Sustainable Storing Of Fruit And Food: Life Without Fridge

One of the worst things that can happen to you is your fridge breaking down. Like most unfortunate events, it has a tendency of happening late at night or in the weekend. Or in the midst of the Corona-crisis lockdown, leaving you absolutely helpless. After all, what do we do without our trustworthy cooling machine in the house?

Storing Food: Root Cellars And Other Ancient Methods

As it turns out, it is not always a must-have. We mostly use it for storing fresh food, including fruit and vegetables. But do you know that you can easily store these products without your fridge? Saves energy and a lot of the nutritional value. Plus, it will eliminate the panic of your food wasting away as you experience a power outage.

In the past, our ancestors managed perfectly fine without a fridge. Sure, they did not have cellphone service or toiletpaper either, things considered basic human needs today, but it is worth looking at the way they did things. The way in which they preserved food is not just fairly simple, it is also highly effective.

They used something known as a root cellar, a cool underground space where they stored large quantities of produce. As the space stayed cool for a long period of time, they could enjoy their fresh produce for most of the year. The exact method of food preservation varied across cultures. The ‘typical’ root cellar was mostly used in the western world, with the British being the first to introduce the walk-in root cellar, while the indigenous people of Australia buried food directly in the cool ground to preserve it. The Incas froze their food in the mountains on cold nights. In Africa, ancients used to keep food in clay pots, also buried underground.

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Build Your Own In-Built Fridge

While you might not be so keen on burying pots in your backyard, the idea of a root cellar really is not so bad. In most houses, you will have a room or area that are naturally cooler than others. Usually a storage basement, if you have got one. This is a great place to start if you are looking to create a natural cooler for your fruits and vegetables.

                                                Cool Ideas for Inexpensive and Easy to Make Root Cellars

If you do not have such a basement, you can get creative. Think about a trash can cellar, made using a metal trash can dug underground, so that only the mouth of the can is level with the earth. Or a barrel root cellar, that uses a large plastic barrel instead of a metal trash can. Another option is to use the so-called straw storage, where you can layer straws and your potatoes or other root veggies in a large basket or barrel. This way, it will stay good for months as well.

Either way, you should keep some parameters in mind when creating your root cellar: temperature, humidity, air circulation, darkness.

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Storing Fruit And Vegetables: Temperature Between 0 And 10 Degrees Celsius

First, you should consider temperature. The cooler the area, the slower the rate at which fruits and vegetables release ethylene gas. This means that it slows down the wasting process. Depending on the exact types of fruits or vegetables, you should be looking for a temperature between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius.

Life Without Fridge. Humidity Between 85 and 95 Percent

Next, the humidity plays an important role in preserving produce as well. After all, produce is best kept at high humidity, anywhere between 85 and 95 percent. Basements are usually pretty humid, particularly root cellars, which are made of earth. In order to further increase the humidity, you could include a hygrometer - a device measuring humidity.

If the cellar is too dry, you can always increase the humidity by sprinkling water on the floor. Too humid is not good either, so if your cellar is too humid, you should ventilate more.

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Storing: Air Circulation Through Minimum Two Vents

Air circulation is another important variable when looking to create your root cellar. Through ventilation, the number of gases produced by your fruits and vegetables can be controlled. If those gases cannot escape, they will cause the food to rot. To prevent this, you should install at least two vents in the root cellar, one high, and one low.

Darkness In Order To Prevent Decomposition

Finally, one important parameter is the darkness. Fruits and vegetables decompose much faster if they are exposed to light. Therefore, storing perishable items in complete darkness will ensure long-term preservation.

Sustainable Storing: More Tips For Storing Fruits And Vegetables

Besides following the guidelines above, there is more you can do to extend the shelf life of your fruit and vegetables. Most importantly, do not wash the produce before storing it. Washing will drastically reduce its ability to stay good for a longer period of time. Make sure there is sufficient time for the dirt to dehydrate on its own and simply brush off large chunks of dirt.

Pretty much all kinds of vegetables and fruit can be stored for an extended period of time. Not just sturdy root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes and onions, but also the more delicate types, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and cauliflower. Each has its own list of requirements and specifications for storing them; make sure to Google this before you give it a go.

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More Sustainable Fruit And Vegetables

You might find that some products are not suitable for your root cellar, or are perhaps better off matched with one kind of product over another. Starting your own fruit and vegetable preservation might be a bit of a trial and error, but eventually you will get the hang of it. You will get used to the specifics of your own root cellar and what produce does best in it.

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This is not something new or groundbreaking. It is a relatively simple and inexpensive way of keeping your fridge empty(-ier), thus saving energy. At the same time, you will find that your fruits and vegetables are fresher and taste better, as more of the nutrients are saved. Or, if nothing else, it gives you a fun project to occupy yourself with while you are stuck in Corona-quarantaine mode.

Before you go!

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