HOMEMADE ICE PACKS - LESS THAN $.20 EACH!!

If you watch The Doctors as much as I do then you probably caught 

the recent episode where they were talking about making your own ice packs with 

Dawn Dish Soap and a Ziploc Bag.

Being the Crazy frugal that I am I was intrigued and had to try.

after doing some research online I found a few different recipes that many swore by.

Many talked about doubling your bags to make them extra thick, super gluing the zip part to make sure there where no leaks and of course using a sealer system.

All of these are great ideas, I suggest you just pick a way that works for you!

I figure based off of my stock up prices that a quart size ice pack will cost about $.20!!

*Even less if you wait to get dish soap for free

This week at Albertsons is the time to stock up on Zip Baggies.  Click Here to see how!!

You might be thinking "what is wrong with just freezing a bottle of water?"

Nothing....But if you use ice packs for sore muscles or injuries it is nice to have an ice pack that forms to the spot you are putting it.

Dish soap doesn't fully freeze, EVER.  When put in the freezer it will only get to a slushy stage which is just what you want.

While searching the internet I found a few different recipes...

many said they also freeze Rubbing Alcohol because it does the same thing.

Here are the 3 recipes I tried myself.  I put them all in the freezer at the same time and left over night.  I wanted to give each one the same time in the freezer so I could get an idea of which one I liked better.

RECIPE #1 - FROM THE DOCTORS

• Fill a zip baggy with dish soap put in the freezer

My Review:  This works great.  Though I found that it does freeze solid, but quickly melts to a pliable state.

RECIPE #2 - INTERNET SEARCH

• Put 2 cups of rubbing alcohol & 1 cup of water in a zip baggy.  Freeze

My Review: This also worked great.  Though I found that the alcohol content was so high that it really never even got to a slushy stage.  It got thicker but didn't stay cold nearly as long.

RECIPE #3 - INTERNET SEARCH

• 2 cups of dish soap & 1 cup of rubbing alcohol.  Put in a zip baggy and freeze.

My Review: This recipe was my favorite.  It was the only one that froze to a perfect gel.  totally reminded me of the Ice Packs with the blue goo.  

HOW I STORE MINE:

I choose to make my ice packs out of sealer bags.  These bags are very thick and of course with the melted seal that the sealer creates I just felt better about them being leak proof.

I recommend that you put your bag in a container of some sort to keep it from spilling. 

Put the ice pack ingredients of your choice into your bag.  

As you can see I put the sealer on a higher ledge so the bag hung and kept the liquid where I wanted it.  I think it would be helpful to put the bag in the freezer for a bit until it is more solid before sealing it.  Then it would move as quickly when the sealer sucks the air out.

Push the vacuum & seal button.  You will want to then hit the SEAL button as soon as the liquid gets to the top.  Be ready because this happens very quickly!

Store flat in the freezer so they are ready keep your lunch cold or sooth sore muscles!

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