How to keep ice for more than 1 day

[Monicadel1111]

:idea: Hi All, I’m new, I was just wondering if people can give me ideas amount how to keep ice for more than one day, or any other cheap idea to keep food cold. I can’t afford a portable fridge right now.
Thanks for any ideas
M

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Monica to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

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as far as ice first,

use block ice
have multiple ice chest, have one that is opened rarely
get a good ice chest
add insulation
when in camp bury it

those are a few tricks I use to do

Highdesertranger

 

[ramblingrose]

Get a good cooler. It will pay for itself. I have a Pelican 30. It cost $250 with the basket. 20 pounds of ice will last a week on average. I keep my cooler clean and only store wrapped vegetables in it. I reuse the melted ice for drinking water.

Sent from my SM-J327R4 using Tapatalk

 

[XERTYX]

I haven't used one personally but I've heard that the "camp crock" keeps ice for several days. You wouldn't be able to keep much food in there with the ice though. They're about a gallon or so in size.

You might could use a couple cups of ice from the gas station to keep some cold cuts and cheese cold for a couple days.

 

[crofter]

Block ice lasts longer. You may have an employer or friend who will give you freezer space to make your own block ice. 

Safeway used to carry block ice but you had to ask for it at some stores (kept in the back).

Make a cold box around a large size cooler with 2 inch foamular insulation or soft insulation like blankets, extra coats, etc.

 You could sew a cover for the cooler leaving enough space to stuff the batting in between. Use 4 pillowcases: stuff full and sew them together at the ends. Place around large cooler. Place large folded up quilt on top.

Use sealed packets of condiments commonly stored in the fridge. These are available online at walmart. Frees up space for other stuff in your cooler.

When I used an ice chest, I ate out of the cooler for 3 to 4 days, then I ate preserved, canned, or dry foods for 3 days, then got a day off for shopping.
-crofter

 

[crofter]

Get a good cooler. It will pay for itself. I have a Pelican 30. It cost $250 with the basket. 20 pounds of ice will last a week on average....

Agreed, the better coolers are worth the money. I eventually replaced my igloo with a yeti which I will keep forever.

I am currently working on an ice box for around a 12v fridge to better insulate it. Then I can make my own ice blocks with solar, still a work in progress.
-crofter

 

[highdesertranger]

Basically in the long run it's cheaper to get a refrigerator. I speak from experience. Highdesertranger

 

[crofter]

Basically in the long run it's cheaper to get a refrigerator.  I speak from experience.  Highdesertranger

Did you add extra insulation to your fridge?
-crofter

 

[vanbrat]

Agreed, the better coolers are worth the money. I eventually replaced my igloo with a yeti which I will keep forever.

I am currently working on an ice box for around a 12v fridge to better insulate it. Then I can make my own ice blocks with solar, still a work in progress.
-crofter

Make sure you have enough ventilation around it. There is a reason they come with built in vents maybe make sure when you build the vent side has it's own vent slots.
I wrap an old wool blanket around the fridge part of mine. We have 3 coolers, 1 is the drinks for the day it is small and fits anywhere. 1 is foods and only opened quickly for foods that need cooked or eaten cold. We will freeze our meats soups etc. in single meal sized bags and take one out early to help keep the small drink one cold and to thaw out for dinner. we have a 12 volt that we use also as a freezer and ice maker we have 4 or so small ice pack things, small water bottles etc. that work in the drink thing if needed and that we switch around in the ice chest as needed. The ice chest also holds one milk jug of an ice block. I also have a tiny ice tray for the freezer if I need to make ice for my tea. Usually We have an extra insulated bag in the ice chest for my tea ice. I can put a bunch of ice cubes from my home freezer in the bag and it stays mostly frozen for a week if it is not to warm around it. Nobody wants to be around me if I have not had my iced tea in the morning. If it gets to hot we can always get a bag of ice and ditch the milk jug as needed. I have extra foam pads for under the ice chest as we drive it is in the back away from open windows and stuff that might add heat, none of them are allowed to be in the sun. I made a reflective cover for the ice chest as well, but it fell apart after just a few days I need to make a new one out of better stuff. We don't have really nice ice chests just cheapy things from a thrift store, but I have seen that they are hollow so can be filled with foam spray stuff. I don't know about that but it is on my list to try. 
 I keep looking for things that don't need to be cold, I like the planning of foods to be eaten in smart cold storage order.

 

[StacyK]

I have a Coleman 5-Day Extreme, which I’ve surrounded with extra insulation (poly-iso foam board). 20 lb. of ice keeps temps in the cooler below 40F for 8 days. I put the ice in a big dog food bin with a gamma lid, so it never touches the food. Cost me $50. I’m sure the hinges, etc. won’t last as long as a better-made cooler, but it’s worked well for me so far. Haven’t tested it yet in summer weather.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Did you add extra insulation to your fridge?"

I was going to, at least that was the plan. but they use such a small amount of power that I have never got around to it. Remember I have Engel's and they don't even draw what their spec sheets show.

Highdesertranger