Is there a worse feeling in the world than your delicious, piping hot food getting cold when you need it the most? We’ve all been through this: we wake up early in the morning, cook and wrap up a hearty, filling meal to energize us later in the day and find out it has become nothing short of hardtack bread, meat jerky, or some degree of aspic jelly when we finally open it.

We firmly believe that one of the best inventions since Wonder Bread is probably the insulated cooler bag. Mind you, there are a lot more practical, applicable inventions, such as the all-encompassing iPod or, well, the vacuum cleaner. They don’t quite stimulate your culinary senses the same way, though.

Believe it or not, there are several factors to consider when opting for what cooler bag to go for. Not all cooler bags are made the same, and the general rule of thumb is that the more expensive models tend to last longer and “perform” better. We’ve dedicated this article to briefing you on the world of cooler bags and helping you find your “soulmodel.”

But first, let’s satisfy your inner curiosity about how cooler bags are born and grow up.

How Do Cooler Bags Work?

We commend your inquisitive nature! Cooler bags - also called thermal bags or insulated bags - are a type of container lined with thermally insulating materials to keep whatever is inside at the same temperature as when you originally stored it.

While cooler bags are very convenient, they’re not exactly capable of doing magic. Depending on the model you have, hot food should remain warm for about two to four hours, while cold food will keep its cool for about three to six hours at best. This primarily depends on the materials used during production.

What Materials Are Cooler Bags Made From?

Most cooler bags on the market have multilayered insulation. This means that it does not have a single layer of insulating material, but several, typically spread in an outer layer, a lining, and a middle layer that does most of the work.

To keep it as simple as possible, the middle layer of the cooler bag is what provides the insulation effect. The other two layers are meant to act as buffers between the inside temperature of the container and that of the outside. Without them, the energy within the cooler bag would dissipate improperly, becoming nothing more than a fancy shopping bag.

The lining is usually made from tin foil or plastic and serves to reflect heat. It also keeps the container waterproof. If any of your food spills, then it’s not going to seep through the material and leave you with a leaky mess on your hands.

When Were Cooler Bags Invented?

The origin of cooler bags is more ancient than the average person would think. Drawing back to the glacial age during which humans had barely learned to live outside the confines of their cave complexes, the mythical “ice chest,” a container carved from hard ice, is purported to be the ancestor of the cooler bag.

Our researchers, historians, and archaeologists are still working hard to determine how they have evolved.

We’re just being funny. The oldest known record of refrigeration dates back to about 1000 BC, with the ancient Chinese collection of poetry called the Shijing referring to religious ceremonies concerning “ice cellars.” These were essentially rooms where snow and ice were stored for later use, such as cooling drinks or preserving food.

Ancient people also knew about insulation. The Greeks and Romans, for example, insulated their “snow pits” with grass or thin, woven tree branches. However, it was not until much later that we discovered and created insulating materials that are far more effective than what was used.

While refrigeration technology can arguably date back to as far as 1755, when Scottish physician and chemist William Cullen devised an early form of artificial refrigeration, it was not until much rather that the process was refined and properly developed by a number of people.

An American inventor named Oliver Evans added to the invention by using a form of vapor instead of liquid. This opened a window for mechanical engineer Jacob Perkins to acquire a patent for a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, which revolutionized refrigeration. For this reason, Perkins is frequently dubbed as “the Father of Refrigeration.”

Finally, an American doctor named John Gorrie used a unique refrigerator model of his design to help cool down his patients that were suffering from yellow fever. Little did he know that he would set a precedent for changing global preservation methods!

Today, almost every household in the United States has at least one refrigerator.

Our Unique Assortment of Cooler Bags

What you need from a cooler bag wholly depends on what you expect from it. For example, if you’d like to have a great big picnic with dozens of guests, then your cooler bag will need to be large enough to accommodate all the food.

Conversely, if you intend to simply have a bag that can keep your food warm before you eat it, then you can easily opt for a smaller model. Carrying lunch for a picnic or a fishing, camping, or school trip doesn’t have to be a hassle! 

6-Pack, 12-Pack, 24-Pack Cooler Bags

At totebagfactory.com, we have everything from 6-Pack, 12-Pack, and 24-Pack lunch cooler bags to serve as the perfect solution to your packaging problem.

Need a guarantee for easy transportation and convenient eating? Try our 12-Pack lunch bags that are bigger than our less spacious models and therefore ideal for surprising your friends or family with a cold sandwich - or several!

If you’re looking for more specialized tactical operations equipment, then the heat-sealed, water-resistant 12-Pack lunch cooler is the companion you need. Regardless of whether you’re trudging through swampy waterways or simply running through heavy rain, the water-resistant cooler bag is nothing short of a bonafide food protector.

All of our cooler bag models are sourced from the most reputable and trustworthy vendors, meaning that their material and stitching are always premium-quality. The bag straps, for example, are designed to have enough tensile strength so as to easily allow you to carry your food without exertion or discomfort.

We also offer promotional cooler bags that you can use to advertise your business. The people you will gift these bags to will appreciate their amazing utility and be reminded of your company brand every time they gleefully retrieve hot coffee from their cooler! And is there anything more heart-warming than coffee?

Your Best Friend, the Cooler Bag

Why stress about your food reaching the wrong temperature when you can opt for a cooler bag? They’re easy to carry, highly effective, and quite fashionable as well! Best of all is that they allow you to enjoy piping hot lasagna in the middle of a snow patch in December.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of tote bags, cooler bags, or plastic bags - we’re fans of all things bags. Check out our collection and see if you find anything you like!