Stupid q- is it going to be worth it to take a lunchbox on holiday to use at the beach?

[penniesaving]

I was hoping to make up sandwiches/ a picnic for a beach lunch but we are expecting it to be HOT (Italy in July)- will a bog standard Tesco lunchbox be any use or just take up packing space?

An insulated bag with a cool block will be more use if you can freeze the block (or a bottle of water) overnight. The bag can be squashed down in your luggage.

Take some Ziploc bags instead?

Cool bag and pack things into it if it’s not a squashable one! And some reusable sandwich bags? Or foil.

You could pack things in it on the way there and back but I’d probably want a cool bag and ice packs too.

Frozen bottle of water like pp said in a cheap lined cool bag. I find we over pack for European beach picnics and have learnt to do one sandwich per person, chopped fruit and crisps and leave it at that. Buy cold drinks and/or ice cream cold qt the local kiosk.

There's a folding cool bag on Amazon, I;ll get reading the reviews. I know we have a fridge in our room but not expecting to be able to freeze anything.

Hotel room fridges usually have a tiny freezer bit, that’s not useful for much but you’d fit a couple of freezer blocks in.

I take ziplock bags - also use them for wet swimwear, snacks, using to vacuum-pack things to make them smaller, keeping phone dry if taking on a run etc.