Hello i'm sorry but this might be a really stupid question . . .
we're off to France for two weeks soon and we have a cool-box. I was going to buy some ice-blocks but then how do I refreeze them once they've melted? or do you usually buy/rent them from the campsite? or should i buy them and if so are there usually facilities to refreeze them on-site? And if so would we have to pay?
I'm not too sure about this, as I don't use one, but every time I've talked about cool boxes I've been told that most sites, both here & in France, will have freezer facilities to re-freeze your ice packs, they don't usually charge for this service, I believe it's a kind of communal freezer situation, so worth writing your name on them in permanent marker, put your spare packs in at night & get them out in the morning.
If you're on a site that doesn't have these facilities you can always buy bags of ice cubes from supermarkets, they're pretty cheap, but some think it's a bit wasteful.
You can always freeze bottles of water as well, or buy some frozen produce which can be eaten in the next day or so, when it's defrosted, such as meat etc.
i agree with nutgone, i usually buy frozen foods that defrost slowly so it is used as a ice block and i do buy bags of ice cubes, sprinkle half a bag over the food and keep the other half for my chilled drinks "ice and a slice in your G&T love????"
------------- April-Norfolk 7nts, Oxford 2nts, Defford 2nts
May-Symm Yat 3nts
June-Defford 2 nts,Pembridge 2nts
July-Tabacconist 2nts, France 19nts
Aug -Bosworth 2nts, Winchcombe 3nts
Oct -costwolds 6nts
Freeze bottles of water but leave a head space. As Nutgone said mark your iceblocks with permanent marker pen. Don't know about abroad but some sites hire their frozen blocks for a small charge, some have campers freezers and others let you have freezer space but ask them to be in a marked carrier bag for ease. You need a few to change and freeze them.
------------- Mavis
It is easier to smile than frown so share a smile every day
We just tried this at Manor farm - first time without EHU and I assured hubby it would be OK!
Freezer was too small for the site so no room for our bottles of water, when we did manage to get a small one in, someone removed it for us - as it wasn't an ice pack!
tried alternating the ice packs, but one had defrosted and the cool box warmed up before the next pack was frozen!
All in all, not a success - will need to rethink our strategy on this one! (he didn't like warm beer )
Lots of sites have freezers for you to store food, refreeze icepack. Never had a problem with stuff going missing. Some sites without freezers will refreeze iceblocks for you - some make a small charge.
change to a drink that doesn't need to be cool!!! while it is easy-ish to keep things cool, it is pretty impossible to MAKE things cool that are normal temperature. I agree about buying frozen food and using that to keep other stuff cool while its defrosting.
Failing that, beer keeps better in a bucket or washing up bowl full of cold water covered over.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: how to refreeze?!
"ice and a slice in your G&T love????"
, now all I need to do is get myself a cool box & join in with all the frozen fun!
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