Summertime means outdoor fun, but keeping cool in those hot summer months takes some planning. Keeping yourself and the kids supplied with cold water and treats means bringing along a few accessories to keep those treats cool. Here’s how to treat yourself in the summer sun without having a meltdown.
Keep ’em cold
Traditional coolers
You probably have an old cooler tucked away in a shed or storage closet somewhere and have forgotten all about it. Summer is the time to break it out! Whether you’re heading to the beach or to your kids’ soccer game, traditional plastic coolers are reusable and durable, making it easy to carry them around and refill with ice as needed. To use, all you have to do is fill the cooler with ice. For cool treats like Popsicles® or pudding pops, simply add more ice into the mix and, to prevent getting them wet, store the treats in a plastic bag. That way, wrappers won’t get soggy.
Disposable coolers
Sometimes when you’re en route to the big game, little things can slip your mind. Keeping treats cool is probably the last thing that enters your brain as you get the kids dressed and ready to leave the house. Fortunately, disposable coolers are widely available at drugstores and grocery stores around the country. Polystyrene coolers are less durable than traditional coolers, but they do have the added convenience of being disposable (though not recyclable). A new product on the market, the Recycooler, is made from 60 percent post-consumer material and is 100 percent recyclable, to keep you green even when you’re on the go. Even if you use a disposable cooler, using sealable plastic bags to package treats with wrappers that might dissolve in water will keep them from being ruined.
Go simple
Almost every house has a drawer full of sealable plastic bags, foil and plastic wrap. If you don’t plan on being in the sun for long, but simply want to keep your treats cool while on the road, a few of these household staples can come in handy. First, wrap each treat in foil. This will insulate the cold, preventing it from melting right away. Then, fill a large freezer bag 2/3 full with ice. Add your treats to the center of the ice. Then zip! Your treats will keep cool for an hour, or until the ice melts. If you wrap each treat in its own plastic bag, it will keep cool even longer without any wrapper damage.
Watch: How to make your own ice pops
Don’t let the warm weather wear you down. Beat the heat and create your own frozen treats.
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Sweet summer after school treats
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