How To Really Store Bags Of Ice

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If you're starting a new café that doesn't have room for an icemaker, having bags of ice delivered is necessary. Chances are you won't have ice delivered every day, though, which means buying a few extra bags each time and then storing them. You would think you could toss them in your cafe's freezer – but you really need to be careful when storing the ice if it's meant for drinks.

Keep Them Sealed

Ice that is meant to be consumed should be delivered in sealed plastic bags. Not "one end twisted and closed with a plastic tag or tape," but completely sealed to keep out contaminants. Keep those ice bags sealed when you store them. Open only the bags that are going to be immediately emptied into ice bins and drink machines. If you open a bag of ice and then set it back on a freezer shelf, no matter how tightly you close it, there will still be the chance that the ice left in the bag could become contaminated. The closure could open up (such as a twist tie falling off, etc.), or you might not have resealed the bag as thoroughly as you thought. Ice left open to whatever else is in the freezer could pick up odors from other food, making drinks smell weird once the ice is actually in use.

Don't Store for Too Long

Ice goes through its own form of freezer burn. While the bag it's in should protect the ice to some extent, the ice can slowly shrink because over time, even solid ice can turn to vapor in a process called sublimation. Ice delivery companies may have deals for people who order a lot of ice, but you need to be realistic about how much you'll actually use each day and week. It may take some adjusting, especially as warmer weather approaches each year and more people ask for icy drinks, but you'll eventually figure out how much you need to order each week.

Treat Them Like Frozen Food

Bags of ice may look like you just have to place them in the freezer, but you should treat them as if they were frozen food. Place them as far back in the freezer as you can so that warm air near the door, whenever you open the door, doesn't affect them. Don't let them sit forever, as mentioned, and assume that the plastic bag will sustain rips and cuts if you aren't careful when handling the bag.

You'll find that ice delivery is very convenient and may actually let you offer different ice cube shapes to customers – some delivery companies create ice cubes in several different forms both for drink purposes and for fun – and not having an icemaker will free up some time for kitchen staff as that's one less machine for them to clean.

6 January 2022