. Once you pack the coolers for camping, the coolers of medium quality play an integral role in keeping the items cold and fresh for about 3-4 days.
If you are wondering how to pack a cooler for camping, this article will be useful to you.
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Different kinds of coolers
Here, we are going to talk about the different types of camping coolers available in the market:
Styrofoam coolers
They are recognized to be the Styrofoam boxes, along with the removable lids. You require filling the boxes with the aid of the ice packs and ice, thereby keeping them cool. These camping coolers are known to be lighter in weight. Hence, they provide a suitable choice in accomplishing the job of coolers in no time.
Metal coolers
They are believed to be the most durable camping coolers available on the market. Therefore, you can consider choosing these coolers if you want to perform different kinds of high-impact and heavy activities, such as fishing.
Plastic coolers
These camping coolers have become the talk of the town as they are resilient and durable. These products can be used to store an ample amount of food. In addition to this, they come with handles and wheels, which make them a suitable option for transportation. Other than this, they come with ice packs compartments. They also include the valve within the bottom, which effectively drains the excess water once the ice gets melted.
Electric coolers
You can consider plugging these coolers into the vehicle. The best thing about these coolers is that they act as the mini-refrigerator. Though they are not the best choice to hold camping occasions, they are useful if you want to enjoy camping for an extended period. In addition, these camping coolers boast battery power for keeping them going.
Fabric cooler bags
They are available in the form of convenient format. They are composed of synthetic fabric. Other than this, they are packed with different cooling packs. So you can carry them without any challenges. They are believed to be the prerequisite choice if you trekk or plan to go to the camping website.
As you read this article, you can seek information about the different tips, which help in packing the cooler without any challenges:
Pre-chill the cooler
If you have kept the camping cooler outside in the sun or in the backyard, you should make sure to keep it indoors. Next to this, you should make sure to fill it with ice before packing. Finally, you should make sure to use ice to pack the warm cooler. You are going to have valuable ice time as you do so.
Just like you preheat the coffee before taking it, it is ideal to prechill the cooler. It ensures that the ice will save the prerequisite efforts to keep things cold. Before taking the cooler within the house, you should make sure to provide a thorough cleaning. Hence, you can be ensured that it has a fresh look and feel. You can consider keeping some extra ice. It will be useful in keeping the camping cooler extremely frosty before you go out.
Placing the ice at the cooler’s bottom
With the cold air sinking, you require keeping the ice at the cooler’s bottom for a prolonged period. The ice is known to melt faster as the additional surface area gets exposed to the air. Hence, you need to find different ice blocks instead of cubes.
The blocks are present at the convenience stores and gas stations. After this, the shape is fitting in the ice chest’s bottom nicely. The cooler’s lower level, which is located in closer proximity to the ice foundation, serves as the freezer layer.
Choose the right cooling materials.
If you want to keep the foods in the camping coolers fresh and cold, you should make sure to pack them with the aid of cooling materials. It starts with getting the cooler cold before placing the food products within the camping cooler.
In case there is a spare fridge in the garage, or there is additional space within the cooler in the form of shelves, you should allow it to cool for a day. Else, you can consider placing the cooler within the coldest spot and allowing it to cool.
Pre-preparation, removal of package and re-packaging
Before packing the cooler for packing, you should make sure to remove the excessive packaging trash from the food products. In addition to this, you need to take all the drinks from the boxes, after which you need to repack the foods within the reusable container.
It will provide the prerequisite opportunity in decreasing the total amount of garbage present in the cooler. Other than this, it would be best if you take special care that no soggy mystery items are floating within the cooler.
In addition to creating a mess, it can lead to a lot of health hazards. As you make the food and freeze it in the camping cooler, it will help in decreasing the preparation time as you are present at the camp. The extra ice plays an integral role in keeping the remaining food chilled within the cooler.
Opt for leak-proof containers, freeze and refrigerate
A worth mentioning reason why you need to remove the storage packaging is that it is not resealable usually. It will help if you remember that all the food items within the cooler are going to get wet. Hence, it is essential to opt for leak-proof and reusable containers. Storage of such types of goods within the containers and reusable jars helps in keeping the things fresh.
Freezing and refreezing
If you are planning to go for a longer trip with your friends and family, you should make sure to freeze an ample amount of food. You do not require freezing the food; you require eating on the first night. In addition to this, you require freezing different kinds of water bottles.
However, it is a prerequisite to removing 1/4th of water so that it does not expand, creating additional hurdles. You need to refrigerate the items if they are not frozen. They are inclusive of resealable food containers.
Freeze packs and block ice
Reusable freezer packs and block ice is regarded as the best in class ice foundation. Such solid ice blocks take a prolonged period for melting than the ice cubes. Therefore, you should make sure to keep them at the cooler’s bottom and create the ice blocks on the top. Though ice cubes melt faster than block ice, they work wonders in filling the cracks. Hence, you can use ice cubes for filling the spaces present in between the food products.
You can choose dry ice for the extended trips. However, dry ice is known to be extremely cold. It is capable of freezing each and everything. However, it can also freeze your fingers. Hence, you should make sure to handle it with utmost precaution.
Keep the beverages at the cooler’s bottom.
It will help if you pack the beverages at the cooler’s bottom. If you have the prerequisite space, you need to pack the smaller and separate cooler for the drinks. The camping coolers are useful in storing about three dozen drinks.
After refrigerating all the drinks before leaving on the trip, you should keep all the drinks cool. After eating the majority of the food, you will be capable of folding the drinks, after which you should combine each and everything within the primary cooler.
Using ice cubes for filling the cooler’s air pockets
The air pockets present in the camping cooler make the right use of energy, thereby melting the ice. Hence, you should make sure to avoid the air, which comes in contact with the cooler contacts. In addition to this, you can make the right use of regular cubed ice for filling the space present between the drinks and the food. Besides this, you should open the cooler for some time for the shortest time period.
Other practices
As you try to pack the cooler, you should make sure to adhere to the below-mentioned practices. As you load the vehicle, you should make sure to keep the cooler within the vehicle. You should refrain from keeping it in the hot trunk, as it is prone to overheating.
When you have reloaded the cooler at the campsite, you should make sure to place the cooler below the picnic table. The sun is recognized to be the source of heat. Hence, it is necessary to avoid keeping the cooler under direct sunlight. Instead, you should keep a wet towel on the top, which helps in insulating.
The most important factor in how long the ice will remain in the cooler is the amount of time it is opened and exposed to the outer temperature. Therefore, you should make sure to keep it closed before keeping it cold. In addition, it is recommended to keep the coolers within the shade properly on the camping site, as you are present at the camping ground.
Packing the cooler for the current pandemic
Even in the current pandemic, people do not leave any opportunity to enjoy camping. In this regard, you can consider opting for the cooler packing strategies, as it helps pack the cooler without any challenges. You should choose a shady place to stash the cooler after arriving at the campsite. These trees work wonders below the trees and the picnic table.
If you cannot store the cooler within the shade, you should opt for the reflective cover and shade. The reflective shades are known to bounce an ample amount of sunlight from the cooler. It plays an integral role in preserving food and ice.
It is primarily crucial if the ice is not accessible to you easily during camping. In addition to this, the reflective shade helps in making camping easy. You require storing the cooler during the night safely. If you leave the food outside, it might lure the attention of bears, ground squirrels, and critters, to name a few. If you are present at the car camping, you will be stashing the cooler within the trunk and the car.
Packing the cooler for the road trip
There are chances that you are planning to take the road trip to go camping. In such cases, you should make sure to apply different strategies and tips. During the package of gear within the car, you require packing the empty cooler. Hence, you will be capable of having the cooler-shaped spot in your hands, where you will be adding the food. Packing the camping cooler is the last thing you should perform before leaving. It will be useful in ensuring that the food remains cooler for a prolonged period. The cooler is considered to be the last thing that will be packed within the car.
Once you keep the cooler next to the trunk or the hatch, you can be ensured that it is accessible as you stop during the road trip. You do not require unearthing the cooler from the gear mountain. It would be better if you remember that the cooler should be packed in the main car part. However, if you have a minivan, this tip is not applicable anymore. However, if you are driving the sedan, you might have noticed that the trunk gets heated in the summer.
Draining the water from the camping cooler
If you have an ample amount of loose and solid ice, you need to drain the water present in the cooler. It is because the water will lead to the melting of the rest ice faster. Hence, if you want to preserve the ice, you need to empty the cooler. Before adding the fresh ice, you need to drain the water from the cooler.
If you want to seek access to the fresh ice, you should ensure not to add to the ice and meltwater soup. Other than this, it is a prerequisite to drain the cooler water before moving it. If you lug the cooler, you need to leave the melted ice water within it, thereby making it heavy. If anything is spilling within the cooler, you need to drain the water.
Cleaning and air-drying the cooler after the trip
You should not throw the cooler in the dark corner and head into the shower once you get home. You should make sure to hit the specific thing with the aid of soap and warm water. You should ensure that the bacteria are not festering within it. After cleaning the cooler, you should allow it to sit to completely dry. You will be surprised to know that even a minute amount of water can be the prerequisite breeding ground for different types of funk.
The camping cooler is capable of withstanding the force of the falling tree. However, it cannot survive the sun. Hence, it is recommended to keep the camping cooler in the garage. You can be ensured that the thing is going to last for a prolonged period.
Say no to food packaging.
Many people make the mistake of resealing the food in the tortilla bag or within the cooler. You might end up finding soggy mash. You should say no to food packaging to avoid this kind of mishap. It reduces the trash, as you are at the camping site.
In addition to this, you can consider wrapping the greens within the wet paper towels before you stick them within the bags. It will keep them crisp for a prolonged period.
Addition of an extra insulation layer
If you are the owner of the cooler, it will not hurt to put additional insulation over the grub top for fighting the beating sun. If the cooler is not sealed properly while it is not in use, lesser cold air will be leaked. You should check into the cooler for what is needed; shut it in no time. Hence, you can be ensured that the cool air is not going to be vented unnecessarily.
If you are planning to go for the next adventure, packing the coolers is going to do wonders. You should make sure to opt for reflective paneling upon the cooler. It ensures that the cooler is not heated under direct sunlight.
The best thing about packing the cooler properly during camping is making the journey more enjoyable without any mess. You will be capable of enjoying the holiday up to the fullest as you adopt the process mentioned above to pack the cooler for camping properly. You can consider purchasing coolers from campers-shop.com. We sell coolers of high quality owing to which people prefer to purchase coolers from our store.
