I have just moved and there is no refrigerator, so I am forced to drink water that isn't chilled from the water dispenser. If I want cold water then I would have to buy ice from the nearby stores. So it got me wondering if you can do without a ref and just buy food everday so that it won't spoil? I know single people can adjust with this setup, but if you have a family then I don't think so? What do you think?
I am certain that it is possible to get all of your dietary needs met without the use of a fridge, because otherwise how would those who were alive when fridges and freezes were not yet invented have survived. But I imagine that it would be very inconvenient.You could buy food every day so that it won't spoil, but you'd have to buy the portions that you know you're going to eat, otherwise it may go to waste anyway.
It would be a hard and inconvenient life without a refrigerator. I could not do it. I need the storage and love the coolness for drinks and fruits. I do not have time to buy food daily. So, although I know it could be done, I would prefer not to do it.
No I cannot live without a refrigerator. I like to nibble and so does my Mother that I live with, so a refrigerator is very important. You're right maybe the younger people can stand not having a frig, but not me. I think it's important to have a frig all the time so you can have food to cook and reheat your leftovers. I couldn't live without a frig ever. It's like camping if you don't have a frig. It can get expensive eating out everyday too. There are little frig that you can take with you when you move.
No is my answer to this thread's title. Last year when there was a typhoon, we had no electricity for 2 whole days. Logically the fridge is out of commission. It's terrible because we had no cold drinks. Second problem is the leftover food, where to keep so it will not spoil. Third is the usual fixtures inside the fridge like medicines and vitamin bottles that said it should be refrigerated.
As a student in dorms, you can learn to live without a fridge but you must be careful. We always kept buckets or ice and put things we needed in them (with a lid). Also you can survive if you make more items from dried food like noodles or rice and only cook what you need. I think long term it would be hard, but short term (and finances depending) it is okay. It also depends on the weather and if it's hot you need to be wary food will spoil quicker.
Our fridge just recently broke down but thankfully we have a backup. I don't think I could live without a refrigerator unless there were many restaurant of walking distance near my place since I always store some food in the fridge for my meals and sometimes I also like cooking extra so I won't have to cook multiple times so I really need to keep them cold or else I'd be forced to eat them very quickly.
I don't think I could. We need the fridge because we cook in large batches. The food will spoil if we don't put it in the fridge immediately. I'm not a fan of eating out so much, sometimes is okay, but everyday is not. Especially since we have a baby in the house who needs fresh and clean food to eat. We also drink fresh milk and it will be rotten if not put in the fridge. We live in a very tropical country so food can be spoiled easily.
I certainly couldn't. I mean what would you do with your milk? I suppose you could use powdered or instant but it would be nasty. Plus you would have no where to store leftovers., I use my fridge on a daily basis, sometimes hourly. I use the ice maker that comes with it. Without a fridge....scary thought indeed!
I'd say that I couldn't, but, honestly, most of the food I grab is from the cupboard anyway. I like things to be chilled, but if I had to live without a fridge for a while I think I could. I wouldn't want to go without a fridge for too long, mind, because the healthiest foods always seem to have longer expiration dates, and require refrigeration. I'd also be a bit lost without the freezer that's so often attached to the fridge.
As expected, no one can seem to live without a refrigerator. I have thought of buying a personal ref, but add only $75 to that then you could buy a large full blown ref already. I can manage without it since I live alone, but for sure 2 people or more can't.
No I could not live without a refrigerator. I am in the middle of renovations and I haven't have a stove or dishwasher for over 2 months. I can live without a stove, I'm just using a toaster oven, microwave and BBQ. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a fridge. I have 2 kids and they are always drinking milk. Meat wouldn't keep so you would be going to the store everyday for that. I imagine your diet would consist of a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Earlier this year I was staying quite frequently at a house without a refrigerator. It’s less difficult than one would assume, but only if you follow a certain diet (going vegetarian makes it much easier) and most probably a certain lifestyle. I wouldn’t do it if I had a family, as previously mentioned. Plus we relied quite a bit on canned foods, so BPA could be a concern. Surprisingly we ate far fewer fresh fruits and veggies than I thought we would. There were some growing on the property but I think I only ate any of those things a few times. The rest were store-bought. I actually think my reliance on frozen veggies, fresh fruits, and lean animal proteins is far healthier than my diet when I was there (very carb-heavy, moderate dairy, super hard on my digestive system). So while I could probably live without a fridge/freezer, I would really rather not.
Having grown up at a time when home refrigeration was not as common as it is today and therefore totally agree with LeopardJones - that although it is actually be possible to survive without a fridge and especially so for vegetarians. I really wouldn't want to - as apart from the fact that I live in country where summer temperatures regularly exceed 45 C for months on end - it would also be extremely inconvenient and more than likely very costly too - particularly as I live in the middle of nowhere and the cost of the extra fuel needed to visit the stores more regularly - would very quickly amount to quite a substantial sum.
@purplepen88, Actually, no, I live near many convenience stores and 24 houur diners, so I can easily buy cooked food, although it can be expensive as compared to when you are just cooking your own food.
The fridge is an essential appliance in our home. Our freezer always contains raw meat because we usually cook our food and eat at home. We also store vegetables to extend their life, as well as other food that needs to be refrigerated. Personally, I also prefer to drink cold beverages. I live in a tropical country so cool drinks can be very refreshing.
It would be very hard for me to live without a fridge, things like lunchmeat and cheese come to mind. You could probably do it if you went to a plant based diet or just purchased food for meals as you need it for the meals.
Of course some people could if they really wanted to. I have absolutely no interest in doing so, though. I like being able to freeze food for a long period of time or keep some items fresh in the fridge for a few days at least. And I really, really don't like having to go to a store every single day. The cost of having refrigerator is so much better than the amount I would spend by grocery shopping fresh every day.
It's doable, but I would personally prefer not to at all. We've come a very long way in terms of modern technology and having had it so good for so long, it would be very difficult to do away with electronic appliances including fridges. If I were strapped for cash, I would have to look for either a second hand one, the smallest or cheapest fridge rather than be completely without. I imagine shopping daily would also mean you spend a lot more money.
Live without a refrigerator for a few days? Yes. Live without a refrigerator for the rest of my life? Absolutely not. My family cooks food in large batches so there's usually leftovers. Having spoil leftovers is not an option in my household so I can't see myself (and my family) live without a refrigerator for so long. Besides, eating out almost everyday is too expensive and unnecessary, especially if you're trying to feed yourself and your family. Plus, I like my cold drinks to be cold and hot drinks to be hot.
