Where to Buy Bags of Ice Near Me

You can buy bags of ice from gas stations, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and supermarkets. Most stores sell a minimum of 10lbs (4.5kg) bags of ice. Some may sell as low as 7lbs (3kg) bags. 

You can find them near the frozen foods section or the refrigerator area. That’s where stores keep their ice to prevent it from melting. Since grocery store layouts are different, you may not see the bags of ice in the aforementioned sections. 

The store employees should save you from getting lost. You can ask them for guidance or check the store’s website for the right aisle before going to the store. Keep reading this post to learn how you can buy bags of ice near you. 

Grocery Stores That Sell Bags of Ice

You can buy bags of ice from Chevron, BP, Cumber Farms, and ExxonMobil. These gas stations sell bags of ice in crushed form, whereas grocery stores and supermarkets sell theirs as cubes. 

Before buying bags of ice, check that they have IPIA seals of approval on them (we explain more on IPIA seals in this section). If you’re not sure what stores to buy them from, check out the list below:

Walmart

Walmart sells Arctic Glacier Ice and Reddy Ice bags. It costs $3.88 for the 20lbs Reddy Ice bag, which is sold at 19.4¢ per lb. The prices may vary depending on the store and your location. You can contact a Walmart store near you to confirm it before going there. Usually, they keep the bags of ice in a freezer near the front of the building. 

Target

Target sells Reddy Ice and Arctic Glacier Ice. Reddy Ice costs $2.19 for 10lbs (4.5kg), while Arctic Glacier Ice costs $1.69 for 6lbs (2.7kg).

Aldi stores in the UK

Aldi stores in the United States don’t sell bags of ice. But the stores in the UK do. They currently sell only 2kg (4.4lbs) bags of ice. They cost £0.85, sold at 4.3p per 100g. Before visiting the stores, use Aldi’s online store locator to their hours near you.

Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Market is a popular source of organic produce. If you have trust issues with other stores, this is one store you can’t go wrong with. It sells 7lbs (3kg) bags of ice and you can find them in the Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts department.

Safeway

Safeway sells Reddy Ice and they have it in 10lbs (4.5kg) and 20lbs (9kg) bags. You can choose between Signature Select and premium packaged ice. Here is a breakdown of the prices:

• 10lbs premium packaged Reddy Ice: $3.49
• 20lbs Signature Select Reddy Ice: $3.99
• 20lbs premium packaged Reddy Ice: $5.99

Albertsons

Albertsons is the parent company of Safeway. Its stores sell 10lbs (4.5kg) Reddy Ice for $1.99, and they’re available for both curbside pickup and home delivery. 

Sam’s Club 

Sam’s Club sells bags of ice. However, it’s a members-only store. So you’ll need to pay for a membership plan to access perks and benefits.  Sam’s Club has two membership plans; Club and Plus. Club membership costs $45 per year, while Plus costs $100 per year.

Publix

Publix sells 10lbs (4.5kg) bags of ice. You can use the website’s store locator to find a Publix store near you. The store has partnered with Instacart, so you can order your bag of ice from Publix through the Instacart app or website.

What You Should Know Before Buying Ice from Stores

Ice is prone to contamination, just like the food items you buy from grocery stores. Since we commonly use ice in consumable drinks like slushies, boba tea, and juices, we need to take proper care in handling them. For that reason, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strictly monitors and regulates its circulation.

You can’t tell what hands have touched the bags of ice you’re buying from the grocery store. So you’re at the mercy of Administrations and associations like the FDA and IPIA seals.

IPIA stands for the International Packaged Ice Association. It is a group of industries representing producers, distributors, and suppliers in the ice industry. If a bag of ice has the IPIA seal, it means the IPIA has inspected and marked it safe for consumption.

Packaged Ice Manufacturing Companies with IPIA Approval

Here’s a short list of companies with the IPIA seal of approval. If you’re not sure what brands to buy, you can always look out for their names at grocery stores:

• Reddy Ice
• Diamond Ice
• Kwik Trip, Inc.
• Arctic Glacier Ice
• Penguin Ice
• Chesapeake Bay Ice
• Good Time Ice
• Cape Cod Ice Company
• Arctic Ice

Conclusion 

Now you know where to buy bags of ice near you. Keep in mind that store layouts, prices and the sizes of the bags of ice will vary depending on the store you visit. It’d be best if you contact stores you’re considering buying from to compare their prices. It will save you money and the stress of going from store to store.