My Refridgerator Died

brandigyrl81
brandigyrl81 Posts: 128 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
My fridge died yesterday and I had to throw away everything I had bought - lots of money gone down the toilet. My new fridge won't arrive until Monday afternoon and I feel so lost right now as I typically like to prepare my own foods. What are some places where I can pick up food quickly that's not high in calories? I'm thinking places like Panera, Publix Deli, etc.

Replies

  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Look at their online menus and nutrition information to figure what fits best for you. You might also want to consider going to the grocery store for pre-made meals instead. Most stores I have been to have some premade sandwiches, single serving salads, things like lunchables but from higher quality brands, single serving and sometimes hot soups, etc. Those might be a little lower in calories or price.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    If you like to prepare your own food, can you not just buy groceries that don't need to be put in a fridge to tide you over for a few days? Most vegetables will be fine in a cool, dark cupboard for that long, eggs don't need refrigeration (at least in the UK; I'm aware that eggs in the US are different), pulses are fine, canned tuna is a great staple that doesn't need a fridge, etc.
  • aries68mc
    aries68mc Posts: 173 Member
    If your grocery has a salad bar, try that.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Last time my fridge died I filled up my camping coolers with ice and it was business as usual. I did put some frozen things in my neighbor's fridge, but I didn't have to throw anything away and I just ate my regular foods. Do you have a cooler?
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    You could have saved everything with a 4x8 sheet of foam insulation and a roll of duct tape which was available at the big box where you bought your new fridge. Add ice.
  • Hollis100
    Hollis100 Posts: 1,408 Member
    edited October 2019
    You can buy a mini-fridge for under $100 (Walmart and other places). Students buy them for their dorm rooms, plus they're good for emergencies like yours.

    Food ideas:
    Soup -- I like Amy's brand.
    Other canned food. I would rinse off the sodium if you buy canned beans.
    Oatmeal and other cereal you would cook/microwave.
    Salad bar from a local grocery store -- but you would have to think through the dressing, buy packets, or toss one bottle after each use (or just use the dressing at the salad bar -- they usually have a balsamic vinegar or low calorie one).
    Other food you don't have to refrigerate, like apples, sweet potatoes, etc.
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    edited October 2019
    The Publix cooked chickens are good. & some fresh vegies or deli salad
    My parents bought a GE refrigerator in 1950 when they got their 1st house - it went from house to house and was still running in 2003 when they moved into an apartment . The don't make them like tey used too
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,941 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    If you like to prepare your own food, can you not just buy groceries that don't need to be put in a fridge to tide you over for a few days? Most vegetables will be fine in a cool, dark cupboard for that long, eggs don't need refrigeration (at least in the UK; I'm aware that eggs in the US are different), pulses are fine, canned tuna is a great staple that doesn't need a fridge, etc.

    This. It’s not really life changing to be without a fridge for a single weekend! Adaptability is a life skill 😉
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,941 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    If you like to prepare your own food, can you not just buy groceries that don't need to be put in a fridge to tide you over for a few days? Most vegetables will be fine in a cool, dark cupboard for that long, eggs don't need refrigeration (at least in the UK; I'm aware that eggs in the US are different), pulses are fine, canned tuna is a great staple that doesn't need a fridge, etc.

    This. It’s not really life changing to be without a fridge for a single weekend! Adaptability is a life skill 😉

    I once spent five weeks living in a bed & breakfast without access to a fridge, oven, hob, microwave, toaster, or even chopping board and knives. I still managed to prepare my own lunches and dinners. I'm not saying they were cordon bleu cooking, mind, but I was quite proud :)

    Absolutely! A few years ago I fed my family of five for 2 months without a kitchen during a problematic re-fit. I had knives etc, of course but no heat sources other than a kettle! That kettle poached salmon and other fish (in sealed packs - no fishy coffee!) made couscous and various other things which supplemented what I could use directly from cans and making inventive salads etc. We resorted to a takeaway just once in the entire time! I quite enjoyed the challenge!
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    If you like to prepare your own food, can you not just buy groceries that don't need to be put in a fridge to tide you over for a few days? Most vegetables will be fine in a cool, dark cupboard for that long, eggs don't need refrigeration (at least in the UK; I'm aware that eggs in the US are different), pulses are fine, canned tuna is a great staple that doesn't need a fridge, etc.

    This. It’s not really life changing to be without a fridge for a single weekend! Adaptability is a life skill 😉

    I once spent five weeks living in a bed & breakfast without access to a fridge, oven, hob, microwave, toaster, or even chopping board and knives. I still managed to prepare my own lunches and dinners. I'm not saying they were cordon bleu cooking, mind, but I was quite proud :)

    Absolutely! A few years ago I fed my family of five for 2 months without a kitchen during a problematic re-fit. I had knives etc, of course but no heat sources other than a kettle! That kettle poached salmon and other fish (in sealed packs - no fishy coffee!) made couscous and various other things which supplemented what I could use directly from cans and making inventive salads etc. We resorted to a takeaway just once in the entire time! I quite enjoyed the challenge!

    Couscous was my go-to too! A stock cube, some spices, dried fruit, shelled peas or easily broken-up veg like broccoli, maybe canned chickpeas... The real find was a tub of crunchy dried deep-fried onions. After looking at the calorie count I didn't dare add much, but the taste and texture were amazing.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    Frigidaire... survived by his wife Kenmore freezer and 2 igloo coolers! Lol
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    I like the challenge of wandering through the grocery store looking for food that doesn't require much, if any preparation and isn't overly processed with chemicals or artificial ingredients.

    Produce, nuts, dried fruit, smoked fish, vita herring bites, cooked chicken, hummus, cheeses, breads.

  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    A cooler with a bag of ice or two can get you through the weekend with perishable food
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    It is doubtful it will be covered if it is just an appliance failure but if it died during a storm for instance some insurance poliicies will cover a certain amount of food loss.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    If you like to prepare your own food, can you not just buy groceries that don't need to be put in a fridge to tide you over for a few days? Most vegetables will be fine in a cool, dark cupboard for that long, eggs don't need refrigeration (at least in the UK; I'm aware that eggs in the US are different), pulses are fine, canned tuna is a great staple that doesn't need a fridge, etc.

    Yes, in the US any commercially produced or already refrigerated eggs should stay refrigerated. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/should-you-refrigerate-eggs

    But if you get unrefrigerated eggs from a small farmer, they'll be fine.

    The CDC would disagree, but hard boiled eggs still in the shell are fine for a few days unrefrigerated. When I worked at a yoga center, we volunteers would stock up on hard boiled eggs when they were available and store them at room temp for days. I used to see them in people's mail shelves, lol.
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited October 2019
    Ahhhh—- my fridge had a compressor die a few weeks ago. We were without a fridge for about 2 weeks. Luckily we had a mini cooler and a mini fridge. But - that’s a small space so we had to look for items that could keep.

    A few items where you do not need a fridge:
    apples, oranges, pears
    Tomatoes and avocados are great
    Peanut butter
    Eggs
    Cans of tuna
    Cans of soup
    Pasta

    Buy fresh foods for day only - Whole Foods salad bar? Any deli meat..
    I had to purchase by the meal..

  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited October 2019
    I have a large 1990's vintage Maytag side by side frig/freezer that came w/the house that I bought in 2009. So, it's around 25-30 yrs old already.

    Have had to repair it several times over the past 10 yrs and have "invested" around $800 in those repairs but that's far less than what a new frig would have cost

    Early on, the compressor's controller board went out a couple of times, which required me to dump all of the food into various coolers but I never had to throw any food out as a result.

    Just replaced the fan which developed a noisy bearing due to wear and the repairman told me that I'd probably only get a yr or 2 more out of it because of its age. He recommended a basic Maytag or Whirlpool for the best value and longevity and to avoid the fancy digital models that he always gets calls to repair.

    I've shopped 4 a new frig a couple of times b4 and never found anything that I liked better that the one I already have. So, I hope my frig lasts longer than my repairman thinks it will.

    Just not looking 4ward to buying a $2k frig that is not as well made and will probably not last as long as the 1 that it will replace.
  • nytrifisoul
    nytrifisoul Posts: 499 Member
    edited October 2019
    If you are like me and buy meats in bulk, you should invest in a freezer temperature alarm. It goes off if your freezer, or fridge goes above a set temp. Make sure to replace the batteries every 3-6 months though!
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