Wisdom from The Action Wisdom In Action

On the Trail of Unplugging the Refrigerator, But Still Searching...

One important thing I managed to find out thus far is that a lot of us refrigerate stuff we don't need to.

From HowStuffWorks.com: "...some of the things you refrigerate may do OK at room temperature. Condiments like ketchup and mustard, which lots of us are in the habit of storing in the fridge, typically don't need to be refrigerated. And while fruits, vegetables, cheese and butter may stay edible for weeks in the refrigerator, if you plan to eat them within a week, they can do just fine on the counter in a cool, dry place. After that, though, you'll probably be dealing with mushy produce and moldy dairy, and you'll have to throw them out."

News to me! I figured once you open something that isn't powdered, it needs refrigeration.

Thing I've already considered: give up bread, give up a lot of condiments--have you ever considered how many condiments we use that are specifically applied to bread?

Keeping food on the vine until needed--this is where a garden comes in. The best place for food storage is on the vine, and if you pick what you're going to eat when you plan to eat it, what are the crisper drawers for?

Now I'm sticking my head into my own refrigerator trying to see what's left after removing non-perishables and veggies...let's see...eggs, not much dairy (I'm allergic to milk, so that's not an issue), sprouts (those could probably come out), prepared tuna for "sandwiches" (using rice flour tortillas), and oh, oh, oh--my beloved kitchen convenience items (pre-cut veggies, fruit, and salad greens).

Would I be willing to sacrifice my homemade kitchen convenience for a lower energy bill, and maybe more counter space, with a smaller fridge that would fit under a counter? Maybe the term "convenience" needs rethinking here.

When I finally get enough together in my head to put to paper, you'll be the second to see it (after me, of course!).

Posted by Cute at 2:47 AM

Labels: financial (non-tax), food purchases