Block ice beats cubed ice every time.

Yes, you can keep a cooler cold for a week without dry ice — if you do it right. The trick is block ice, not the little cubes you get at the gas station. Block ice melts slower, stays colder longer, and doesn’t create a pool of water that soaks everything after day one.

Make your own block ice: freeze gallon jugs of water, or use large yogurt containers. The bigger the block, the longer it lasts. Pre-chill the cooler itself (stick it in a shady spot with ice packs the day before) and pre-chill whatever food you’re packing. Every degree you lower the starting temperature buys you another day of cold.

Also: a cheap Styrofoam cooler won’t cut it for a week. You need a decent rotomolded cooler (think Yeti, RTIC, or even a good Coleman with thick insulation). Keep it in the shade, open it as little as possible, and consider separate coolers — one for drinks (opened often) and one for food (opened rarely). Layer a towel on top for extra insulation.

If you do all that, you’ll still have ice on day seven. Just don’t expect to keep frozen food frozen the whole time unless you bring a mountain of ice or dry ice.

Plan ahead and you won’t be eating warm hot dogs on day five.