Best Ice Packs for Lunch Boxes & How to Use Them (2023)

August 18, 2023
updated Aug 18, 2023

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Ice packs come in all shapes and sizes and vary on how long they’ll keep food chilled. Find the best one for your lunch packing needs and learn how to use it right below.

All the ice packs recommended have been tested and picked based on community feedback.

Image collage of different ice packs for school lunches

Do Ice Packs Work for Lunch Boxes?

Adding an ice pack inside the lunch bag is one of the best ways to keep the food inside the lunchbox fresh for hours! It helps regulate the temperature inside the bag and keep it cool, so the food in the lunchbox remains at a safe-to-eat temperature and stays fresh.

How to Choose an Ice Pack

With so may options available, there are some key features to consider when selecting an ice pack. They are:

Size & fit: make sure the ice pack will fit inside the lunch bag in addition to the lunch box and other foods. Or an all-in-one bag!
Material: ice packs should be sturdy, won’t leak or break easily, and filled with non-toxic materials.
Chill time: look for an ice pack that stays cool for a minimum of 4 hours.
Easy to clean: spills and sticky messes happen so look for one you can wipe down easily.
Reusable: look for an ice pack that will last through the school year or longer.

Best Ice Pack for School Lunches

Freezable Lunch Bag especially to keep the temperature

Best All-in-One: Freezable Lunch Bag

The ice packs are built into the inner lining of this lunch bag making this a one-and-done solution.

It folds neatly in the freezer; in the morning, you simply fill it with lunch and snacks. I bought this for my kids and never looked back!

If you're packing hot food in a thermos, it can be used as is, without it being frozen.

Available in 10+ colors and various sizes.

Grab one from Amazon

Monday-Friday Ice-Blocks

If you're like me and forget to put the ice packs back in the freezer day after day, this 5-pack set has got you covered!

At 5 inches, they're compact and fill in all lunch bags.

Available in multi-color and blue.

I need these!

Fit Anywhere Ice Packs

At just 5-inches, their compact design is great for placing them vertically inside a lunch bag between containers or just in the area you want to chill.

Drawback: you might need more than one.

Available in multipacks & 4 color options.

Yup, on Amazon

Thin & Flexible Ice Packs

When you've got a lunch bag filled to the rim, these slim ice packs come to the rescue!

Their slim design fits between foods and they're flexible to wrap around yogurts or chocolatey treats!

They're great for teens who don't want "one more thing" in their bag.

Available in 10 colors.

Grab a 2 pack

Classic Ice Pack

These blue ice packs never go out of style.

Perfect for households with multiple kids since they come in a 4-pack, 5-pack, 6-pack, 8-pack, or even 10-pack!

Multi-packs, that’s us!

XL & Slim Ice Pack

Bigger means more chill so this 5 x 7-inch ice pack is the one for bigger apetites and longer days.

The simple, no-frills design is a no-brainer for teens too!

5 colors & multi-pack.

Grab some from Amazon

Foldable & for Older Kids

These 4 x 6-inch foldable ice packs are great for wrapping food around it for a couple of hours, like wrapping protein bars and cheese sticks, for example.

They don't last long enough for the whole day or omit enough chill for an entire lunch.

Recommended for older kids since they're not encased in hard plastic.

Keep the Cheese Cool

Yogurt & Snack Freezable Bag

This 9 x 5-inch zippered bag keeps yogurts, cheese, and protein bars cool for hours.

You can use it alone or place it inside the main lunch bag for days you're sending hot food in a thermos.

It's also great for after-school activities and snacks without having to take a large bag.

Available in 5 colors.

Available on Amazon

Do You Put the Ice Pack on the Top or on the Bottom?

The best place to put an ice pack is near the food you’re trying to keep cool. So, whether you place it on top of the lunch container or under it, there’s no right or wrong place to put an ice pack as long as it’s there.

If your lunch bag has a lot of items, you can stand it up against the back wall as well or in between the foods. The bigger the ice pack, or having more than one, the cooler it will keep the temperature inside the bag.

If keeping foods like meat, cheese, or yogurt chilled is a concern, place them close to the ice pack or consider wrapping them in a flexible ice pack.

How Long Can Lunch Stay Good with an Ice Pack?

When you put an ice pack inside a lunch bag, you add a layer of temperature control for your food. Most ice packs will keep the food inside the lunch bag chilled, at or near the temperature when you packed it, between 4 and 6 hours, without it going bad.

You can also pack your lunches the night before and transfer them from the fridge to the lunch bag with an ice pack night before.

by Laura Fuentes

onAugust 18, 2023

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