Cooler Covers

How To Keep Your Food Chilled When Going Camping

Camping is one of the most wonderful activities out there, at least this is what we think here at Anaconda. Of course, camping can pose some challenges when it comes down to doing everyday activities, especially when you are not camping at a dedicated campsite. If this is the case for you, be sure to check out our helpful tips on how to keep your food chilled during your camping trip.

Should I Cool My Cooler Beforehand?

This is a common mistake made by many people. Cooling your cooler beforehand is absolutely essential to keep your food chilled. If you put some ice in the cooler only a few hours before you start packing up, it will be much less effective. Instead, it is advised to ensure your cooler is sufficiently cooled and not at room temperature. While we will explain how to cool your cooler more effectively below, this is an important point to remember.

Do I Use Regular Ice In My Cooler?

If you have put regular ice in your cooler before, you have undoubtedly noticed just how fast that ice melts. While it is an affordable and convenient way to keep your cooler at the right temperature, the last thing you need during your camping trip is your food floating in a pool of water.

One type of ice you could consider for your camping cooler is so-called dry ice. Dry ice lasts considerably longer than regular ice and it does not melt. Subsequently, you do not have to deal with the usual puddles of water. Of course, dry ice does have a limited life, so only buy dry ice just before you head off on your camping trip.

To ensure your food stays in good condition, always wrap dry ice in something, this could be some newspaper or another paper that shields your food from the dry ice in question. If you do want to use regular ice, try freezing water in some plastic bottles. Not only will it keep your food cool, it will prevent puddles of water inside your cooler!

Should I Separate Food And Drink?

It is always advised to use a separate cooler for food and drink. The reason for that is quite simple. A drinks cooler will be opened a lot more than the food cooler, and this could cause problems with keeping a low temperature maintained. By using separate coolers, you ensure that your food cooler is not affected. Of course, it also limits the amount of times the cooler is opened for both coolers, enabling you to keep the temperature right.

Do I Have To Buy Ice?

We already mentioned that it is a good idea to consider alternative types of ice, e.g. dry ice. That being said, there are affordable ways to keep your cooler nice and chilly without having to spend lots of money on ice.

One great way to save money on buying ice is to freeze the bottles of water you will be taking with you. Doing so provides you with a number of advantages. Firstly, it will keep the other drinks in your cooler nice and fresh. Secondly, it provides you with a cool drink of water once it has melted.

What Is The Best Way To Fill My Cooler With Ice?

There is no real recommended way to pack your cooler with ice, although it is advised to spread the ice around the cooler as much as possible, this will ensure that everything you store inside will be sufficiently cooled.

To ensure your cooler gets down to the right temperature, always make sure that you fill any gaps inside the cooler. For example, if you have added all your food and there is still some space left, always pack it with some additional ice packs, dry ice, or frozen water bottles.

Why Should I Use A Cover For A Cooler?

The cooler covers from Anaconda provide you with some additional benefits. Firstly, it protects your cooler against the weather elements, this includes sunlight that could increase the temperature inside your cooler. Secondly, a cover also protects your cooler against the weather elements and can eliminate some of the food odours coming out, this is useful when you are camping somewhere with lots of wildlife.