Finding a Good Cooler

I don't get up early enough in the morning to get my breakfast. I have to get up and get around for work but also take my nine pills in the morning (some vitamin supplements, cholesterol pills, blood pressure, Prilosec as the stomach heals...etc...); then I'm supposed to wait for a period of time before eating so my stomach empties of water.

To simplify having to get decent food without much fuss, that means that I normally pack my breakfast and lunch for the day along with a couple bottles of water.

That means I've been searching for a good cooler that will keep my breakfast, my lunch, about a liter of water, plus the plastic cooler packs cold from around seven in the morning until at least one or two in the afternoon, as well as a pocket for things like my swiss-campfire-spoon/fork/knife combo and napkins (just in case they're needed).

So far the best lunch cooler I've found is from California Innovations, Inc (Arctic Zone line...apparently in 2005 CI acquired Arctic Zone); I picked it up from Wegmans in their seasonal summer aisle. Here's a photo of it:

There's a mesh pocket on once side, a zippered pocket in the front for my napkins and silverware sets (or my sporks!), a shoulder strap and the large interior is just big enough for the breakfast and lunch and ice packs and usually two bottles of water. Nice.

Unfortunately, I can't find it anymore.

I bought a second one from Wegmans when we were out grocery shopping in case something happened to the first one. I've been testing out a number of nice lunch coolers, but none have been quite as versatile or successful at keeping those items cool as this cooler. I was terribly disappointed when I discovered that I couldn't find it listed on Wegmans website or at the California Innovations website. I couldn't even find it on Amazon. So...it must be discontinued. California Innovations has a lot of great cooler products, but I really have liked this one. The one they don't have anymore.

It figures. At least I grabbed two of them.

If you're in a situation where you need a decent cooler for carrying two meals along with some drink with enough space for some ice packs, see if you can find this cooler out there somewhere. There must be some excess stock still floating around out there...