Q&A for How to Keep Ice Cream from Melting in a Cooler

You can find rock salt at most grocery stores or health food stores. It's also called "ice cream salt" if you're having trouble finding it.

Typically, a local grocery store should have dry ice. T

Your cooler situation seems pretty efficient. Not much else to add, besides maybe just pack it with as much ice as possible, and if it's at someone's house, keep it in a cool area, like inside an air-conditioned room, for as long as possible until everyone is ready to eat ice cream. Then, serve it as efficiently and quickly as possible, and have extra ice to put in.

They should; however, it depends on how hot the weather is and how well-constructed the cooler is.

Yes, it will work for sorbet also. It will also work for other types of frozen desserts like gelato.

Fill the cooler up with ice and stick the ice cream in it, then pour more ice on top. You might have to put new ice in every so often but it should keep it mostly frozen! Keep the air con on if it's hot outside too.

It depends on how long your flight is, and if your airline allows coolers and/or dry ice. If your flight is short (1 hour) then the ice cream will last without melting. However, you'll also need to account for the trip to and from the airport, waiting time and going through security, so it is probable that it won't last. What would be better is to use a food courier able to carry frozen foods for you to your next destination.

You can keep ice cream from melting in a cooler if you use dry ice to keep it frozen. Add about 10–20 pounds (4.5–9.1 kg) for a 40 quarts (38 L) ice chest. Place your ice cream on the bottom of the cooler so the cold air sinks to it. Wrap your dry ice in a towel and place it in the cooler. Be sure to wear gloves anytime you handle the dry ice so you don't get freeze burns on your hands.

The only way to keep ice cream from melting is by keeping the temperature around it below a certain level. If you keep the temperature below -13 F (-25 C), then the ice cream will remain solidly frozen. Any temperature above that point will cause ice crystals to form or the ice cream to melt. Keep your ice cream in a freezer or in a cooler with dry ice if you want to keep it from melting.

It depends on the quality of the cooler, but generally, dry ice stored in a cooler will last between 18-24 hours. The amount of time the dry ice lasts in the cooler is also dependent on how large of a block it is. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, which makes it colder than normal ice, and the larger the block, the longer the internal temperature will stay cool and it'll last. If the cooler is opened often and the dry ice is exposed to the outside air, it won't last as long.

On a 100 degree day, it’s best to put ice cream individually, since the box will get wet once the ice starts melting. However, it will only keep cold for 30 minutes to an 1 hour.

You can use a insulated cooler bag because it keep all cool foods frozen for approximately three days and you only have a event for 6 hours. So you will be fine if you buy an insulated cooler bag. Or, you can take a small portable fridge and run it off car power or similar.

If you are saying about method 2 then, approximately it will last up to not more than 2-3 hours. I also recommend that dry ice stays longer than regular ice so you should use the dry ice.