Day to Day Dreams
  • Home
  • Project Gallery
  • What's Cooking
  • Photography
  • About
  • Contact Me

DIY Ice Packs

4/18/2013

28 Comments

 
DIY Ice Packs DaytoDayDreams.com
I recently received and reviewed the
 FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System and loved it!
Picture
 DaytoDayDreams.com
I was mindlessly surfing Pinterest,
 (if you aren't aware of what that is, message me - I'll invite you)
and I discovered homemade ice packs. I visited a couple different websites to research the various concoctions and the following is what I did to create flexible, almost frozen ice packs. These would be perfect for an injury or a cooler :)
DIY Ice Packs DaytoDayDreams.com
I figured it probably cost me $1.50 to make 2 ice packs, they would retail for approximately $5.00 each - that's a whopping $8.50 SAVINGS!
Picture
2 Cups of water + 1 cup of rubbing alcohol
Picture
1 drop of red, 1 drop of blue food colouring
Picture
I poured my mixture in to a resealable bag, trying to get rid of as much air as possible. I plan on vacuum sealing these and placing in a bag first ensures that my liquid won't be sucked out during the vacuuming process.
I did my first one purple, only because I have a purple lovin', horse back riding, soccer playing, monkey bar climbing, 7 year old niece. It's for her.

Now I have to do a blue for her 11 year old sister, the hockey playing, peace sign lovin', hippy chick.
Picture
Picture
Here I'm pouring it into the resealable baggie. The colour possibilities are endless.
Then using my FoodSaver roll,  I created bags that fit each ice pack perfectly. I prefer the FoodSaver rolls over the bags,
 they are much more customizable (is that a word?)
Picture
I vacuum sealed each baggie -  
using my FoodSaver ensures NO LEAKING!
(unless of course bag is punctured)
Perfectly sealed and ready for the freezer.
DIY Ice Packs DaytoDayDreams.com
Frozen enough to stand on it's own yet
 flexible enough for an elbow, knee or head.
 All chilled and ready to go!
DIY Ice Packs DaytoDayDreams.com
28 Comments
Donna
4/18/2013 12:35:28 pm

Awesome idea!! Now I just need to find someone with a food saver bag system to make me some for my classroom!! :)

Reply
Terry
8/10/2013 12:09:31 am

I have the system and have done this for years without the alcohol or food coloring. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Michelle - Day to day Dreams
8/10/2013 07:58:03 am

I added the alcohol to make the ice packs flexible so that they can be used on scraped knees, sore elbows, head bumps etc. I added 1 drop of food colouring to each just so that the kids could each have their own colour. Thanks for visiting!

debi t
8/10/2013 07:23:26 am

I would gladly help you if you were in my area ask around!!

Reply
Joe
8/10/2013 01:02:50 am

If your using 50% alcohol...you might as well use Liquor...then if the bag leaks you won't get poisoned

Reply
Michelle - Day to Day Dreams
8/10/2013 04:02:57 am

Hey Joe,
I've heard a couple people say they've made them with vodka.
I use rubbing alcohol because i alsways have it on hand for cuts, scrapes and water in my ear.
Thanks for visiting! I appreciate the comment.

Reply
beth
8/10/2013 04:49:18 am

What's the reason for the alcohol

Reply
steve
8/10/2013 05:42:34 am

Alcohol lowers the freezing point therefore making it colder.

Reply
Kathy Hutchins
8/10/2013 05:55:13 am

Alcohol keeps it from freezing completely so it will be flexible instead of hard as a rock ice.

Reply
beth
8/10/2013 10:07:17 am

OK thanks. Rotator cuff surgery in my future. I will store some of these. Very timely.

Debi Pennington
8/10/2013 07:19:10 am

I'd be concerned that the food coloring might stain something if the bag leaked.

Reply
Michelle - Day to Day Dreams
8/10/2013 08:00:31 am

Hi Debi
I've never had one leak yet (touch wood) but you can make them woithout the food colouring. The colouring only makes them look pretty it really has no other purpose. It would probably stain as much as koolaid or a popsicle would.
Thanks for visiting!

Reply
Carole
8/10/2013 09:35:16 am

OK kids.....I'm confused. Do you leave it in the resealable bag and then put it in a FoodSaver bag and seal it? I see the picture of the the liquid in the resealable bag and then in the FoodSaver bag but it doesn't look like it's in two bags. I'd love to do this but want to be sure I'm doing it correctly. Thanks!

Reply
Michelle - Day to Day Dreams
8/10/2013 10:13:42 am

Hi Carole
Yup, that's what I did!
I poured the liquid into a zip lock or other resealable type baggie and then zipped it shut and then sealed all that in my FoodSaver. You have to seal it in something first because the FoodSave vacuum sealer would suck out all the liquid otherwise.
Thanks for visiting!!

Reply
Steve Black link
8/10/2013 01:27:26 pm

If you don't want to double bag it (for whatever reason) you could freeze it first in a zip lock then remove it from the zip lock and put it in a vacuum bag.

The drinkable alcohol ideas are also useful if you ever needed it as refreshment.

Heck, make it out of margarita, pina colada or daiquiri mix.

Reply
Michelle - Day to Day Dreams.com
8/15/2013 12:02:52 pm

Pina Colada.......Daiquiri....... Margarita....
Tape a straw to them and go to town!

Reply
Collette
7/12/2014 04:25:03 pm

Sounds like a plan for the mixed drinks, sort of like Capri Sun with the straw attached. lol, but is doable.

Michelle @ Day to Day Dreams
7/12/2014 05:29:18 pm

Exactly Collette....

Steve Black link
7/13/2014 06:35:43 am

Who needs a straw? Cut the corner off and squeeze it into your mouth.

Lillie Smitherman link
8/5/2014 02:09:37 am

my food-saver will seal with-out having to use vaccum!

Reply
Michelle @ Day to Day Dreams
7/13/2014 02:23:05 pm

Sounds like a good idea Steve!!

Reply
geneva
7/28/2014 01:58:21 am

I love my food saver! Has saved me many dollars, this is a wonderful idea. We have two ice packs that stay in the freezer, but could use these for mini coolers, or take grocery shopping for your chilled products. You can sew up two face cloths for covers for these, also.
Thanks for sharing such a great idea.

Reply
Steve link
7/28/2014 02:28:27 am

Great addition!

Reply
shirley
8/2/2014 01:53:06 am

Geneva that is an awesome idea to sew covers for them..

Reply
Regina
8/6/2014 05:20:28 pm

@beth ... My hubby had shoulder surgery in January. I had made up a few of these and he used them instead of renting the water-circulating machine the dr prescribed, which would have cost us a couple hundred dollars for two weeks. These worked VERY well.... And stayed cold for up to two hours at a time. Be sure to wrap them in a towel and NOT place them directly on your skin!

Reply
Michelle - Day to Day Dreams
8/7/2014 01:16:26 am

Thanks for your feedback Regina :)

Reply
Jackie
6/8/2015 02:20:28 am

How long do the DIY Ice Packs last in a cooler using the alcohol concoction? I want to make these for my 5 day camping trip. We're not allowed to bring glass, so I may opt to use our vodka instead of the rubbing alcohol. Do you know how long this option might last keeping items cold in a cooler? Thanks :) Great post btw!

Reply
Michelle - Day to Day Dreams
6/9/2015 05:40:33 pm

Hi Jackie,
With this specific recipe, the ice packs remain somewhat flexible and don't freeze solid. The idea being they are meant for boo boos scratched knees, headaches, sore elbows etc.I would say this wouldn't keep items cold on a hot day for more than a few hours, maybe less.

Reply



Leave a Reply.


    Archives

    April 2016
    October 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012




    Categories

    All
    Chalk Paint
    Christmas
    Christmas Crafts
    Easter
    Handmade Gifts
    Kids Crafts
    Tutorials
    Upcycled Project








                                                               

  Copyright 2012-2016 *  Day to Day Dreams  *  All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Project Gallery
  • What's Cooking
  • Photography
  • About
  • Contact Me