Place 2 or 3 water bottles in your freezer the night before you plan to go to the pool. You will use the frozen water bottles to keep the cooler cold in place of ice packs or ice, which use up valuable space in a cooler.
Place the frozen water bottles in the bottom of the cooler when you begin to pack it. Leaving these bottles on the bottom will keep everything above them cool. You can also choose to drink from these bottles later in the day as they melt.
Place the non-frozen water bottles in the cooler next. Water is the best choice of a beverage to have poolside. Many drinks have caffeine in them that can add to dehydration.
Tear off 2 or 3 paper towels and place these on top of the water bottles. This will make a divider between your drinks and any snacks that you will place in your cooler, while still allowing the cold to get to all items.
Fill the small plastic storage container with cut up fruit and place it in the cooler on top of the paper towels. Fruit is a great snack for when you are out in the sun. It contains water and natural sugars that be a great refreshing snack.
