How to keep food cold when the fridge is broken?
In this brief article, we are going to answer the question “How to keep food cold when the fridge is broken?”
How to keep food cold when the fridge is broken?
You can keep food cold in an icebox when the fridge is broken. Locate a suitable freezer and line the bottom with frozen items. The next step is to add a layer of refrigerated items on top of it.
Add another layer of chilled ingredients on top. While you rush out and purchase some ice and a thermometer for the refrigerator, the frozen items will keep everything nice and frosty.
If your refrigerator stops working, you have a limited amount of time before the food inside spoils.
Sit it out and try to limit the number of times you open the refrigerator door in the hopes that power will be restored before any perishables inside warm up during a short-term loss, such as a blackout during a storm.
It also wouldn’t hurt to throw a bag of ice inside. Keep in mind, however, that once your refrigerator stops cooling, the temperature inside will quickly climb.
Because of this, you should take immediate action if you anticipate a prolonged power failure or a full refrigerator failure.
Tips for Food Preservation
Use a cooler or an Esky, or if you’re an avid camper, pull out that portable camping fridge you keep in the garage.
Since you can’t use your refrigerator, you’ll have to find another way to keep your perishables cool.
However, your freezer might also be used. You’ll need to continually restock the ice to keep the temperature steady, but otherwise, it’s just a giant cooler hooked up to the fridge.
Second, get some ice.
Getting some ice is a good idea since we’re on the subject. In the absence of electricity, your refrigerator will still be the safest location for your food to wait for your return.
If the power is down across the entire neighborhood, you’d better act fast; the convenience store undoubtedly has the same issues you have, and the neighbors will likely be out getting ice, too.
If you’re planning on being away from stores for a while, it’s a good idea to stock up on ice and have some additional bags in the bathroom sink so you can constantly refill your cooler.
The same holds true for your bathtub, but you will have enough to refill the cooler twice before you need to go out and get more.
Determine which foods to retain and which to discard
There’s probably going to be more food in the fridge than can go in the cooler, so you’ll have to make some tough choices.
To begin, discard anything that is past its prime. Then, classify the remaining materials as follows, non-refrigerable foods and beverages products that don’t include eggs or dairy, as well as other non-perishables, such as soft drinks, bread, and sauces.
Put these away in a drawer until you can get your system back online. Keep them inside the fridge if you don’t mind leaving the door open, or put them somewhere else if you do.
Items that are relatively safe to eat but need to be refrigerated are frozen and fresh produce, cheeses, pasta, and leftovers. Put these in your cold storage in case of an emergency.
Items that must be handled with extreme caution when refrigerated raw meat and seafood, milk and soft cheeses, etc.
When it comes to the contents of your refrigerator, they are the most expensive and perishable, but also the most dangerous if they become too warm.
If there isn’t a neighborhood-wide power outage, you might be able to store some perishables at your neighbor’s house.
Keep it in your backup cooler, being sure to eat it as quickly as possible.
Properly pack your cooler
When you’ve decided what to put in your cooler, the next step is to load it as effectively as possible. It is best, to begin with, a base of the ice, then add a layer of frozen food, then a layer of fresh fruit and vegetables, then more frozen food, and so on.
As soon as everything is in its place, cover the meal with ice and seal the container. Reduce the number of times you open the cooler but remember to add more ice because it melts.
In order to prevent the food from becoming soggy, you may need to drain out part of the meltwater.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we answered the question “How to keep food cold when the fridge is broken?”