Frozen water bottle beats a plastic ice pack

A frozen water bottle will keep your lunch cold for hours, and it doubles as a drink later.

Fill an old plastic or metal bottle about three-quarters full, freeze it overnight, then drop it in your lunch bag next to whatever needs chilling. It stays frozen way past noon, and by the time you’re done eating, you’ve got ice-cold water to drink. That’s a better deal than a single-use ice pack that takes up space and needs to be refrozen.

If you’re dealing with something like yogurt or a salad that needs to stay really cold, wrap the bottle in a cloth or paper towel first. It slows down the cold transfer just enough that your food won’t get ice crystals on the edges. And if you’re worried about leaks, use a bottle you trust — a stainless steel thermos works even better because it holds cold for a full day.

You probably already have a bottle, so there’s no reason to buy more plastic.