How to Store Food Without a Fridge
7 cool practices to preserve food if sh*t ever hits the fan.
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Dear Sovereign Souls,
Storing foods for later consumption has been a challenge for as long as humans have roamed the earth. When we got lucky and nature provided more than we needed, we had to make a choice: return the excess back to nature (let other animals, insects, microbes etc. have it) or keep it and preserve it for later.
Back then and still today, it makes sense to prep for times of scarcity and get some nutrient-dense foods in your storage quickly.
You don't have to go down the rabbit hole very deep to know that no one knows for sure how bad things are going to get for awhile (and it will eventually pass). In the meantime, we all gotta eat.
Knowing how to keep food cool without using a fridge is a critical survival skill. So, in this week's tactic, we'll share 7 proven ways to keep foods cool if the grid goes down.
- The Thriver
This Week's Tactic
Week #32 - How to Cool Food Without Using Electricity
Goal: Keep Food Cool Without Using a Fridge
Skill Verb: Store
Level: Medium
1. Avoid Foods That Require Refrigeration
This one is obvious but so easily overlooked. We have been conditioned to stuff almost everything that's not in a can into the fridge. Did you know that most vegetables, fruits, hot sauces, herbs, eggs and even butter don't need to be refrigerated? Knowing this will also give you more room for the things that do need cooling.
2. Install Off-Grid Power Supply
The next best option for those who don't want to change their eating and refrigeration habits is to invest in an off-grid power source. A properly sized battery bank plus solar array will provide you with the power you need to keep your fridge cooling when everybody's else's is turning into a stinky mess.
3. Use a Propane Powered Fridge
Another off-grid solution would be to switch to a fridge that uses propane gas. They are quite common in RVs. Instead of the hydro fluoro-olefins and HFCs used in household fridges, propane powered fridges use ammonia to generate the cooling effect. Usually smaller in size, they can serve as an excellent backup.
4. Utilize Running Water
If you have access to running water from either a lake, creek or ocean you can use this natural resource to keep things cool. Granted you're not living in the tropics with water temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit you can put together a heat exchanger and not only cool your food, but also your room or small house.
5. Make a Zeer Pot
Also called the pot-in-pot refrigerator, this one has been around for over 4000 years. The Zeer pot is a smaller pot within a larger pot separated by sand that's saturated with water. Best used in areas with low humidity, water evaporates through the outer pot creating a cooling effect around the inner, smaller pot.
6. Store Food Underground
Burying food underground is an ancient and effective, hence proven technique to store food in a cool environment. Hanging up food inside a well or building a root cellar used to be common practices to keep food from spoiling. Depending on the size and local restrictions it may make sense to utilize a root cellar also as a safe room.
7. Construct a Spring House
Maybe you are lucky and have access to a natural spring. A spring house is a perfect place for food storage. A room built on top of a well stays cool and keeps the things cool stored inside. Odds are most people don't have access to their own spring, but it had to be mentioned as an option as it is lost knowledge.
My personal favorite is the Zeer Pot. But no matter what alternative cooling option is best for your situation, the point is they do exist. Don't just rely on your local power company to always be there for you. Design and build an independent system to store your food in a cool place without using the electrical grid.
Tip: When you find a product that is designated for a specific use, think outside the box and see if you can use it differently to meet your needs. Also, there are times you may have to combine water and wind to keep things cool.
Opportunity
Here's a list of gadgets that can help you to keep food cool without electricity or requiring you to get involved in a massive building project:
Butter Crock (replace water every couple of days)
Herb Savor (replace water every couple of days)
Cooling Gaiters (soak in water every few hours)
12V Mini Fridge (needs a rechargeable car battery)
Cheese Grotto (add water every couple of days)
Action Steps
Learn about alternative, off-grid cooling techniques
Buy or design and build a backup off-grid refrigerator
Thought
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. - R. Buckminster Fuller
How would your current food supply fare if your power went out tonight?