Re-use Hello Fresh delivery gel packs

[beginnerhunter]

So my wife buys a few of these meal delivery things (Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, etc.) I hate the whole idea, but gotta pick your battles amirite??

They come with a bunch of frozen gel packs to keep them cold. Anybody reusing these in lieu of the frozen milk jugs? Problem I have with frozen jugs is they leak eventually. And they are kinda bulky in my cooler/freezer. These gel packs more or less lay flat. Downside is you can't drink it or clean with it in a pinch. Just wondering if anyone has done this or any potential pitfalls. Thanks!!

 

[Nick87]

So my wife buys a few of these meal delivery things (Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, etc.) I hate the whole idea, but gotta pick your battles amirite??

They come with a bunch of frozen gel packs to keep them cold. Anybody reusing these in lieu of the frozen milk jugs? Problem I have with frozen jugs is they leak eventually. And they are kinda bulky in my cooler/freezer. These gel packs more or less lay flat. Downside is you can't drink it or clean with it in a pinch. Just wondering if anyone has done this or any potential pitfalls. Thanks!!

Wife has been getting frozen baby food for the youngest that come with these also, I'm stocking up

 

[MThuntr]

Yes I have used them however they are fragile and will leak eventually.

FYI the bubble wrap they send in the box also makes for lightweight glassing pads.

 

[mtmuley]

Yes I have used them however they are fragile and will leak eventually.

Got some from my MIL. Plastic is thin, and the more you freeze/thaw them, the less they work. mtmuley

 

[Dakotakid]

Agree with above, they will leak.
I put them in large ziplocks and freeze.
a piece of cardboard between the layers.

 

[beginnerhunter]

Yes I have used them however they are fragile and will leak eventually.

FYI the bubble wrap they send in the box also makes for lightweight glassing pads.

Good tip. Didn't think about that. The waste is the thing I most dislike about the whole project.

 

[MThuntr]

FYI if you have ever used HelloFresh or similar they will harass you non-stop. I actually had to file a complaint with the FCC about the phone calls...they called 3 or 4 times a week from different local numbers. The person on the line always understood the frustration but the company itself is a ruthless spammer.

 

[MTGomer]

My wife has been ordering from Imperfect foods. It’s not prepackaged meal delivery service. It’s just groceries. A lot of them have minor things wrong with them or are simply excess that didn’t go to grocery stores.
They come with these gel packs. I’ve used some of them but can’t keep them all. The gel packs they send are recyclable if you cut them open and drain the gel. This week they announced that you can give back the precious week’s gel packs and insulated bag thing if you want to and they’ll reuse them. Seems like a good idea.

 

[Rzrbck918]

Used them a handful of times but they do leak relatively quickly and whatever is in them is nasty. Good idea above with gallon ziplocks and cardboard.

 

[ashersdad]

My wife has been ordering from Imperfect foods. It’s not prepackaged meal delivery service. It’s just groceries. A lot of them have minor things wrong with them or are simply excess that didn’t go to grocery stores.
They come with these gel packs. I’ve used some of them but can’t keep them all. The gel packs they send are recyclable if you cut them open and drain the gel. This week they announced that you can give back the precious week’s gel packs and insulated bag thing if you want to and they’ll reuse them. Seems like a good idea.

My wife uses the same service and we've been giving ours back for awhile now. Nice service.

I tried using them but like others have mentioned they are not too strong and I like the idea of having water from the frozen jugs just in case.

 

[Wild Bill]

My wife brings home the freezer packs they get at the pharmacy that come with meds that need cold storage. They're free and work very well, and they don't leak. Be worth it if you can track some down.

 

[WapitiBob]

they leak +3

 

[Gr8bawana]

When I worked at a store that had live lobsters delivered they came with frozen gel packs and I got them for free because they were going into the trash.
I used them for years before any of them started leaking. When I had to throw one out I had plenty more replacements.