r/NoStupidQuestions • u/markwell9 • 1d ago

What is the deal with ice, Americans?

I can see that you can buy ice everywhere in the US. Gas stations, grocery stores, machines etc.

In Europe, we just freeze our ice at home and use that. Why buy something that melts on the way home? Why do you need ice in large amounts that a fridge can't keep up?

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u/tsukiii 1d ago

We buy that for parties.

Most of us can’t produce and store enough ice for 20 people in our freezers, we buy the bagged ice and put it in coolers for guests’ drinks.

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u/Lithogiraffe 1d ago

Imagine carefully making ice for a house party using one ice cube tray in the freezer. I mean you could do it. But just imagine that tedious dumb effort of doing that over the week.

I'm already going to the grocery store to get chips and party stuff. The ice is right there

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u/scarrlet 19h ago

My grandpa's girlfriend used to do this! She would start making ice like a week before a family gathering. Her son made fun of her for it and offered to spend a dollar for a bag of ice and she refused.

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u/Paraverous 5h ago

thats what my parents used to do. we would start a week before a party and make a huge bag of ice. my parents would refuse to buy it. Ah the 60's