A method of using a food and beverage cooler for pets during travel or outdoor activities, comprising:
- providing a cooler housing having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall that, together, define an interior area and an open top, said interior area being divided by a partition into a first compartment portion;
- placing pet food into said first compartment portion;
- placing water into said second compartment portion;
- selectively pivotally operating a first lid portion between a closed configuration blocking access to said interior area and an open configuration allowing access to said interior area, said first lid portion having a rear edge pivotally coupled to an upper rear edge of said cooler housing;
- selectively pivotally operating a second lid portion between a closed configuration resting atop an upper surface of said first lid portion and an open configuration displaced from the upper surface of said first lid portion, said second lid portion having a rear edge pivotally coupled to the rear edge of said first lid portion;
- wherein said first lid portion has a length and a width that defines a rectangular configuration that completely covers the interior compartment at said closed configuration, said first lid portion defining a first horizontal plane;
- wherein said second lid portion has a length and a width that is at least equal to the length and width of the first lid portion, said second lid portion defining a rectangular configuration that completely covers said upper surface of said first lid portion when positioned at said closed configuration, said second lid portion defining a second horizontal plane that is parallel to and displaced from said first horizontal plane;
- wherein said first and second lid portions are pivotally movable between open and closed configurations via hinges, respectively, said respective hinges defining respective longitudinal axes that are situated atop one another at respective closed configurations;
- wherein said first lid portion includes an upper surface defining a pair of recessed areas laterally adjacent one another, each recessed area having a circular and concave configuration adapted to hold a single serving of the pet food or of the pet water;
- wherein said second lid portion has a bottom side that defines at least one recessed area in which a zippered pouch defining an interior area is detachably mounted, said zippered pouch being selectively detachable from the second lid portion for cleaning or for accessing articles stored therein;
- closing said first lid portion so as to create an insulating seal with said interior area.