The Genius Ice Trick That Keeps Store-Bought Snack Trays Cool For Parties

When you're having a party or backyard barbecue, store-bought snack trays make for quick, easy munchies. Most stores offer a variety of foods ranging from fresh veggies to bread with dip and charcuterie. These containers often include a domed, clamshell lid to keep the contents safe and snacks can be served right from the tray. On a hot day, there's a risk that the food could get too warm, but there's a simple cooling hack that just requires ice and the tray's own lid.

The domed lid of a snack tray doubles as a bowl when you turn it upside down. Even flat lids work as platters. If you fill a small bag with ice and place it inside the lid, you can set the snack tray on top. It should click right into the edges, the same as it did when the lid was on top. That will seal the tray securely in place, and the ice beneath can keep the food cool for quite a while. Use cubed ice instead of crushed, as it lasts longer.

How well this hack works depends on where the tray is stored, such as in direct sun on a hot day or in the shade, as well as how much ice you use and how long it sits out. Regardless of those factors, this trick will keep your snacks cooler than they'd be on their own. Try lining the lid with tinfoil, too. If you have multiple trays, store them close together so they stay colder longer.

Deli trays are a welcome addition to any potluck, but things can get messy when the ice melts. If this is a Fourth of July barbecue and your snacks have been sitting out in the sun, the ice can't last forever since plastic is a poor insulator. That means there's going to be water in the lid. That's not a huge problem, but it can make handling the tray awkward. If you've ever tried to separate a lid from a snack tray, you know it can be sticky and hard to maneuver. If you try to add more ice before the snacks are gone, you can end up splashing water or spilling what's left on the tray.

Using a bag full of ice was an important step earlier, instead of just putting the ice in loosely. Hopefully, the bag is still sealed, so you don't have water running everywhere, which could spill. If the water did leak out, consider poking a small hole in the plastic lid to let it drain. That'll make it easier to remove the empty lid and refill it with ice.

If there was too much ice in the lid to begin with, even if it's bagged, it can make the flimsy plastic lid unstable when you try to change it. Instead of lifting the whole thing, use your fingers to pop the seam and take the tray off first. Set the snacks aside, replace the ice in the lid, and put the tray back on top. As long as you have enough ice, your snacks should stay fresh for the whole party.