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How to Pack a Cooler So It Stays Cold

By Mary Margaret Chappell,

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Whether you're packing for a picnic in the park, a cross-country road trip, or a multiday camping adventure, knowing how to properly pack a cooler can make all the difference. The following tips ensure optimal chill for day trips, long car rides, and even weekends in the wild.

With a bit of prep and the right layering method, you can keep your perishables in top shape, no matter how far you're traveling. Whether you're working with a soft-sided cooler bag or a heavy-duty ice chest, the packing tips below will help you get the most out of your cooler.

Prep and Pre-Chill

Place all foods in zip-top bags or square airtight containers that fit snugly in your cooler. This includes store-bought items with odd shapes and cardboard packaging that would otherwise monopolize cooler space and get crushed or soggy in transit. Refrigerate everything overnight.

Build a Base Layer of Ice

Line the bottom of the cooler with ice—cubes, blocks, packs, or frozen water bottles (which can do double duty as beverages). The larger the better; big frozen items melt more slowly than cubes or small packs.

Remember the 2:1 Ratio

Cooler manufacturers recommend packing coolers with a 2 parts ice to 1 part food ratio for optimal chill.

Keep It Tight

Time to play cooler Tetris! Starting with items you’ll need last, pack them tightly in the cooler so there are as few air pockets as possible. Fill any gaps with ice or small ice packs. (One exception is whole fruits and veggies, which shouldn’t be packed directly next to ice packs—see tips below.) Finish with foods you’ll want to access first, e.g., a snack or picnic lunch.

Seal in the Cold

Cover everything with a final layer of ice or ice packs, filling the cooler to the top. Reusable flat ice sheets work especially well here: They’re light and easy to shift and replace each time you open the cooler. Keep the cooler closed as much as possible so the interior stays cold. If you don’t have a shady spot for the cooler, cover it with a blanket for extra insulation.

Handle Produce with Care

Headed to a resort or a campsite where grocery options are limited? Then you’re probably bringing along a bag’s worth of whole fruits and veggies. Here’s how to pack them in a separate cooler so they stay intact and optimally fresh.

  1. Protect items from extreme cold by topping the cooler’s base layer of ice with cardboard or a paper bag.
  2. Don’t fill gaps between unpackaged produce with ice. Intense cold and moisture can cause fruits and veggies to soften and wilt.
  3. Delicate items go in last! Add lettuce, berries, grapes, and other crushable items right before you close the lid.
Two side by side photos - on the right, dietitian Gena Hamshaw stands in a kitchen wearing an apron and slicing scallions while smiling, on the left is the cover of her cookbook A Grain, a Green, a Bean, showing a nutritious vegan meal

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About the Author

Headshot of Mary Margaret Chappell

About the Author

Mary Margaret Chappell

When Mary Margaret Chappell first started out in the plant-based food world as a writer, editor, and recipe developer, she was a bacon-loving former pastry chef who didn’t think she could ever cook without butter. Fourteen years, four cookbooks, dozens of cooking classes, and hundreds of recipes later, her favorite thing in the world is sharing the tips, techniques, and recipes that show just how easy and delicious whole-food, plant-based cooking can be. The former food editor of Vegetarian Times magazine has done away with her dependency on butter and is honing her skills at baking with natural sweeteners. Chappell lives in France, where plant-based eating can often be a challenge, but the fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes available are simply amazing. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.
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