By A portable ice chest is an insulated container used to keep food cool. Most of them feature a handle, strap or wheels to make it easier to tote around. It often constructed from two layers of a durable plastic material with a sheet of Styrofoam insulation in between. The larger models may contain a valve or spout on the bottom to aid in getting rid of the melted ice water. Purchasing bags of ice is the most common method to keep the inside of the ice chest cold. For people who are keeping foods they wish to keep dry, they either wrap them in plastic bags or use frozen bottles of water to keep the liquid contained. Smaller ice chests can be kept cool with frozen packs. These reusable plastic containers will either screw or snap into its lid. Frozen packs are filled with water and sealed with a gel to keep them frozen longer. The cheaper and disposable ones are made only of Styrofoam and are not as durable as the plastic models.
Owning one is the perfect solution to keep your food safe from spoiling on any long journey. Food left in cars during spring or summer days can become a health issue depending upon how warm it gets. If you have to make several stops during your shopping trip, an ice chest can help keep your meats, dairy, frozen and fresh produce safe. People who enjoy sushi, sashimi and other foods that can easily spoil keep small ones in their cars to keep the food perfectly cool while in transit. If you have a family, a large ice chest is almost a necessity.
Eating out can be expensive and sometimes the restaurant options on road trips are limited to fast food. Packing a homemade lunch full of the family favorites in your ice chest is a great way to save money and eat healthier. When you are not going on trips, the ice chest is still a great way to save precious food space during family parties. Keep the potato salad in the refrigerator and the beer, water and soda in the ice chest. If you enjoy eating fresh seafood then an ice chest is almost mandatory. Fresh fish or live crabs, shrimp, lobster, etc. can be expensive and you certainly do not want to gamble with your health. An ice chest will keep the seafood perfectly fresh until you are ready to cook it. Ice chests are perfect for fishing trips because you can pack your lunch and drinks inside and if you get lucky and catch fish you have a safe way to bring back your catch.
There are other types available. There are canvas and plastic designs that work with the reusable frozen packs. These are small and made to hold a single lunch or a few drinks. There are also thermoelectric ice chests that can keep food either cold or warm. Most of these thermoelectric chests can be plugged into your automobile’s cigarette lighter for power. The most popular ones are still the plastic ones. The design is extremely efficient at keeping foods cold. Plus plastic is a relatively cheap material which keeps the prices quite reasonable. You are supposed to have a look at the ice chest reviews when you have to finally decide which one to buy.
