Help I need to get rid of my ice packs!

I am over run with Nordic Ice packs from a weekly food delivery service that I use. I had been just putting them in the freezer but it's getting a bit out of hand. I looked online and it said that I thaw them put the gel in a plastic bag and throw it in the trash then recycle the original plastic but that seem kind of counter productive to me. So I am looking for suggestions for places to donate ice to or a more eco-friendly way to dispose of them.

I cant help but I actually also have a ton of these (BlueApron, anyone?). Will be happy to donate somewhere where they'd be useful.

Bring them to me. I freeze them and use them in outbound shipping. That is recycling.

Blue Apron is the culprit! I love the company but the packaging is overwhelming.

Gioamorim what do you do with the other packaging inside the box?

Jgberkeley thanks I will take you up on the offer.

Any of them small enough to fit in lunch bags? I would love some.

I've never heard of Blue Apron. Just looked at their website, but the info is minimal. Is it a meal planning type service?

I get a delivery each Wednesday and it consists of 3 meals for 2 people this is the smallest package and you can choose between meat or vegetarian. I get an email on Tuesday telling me what is in the menu for the following week if I don't want it I can cancel if I want it I do nothing and it's delivered the following Wednesday. I like it because I don't have to think about what I'm cooking during the week, it has got me to try cooking some foods that I never had before and there isn't any waste if you only need 1 celery stalk that's what they send you. The only waste is the packaging and ending up with a lot of garlic because I feel like I end up with a head of garlic every week. If you take some of my ice packs I can send you a free week trial ( they send me free weeks to share with people all the time). ;-)

Lol! Thanks for the offer (and the info!). It sounds really interesting. I may take you up on your offer. Must ponder how this would work for us.

Can they be used for injuries? I remember the school nurses putting ice cubes in plastic bags to make handy ice packs at schools.....maybe ask the closest school if they could use some? Between PE classes and lunch recess, kids were always coming in with bumps and bruises.

I wouldn't mind having a few packs and I would like to try the service. I could pick up ice Thurs or Fri.

I can take some! I can pick them up from George.

George may even be able to reuse the rest of the packaging that comes with your meals. I alternate between dropping off my Amazon boxes at UPS and the eBay store in Millburn. I keep them in the trunk of my car and stop by whenever I'm nearest to one or the other.

No matter how many times I see the thread title, I see
"Help I need to get rid of my ice picks!"

chillout said:

I get a delivery each Wednesday and it consists of 3 meals for 2 people this is the smallest package and you can choose between meat or vegetarian. I get an email on Tuesday telling me what is in the menu for the following week if I don't want it I can cancel if I want it I do nothing and it's delivered the following Wednesday. I like it because I don't have to think about what I'm cooking during the week, it has got me to try cooking some foods that I never had before and there isn't any waste if you only need 1 celery stalk that's what they send you. The only waste is the packaging and ending up with a lot of garlic because I feel like I end up with a head of garlic every week. If you take some of my ice packs I can send you a free week trial ( they send me free weeks to share with people all the time). ;-)


Very well explained - yours sound exactly like what my words would be. And yes, the packaging really sucks! I mean, I like it that I know it's so well stocked with ice packs that if I'm not home the box can wait a couple hours outside no problem. Husband, however, who is in charge of the trash/recycling hates them. We recycle the boxes (which are annoyingly hard to fold), keep the ice packs (alas - I have to many!) and put out the foam protection thingy on the regular trash. I told him to look it up how to recycle everything in their website but he never did it.

Oh, and yes - too much garlic and leaves left some weeks.

jgberkeley said:

Bring them to me. I freeze them and use them in outbound shipping. That is recycling.


Where can I bring them? I have a ton!

If it is the white styrofoam, there's a place on Fadem Rd in Springfield that collects it to recycle.

Gioamorim said:

jgberkeley said:

Bring them to me. I freeze them and use them in outbound shipping. That is recycling.


Where can I bring them? I have a ton!


Bring them to The UPS Store in South Orange. On the corner of Sloan and South Orange Avenue. The train station is across the street, as is Ashley's market; Dunking Donuts is next door to us.

4 South Orange Avenue.

Oh, and I can recycle the Garlic as well.

We also accept clean white packing styrofoam (no egg cartons or fast food containers); Batteries, CFL light bulbs, ink & toner cartridges, eye glasses, cellphones and packing peanuts, bubble wrap.

Later, Da, George


Thanx for all the ice packs. Several went out this week sending food to family for folks.

So far, no garlic has arrived. Where is all that? No garlic would be wasted if delivered here to The UPS Store.

@chillout and @gioamorim - how is the quality of the recipes? Do you and your families typically like what is sent? I tried Fresh20, but maybe only one or two recipes a week was approved by the peanut gallery.

adifferentone said:

@chillout and @gioamorim - how is the quality of the recipes? Do you and your families typically like what is sent? I tried Fresh20, but maybe only one or two recipes a week was approved by the peanut gallery.


We like them! It's been a little over three months so that makes it roughly 40 recipes so far. There was only two that I didn't like much, and one of them was a salad heavily based on a leaf I don't like (chicory). So yes, taste like it's totally approved by my team.

jgberkeley said:

Thanx for all the ice packs. Several went out this week sending food to family for folks.

So far, no garlic has arrived. Where is all that? No garlic would be wasted if delivered here to The UPS Store.


George, I've been driving with a bag full of the ice packs in my car, waiting for a chance to stop by! Sorry - it's coming eventually

Gioamorim, Good to know, any of that over load of Garilc to spare?

jgberkeley said:

Gioamorim, Good to know, any of that over load of Garilc to spare?


Hi, I've dropped a bag of ice packs and padding the one day (thanks again to your nice employee who went to get it in my car - that was heavy!)
Just want to check if you want more, and if the padding is also useful. I may have a head or two of garlic as well cheese

The ice packs are gone already. The boxes are gone. The padding is almost gone. I wrapped a clay head in the last load of padding.

Still no Garlic.

Bring it all on!

I would like some if you still have some

pippi said:

No matter how many times I see the thread title, I see
"Help I need to get rid of my ice picks!"


The occult blood stains last forever... ;-)


I can use one. Can I pick one up from you, George?

I have a zillion, trying to find time to take them. If anyone is willing to pick up in SO let me know!

I have many, thanks to this thread. You may stop in and have as many as you wish.

No charge.

I am just a broker here to recycle them.

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