Block ice availability

[WayOutWest]

I have a cooler in my van, not a fridge, and when I take trips I attempt to stock it with block ice, which lasts longer than ice cubes.  However one of the problems I am having is finding businesses that sell block ice in my area, the SF Bay Area.    The goal is to get the cooler set up before I travel very far, because I am starting out with a cooler full of food.  It seems no one in my immediate area  has this.  All they have is ice cubes, or dry ice. 

Is there any tip anyone has on how to find businesses that sell block ice, without having to call up dozens of gas stations?

 

[bagabum]

I use to call them Ice House, they would also grind the block ice into a tub for you. Haven't seen one in decades. I freeze my own in gallon jugs but I know this is not answering your question.. Good luck.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I have a cooler in my van, not a fridge, and when I take trips I attempt to stock it with block ice, which lasts longer than ice cubes . . .

You can make better ice in your freezer at home.  A refrigerator freezer compartment will freeze to below 0ºF and a chest freezer will freeze to below -20º.  A frozen 2 liter pop bottle is a about 4.5 lbs.

I haven't used a cooler for about 8 years and even then block ice was getting harder to find.  Plus a lot of the grocery store/gas station ice was kept at +20º; not very good ice.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I buy block ice in Sturgis during the bike rally, and at Quartzsite during the winter snowbird season. 

Anywhere else its always a crap shoot...

 

[Happy Camper]

Smart and Final usually has block ice.

 

[ckelly78z]

Make your own using plastic recyclable containers like quart, or half gallon milk jugs, or possibly 1 liter/2 liter bottles, fill with tap water, and freeze solid. No need to travel to a business, and pay them to do it.

 

[Summer]

But if you don’t have a freezer to begin with, you can’t freeze the blocks yourself, hence the needing to buy it somewhere. :/
(I’m wondering the same thing about sources for block ice. Not on the road yet but we’re working on getting an old trailer ready and haven’t been able to sort out yet whether what’s in it is an old fashioned ice box or a refrigerator, need to look at it more.)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bagabum]

Did see this, block ice probably depends on if the individual franchise owner carries it.
Block Ice


Reddy Ice is happy to offer crystal clear, super dense, structurally solid slabs of pure ice in sizes ranging from 10 lbs. to 300 lbs. We also provide compressed 10 lb. blocks. Regardless, if you need long lasting bulk cooling power or perfectly transparent sculpting material, our superior quality block ice is perfectly suited for your needs. If you’re looking to find out where to buy blocks of ice, contact our Customer Care team!   214 526 6740  [size=small](2[size=small](214) 526 - 67401(214) 526 - 67404) 526 - 6740[/size][/size]

 

[Summer]

You got much farther than I did in my searching, thank you!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[crofter]

Kroger affiliated stores usually have it, and Safeway usually has it, but you may need to ask for it and wait while they bring it from the back of the store. 
-crofter

 

[BelgianPup]

Thank you for these tips!

 

[Tony's Dream]

I prefer block ice as well, but often have to make my own. Has anyone tried using the salt water in PVC pipe as an alternative to ice? I don't know how long they last as compared to ice and freezing them while traveling would be a problem too. Just thinking out loud.

 

[MrNoodly]

My Dad, born in 1904, told me how when he was a kid folks would take saws onto frozen lakes and ponds and cut up the ice, haul it to an ice house, and pack it in sawdust. If the winter had been cold enough, long enough, they could put in a supply of ice to last most of the way through summer. Ah, the good old days.

 

[maki2]

Fred Meyers has it. Basically a store needs enough floor space for freezers to stock both crushed ice and block ice. So many smaller stores that don't have a lot of square footage and only have room for one small to medium sized freezer often will only carry the crushed ice as it is by far the product in greater demand. Stores have to make the space profitable, especially if they don't have much space in the store.

 

[Dingfelder]

Kroger affiliated stores usually have it, and Safeway usually has it, but you may need to ask for it and wait while they bring it from the back of the store. 
-crofter

Never seen it at both our Safeways and I used to work there.

 

[Dingfelder]

My Dad, born in 1904, told me how when he was a kid folks would take saws onto frozen lakes and ponds and cut up the ice, haul it to an ice house, and pack it in sawdust. If the winter had been cold enough, long enough, they could put in a supply of ice to last most of the way through summer. Ah, the good old days.

I saw a video on how doing that, in a basement, the ice could last mostly through summer too.