to think i can keep ice creams in a cool box for 2 hours at a kids' party?

[StrangeAndUnusual]

DS's 5th birthday party on Saturday. Temperature forecast to be 18 degrees so not super hot, but could be higher.

I am planning to put ice creams/lollies in a cool box with plenty of ice/freezer packs. Put box in shady place in church hall and hand them out to the kids at the end.

Is this totally unreasonable? Will they be melted, salmonella ridden splodrges?

[Migraleve]

Doesn't sound like the most practical idea tbh.

[FishInAWetSuitAndFlippers]

Maybe get packs of freeze pops. It won't matter if they melt a little.

[Sweatysweaty]

We bought ice lollies today and they Had already started melting on the 5minute drive home!
Maybe if you pack it with lots of frozen peas or ice packs though? But I think 2 hours will be a massive push

[StrangeAndUnusual]

I often take ice cream for school pick up on hot days - it's 45 mins from leaving home to the kids eating them, and they're always solidly frozen. That's just two ice creams in an insulated lunch box with a tiny freezer bag.

So it doesn't seem unreasonable to think that 30 ice creams still boxed up will stay solid in a big cool box with lots of ice/freezer packs?

Or does it ... :)

[plantsitter]

It won't work. Sorry.

[BigChocFrenzy]

Just makes sure nooone finds out about them, or they'll disappear before melting becomes an issue ...

[statetrooperstacey]

I have tried this it does not work. Honestly
I've cream isn't very substantial and is deigned to be consumed immediately out the freezer, so to melt fairly quickly really! You will have soup!
Check to see if the church hall has a fridge freezer some do.
Can someone not nip to a supermarket just before the end?

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Yes, it will work, but you'll need a LOT of ice. Couple of bags of ice, in the bottom, ice creams in the middle (loose, not in boxes). Pre-cool the cool box for an hour before you put the ice creams in though.

I've had a bag of ice in a cool box in this kind of heat for a few hours it barely melted. If you can pack it full of frozen stuff you'll be fine for two hours.

[BikeRunSki]

I've tried this.
It doesn't work.
Believe me, and statetrooperstacey

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Meant to say to put bags of ice on top as well.

[StrangeAndUnusual]

Now it feels like a challenge!

[StrangeAndUnusual]

I am going to freeze some giant bags of water tonight, and try it with a single ice cream tomorrow.

Will report back ....

[Ginslinger]

I've done it with tubs of icecream and freezer packs for about 1.5 hours and it was ok - just ready to serve but I don't think it would work with individual icecreams

[BangkokBlues]

I would do freeze pops or calypso style lollies so it doesn't matter if they melt a little bit.

However I think you will be find with a cool box (not bag) and packed with lots and lots of ice packs and a wet towel over the top.

[Hillarious]

Drove three hours home in yesterday's heat with the contents of DD's university room. This included two bags of Quorn mince, a bag of peas, a bag of frozen spinach and half a bag of summer fruits - all in a cool bag. All made it home still frozen.

As for ice packs, when we camp in the summer I freeze Capri Sun drinks to use as ice packs.

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Frozen bottles of water work well as well.

Basically, if the entire contents of the cool box is frozen, and packed in well, you'll be fine

[Shadow666]

Larger items take longer to defrost. Small ice creams melt very quickly. Just do a different desert, cup cakes, corn flake cakes, cookies, small pack of sweets? There are loads to choose from.

[Augustbabyyeah]

No way does this work.

[StrangeAndUnusual]

But small items packed closely together are like one large item, surely?

When we stay in self catering places, we've driven for 5 hours with loads of frozen food packed tightly in the boot, with ice packs and insulation around them. Always solidly frozen when we arrive.

I'm surprised no one thinks it will work. Beginning to doubt myself even more!

[Tfoot75]

It's not forecast to be at all hot on Saturday so I can't see that they'd melt after 2 hours in a cool box full of ice!! I'd do jubblies though as they need to be slightly slushy to push up.

[Joinourclub]

It depends on the ice cream really. Cheap choc ices, with whippy light ice cream, start to melt as soon as they are out if the freezer. Something denser would last longer. I reckon ice lollies would last better than ice creams.

[Cakescakescakes]

I'd be surprised if there isn't a freezer in the hall?

[Ginslinger]

I think you might be right - if you have loads of icepacks and cold bottles then it should be ok - kept in a shady sport

[Witchend]

Dm did this one in April. We had some strange drinks with a lolly stick down the middle.

[LooksBetterWithAFilter]

We were amazed at how long things stayed frozen in a cool box last year we had actually hoped it would defrost a bit faster than it did so it would probably work.