Lunch boxes, boo boos and drink coolers…DIY Ice Packs are handy and easy to make! Not to mention making your own is an awesome savings. I already had all the ingredients in my cabinets but you can purchase them for a steal at your local dollar store. We use our DIY Ice Packs in lunch boxes, soda cooler, a few in our larger cooler for picnics and recently for on our little one when she smacked her nose into a chair while building an indoor fort. DIY Ice Packs are great because they can be made and ready quickly!
DIY Ice Packs
Ingredients
- 2 quart-sized plastic zipper bags
- 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 3 drops of blue food coloring (or any color you’d like)
- Quart sized mason jar (optional)
Steps
- Take your first plastic bag and put it inside the mason jar, folding the top over the edge.
- Add the water, alcohol and 3 drops of food coloring. Food coloring makes sure no one mistakes it for ice.
- Carefully pull the bag out, mixing the 3 ingredients together.
- Remove as much air as possible and zip the bag.
- Put that bag inside the empty bag, squeeze out the air and zip. The 2nd bag is just insurance for leaks.
- Lay flat in freezer
- Use as you would any freezer pack in your coolers or on the body as needed.
- Re-freeze and continue using
You can find all these ingredients at your local dollar or 99 cent store and make dozens for the price you would for one pre-made pack.
Folding the bag over a mason jar helps to avoid spills.
Double bags gives you insurance over leaks.
Lay it flat to freeze. The water will freeze but the alcohol won’t, leaving it flexible.
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