In life, there are cases when the usual things for modern life are missing. Then a person gets into an uncomfortable situation and tries to solve the problem in original ways. For example, what to do if the refrigerator in your home breaks down or the electricity is turned off? Or do you need to store food on the road or while hiking? Let’s learn how to store food without a refrigerator.
Dairy products
All dairy products must first of all be hidden from direct sunlight. The darker the place, the longer dairy products will retain their original qualities.
- You can extend the shelf life of butter in a simple way, it is enough to fill a jar with a little salted water and tightly fold the butter into it.
- Sour milk cheese should be transferred to a dry container, which should be dipped in cold water and covered with a towel soaked in water. To prevent the fabric from drying out, the ends should be dipped in water.
- Hard cheese can be wrapped in a cloth soaked in salt water.
Meat and fish
Meat products spoil quickly due to interaction with air. Therefore, in order to extend the shelf life, you need to isolate the meat from the air – for this, pour milk over it. If there is no milk, then you can use the following method: nettles are placed in an enamel container, inside which the meat will be stored.
Another proven method is to dip fresh meat in boiling water for a few seconds. Thus, the top layer of the product will be covered with a boiled crust, which will protect the meat from spoilage.
In addition to air and sun, meat must be protected from flies in the summer. To do this, the meat is rubbed with horseradish and wrapped in a cloth soaked in pickled cucumbers.
The sausage must be dipped in water with a high salt content.
With fresh fish, it is much easier, this method is practiced quite often. The fish must be completely cleaned so that only the fillet remains, and then rubbed with salt and wrapped in paper.
Vegetables and canned food
Vegetables are afraid of excess sun and moisture, so that the vegetables remain intact, it is better not to wash them until you decide to eat them.
Pickles can be stored for a very long time without any problems, but what if the jar has already been opened? In fact, everything is very simple. A cellophane bag is placed in the empty space of the can and filled with water. In this way, you can partially seal the contents of the jar and prevent germs from entering.
Cans, like pickling, are not exposed to the environment while they are closed, but after they are opened, you should not leave them in their “native” container. Transfer the contents to an enamel bowl or glass container, and put sugar on top. This method is enough for canned food to stand for several days without a refrigerator.
Of course, all these methods will not replace the refrigerator, the shelf life of products when using them will be much shorter. However, they will save you for a while and allow you to save products if the refrigerator is broken or there is no electricity for a long time.