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Part of managing to lower food costs [without refrigeration] comes by figuring out how to plan meals so that you use up a container or fresh food before it has a chance to go bad. – Almost There
1)
Going fridgeless
While some 'dwellers love their refrigerators, others prefer a simpler and less expensive approach.
Vegetarians are one subgroup associated with fridglessness since they don't need refrigeration to keep meat.
benefits
Going without refrigeration:
saves space – unless a refrigerator is packed full it is wasting space you could use some other way.
eliminates a $400-$1000 purchase – compressor fridges are very expensive.
consumes zero power instead of the 20Ah/day consumption of a good compressor unit.
challenges
Fresh vegetable, fruits, meats, and leftovers can't be kept for very long. It may be best to eat fresh foods the day you bring them home from the market.
tips
Romaine lettuce lasts longer at room temp than iceberg lettuces.
2)
hard cheeses require little or no refrigeration
unwashed fresh eggs are not refrigerated in most countries. Cook thoroughly!
“Buy supermarket deli food, eat the same day” – Skyl4rk
3)
retort (pouch) packaged meat is light and easy to store. Tuna is the most common bagged meat but chicken is increasingly common.
substitute:
oil (canola, olive) for butter
powdered milk for fresh milk
instant mashed potatoes instead of fresh potatoes. The instant pouches are surprisingly good.
other approaches
Canning is a way to make your own shelf stables foods.
Dehydration greatly extends shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Sprouting gives you access to fresh greens as you need them.