This Cooler Hack Keeps Food Cold While Camping & Lets You Store Leftovers After Cooking

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Packing a cooler for camp is a bit of an art form — you want to maximize space, keep everything cold as long as possible, and avoid soggy or squished foods as ice melts. One smart workaround that helps with all three is to freeze water in reusable food containers (like Tupperware or these Rubbermaid EasyStore containers). Once added to your cooler, voila: instant homemade ice pack. But the best part is that it pulls double, even triple duty.

These ice blocks keep the cooler cold just like loose ice, but won't melt as quickly, keeping food cold for longer. Seasoned campers often suggest starting with frozen water bottles or frozen food to create an "ice wall" at the bottom of the cooler, insulating everything above — and this hack works the same way. Unlike bagged ice, which turns into "cooler soup," these ice containers stay sealed, creating a tidier setup. And once they melt, you're left with clean, drinkable water, or some you can dump to lighten the load. The extra water on hand can even make cleaning dishes while camping easier.

After meals, the same containers can be repurposed to store leftovers. That might be half a pot of chili, grilled vegetables, or even pancake batter saved for the next morning. Instead of wrapping items in foil or squishing sandwiches into plastic bags, you've got sturdy storage ready to go.

A simple step for hassle-free cooking while camping is planning your meals. So, you might be wondering why you'd have leftovers — but it could sometimes be by design, sometimes by accident. Maybe you grilled more chicken than the group ate, cooked a full pot of pasta, or don't want to toss those extra scrambled eggs and bacon. Leftovers can be useful when camping or hiking, helping to stretch supplies and reduce waste. For example, the extra grilled chicken can go in a sandwich or on a salad and sauced pasta can be easily reheated in a pot. Toss those extra breakfast proteins in a tortilla, and make a quick breakfast wrap without having to prep everything all over again.

Having containers already on-hand makes it easy to stash food safely. Not only do they pull double duty as ice for the cooler (and extra water on-hand once it melts), but they save campers money on plastic baggies and wrap. For example, once open, many food packages don't reseal — like hot dogs or hamburger meat. And if you're a camper who likes to save money by purchasing family-sized packs, this hack gives you somewhere to put the excess without prepping everything before you leave.

This hack has environmental benefits too. Reusable containers translate to less waste — from reducing single-use plastics to cutting down on food and water waste.  It also means you'll have less trash to pack out when you leave. For more useful outdoor foodie hacks, check out these practical TikTok tips that make cooking while camping easier.