Mia Kowalski

Get field-tested tactics to choose and set up compostable coolers for single-day events. Match capacity to your crowd, zone-pack for faster service, optimize ice, and follow a simple breakdown protocol to keep drinks cold while cutting waste.

Choose the right cooler for the job and pack it in zones to serve faster, prevent cross-contamination, and cut cleanup time, with practical setups for tailgates, fishing, worksites, and family trips.

Apply seven field-tested, people-first tactics to stretch a solar cooler’s battery - optimize placement, minimize openings, zone temperatures, and manage heat and resets - so food stays safe and service stays smooth.

Pack for people, not charts: pre-chill from the fridge, build labeled zones, and match ice to opening patterns to keep food safe and serve faster. Shade and lid strategies plus sealed bins make access easy and teardown a 10-minute task.

Make smarter trade-offs between weight and water footprint by prioritizing ice efficiency, durable design, and organized access over lab stats. Includes field-tested picks, planning ratios, and a checklist to cut melt, waste, and downtime.