The One Thing You Shouldn't Forget To Stock Up On For Friendsgiving

There's a thing that happens, usually around this time of year, and usually a week or two before Thanksgiving celebrations kick off. No one knows exactly when or how Friendsgiving evolved, but The Atlantic says it is likely that the celebration started around 2013, and since that time, it has become, to those who celebrate, just as important as Thanksgiving itself.

Friendsgiving, as The Pioneer Woman will attest, is informal. It's a chance to throw a party before The Real Deal comes along. And because it brings friends together, a Friendsgiving celebration is best done as a potluck, where people might want to bring their favorite bites, dishes, or drinks to share. 

But before you start handing out assignments on the Friendsgiving assignment spreadsheet, Greatist advises you to look over your list carefully to make sure nothing is left out, and by nothing we mean remember to ask someone to bring ice, either to serve drinks with or to pack a cooler with. While ice may sound like a boring, practical suggestion, you'll consider it a grave omission when drinks aren't served as cold as you want them to be.

While Greatist also suggests picking up the ice from any bodega, convenience store, or drugstore, the International Packaged Ice Association (yes, it's a thing; it was founded in 1917) would like to remind you that, as with everything you consume, the ice you buy also needs to adhere to safety standards. Ice is food, and it needs to be treated as such.

The association says you shouldn't consume ice from open bins, nor should you buy packaged ice that has been produced in potentially unhygienic conditions. Once you've purchased your ice, ensure that the ice is both odor- and taste-free. Ice can not only go bad, ice made at home can also be contaminated by the things stored around it.

Ice can also be contaminated by both bacteria and viruses, so it is important to buy ice from a reputable vendor, and to make sure the ice you buy is fresh. Twice the Ice further says that if you pick up your ice from a big-box store or a grocery store, make sure it hasn't been sitting around for a while, or that the ice maker is cleaned properly. Chances are, if a bag of ice looks old or doesn't look too clean, it is likely contaminated.