No Refrigeration Required.

[compassrose]

Ran across this in Instructables.com.

A zeer pot is an evaporative cooler used in rural Africa and parts of the Middle East to keep vegetables fresh... When placed in a shady, breezy location, the evaporation of water off their outer surface chills the pot. If you have a good breeze all the time, or perhaps a small fan powered by a solar panel, the pot can get quite cold. Imagine that chill you get when you step out of a pool when the wind is blowing. Now imagine that wet wind chill going on all day. That's what the pot feels with a constant breeze. Unless the air is very dry and the pot is exposed to a constant breeze, they generally do not chill down as cold as a refrigerator, but they will usually keep vegetables fresh for most of a week compared to leaving them out. If you do have cool dry air and a constant stiff breeze, the interior of a zeer pot can chill down to around 40˚F.

http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Practical-Zeer-Pot-evaporative-cooler-non-electr/

It's a cheapish thing to make. At best, you could use it as a mini refrigerator (aim a small solar powered fan at it 24/7), at worst, you can keep your veggies and drinking water coolish. If using as a refrigerator, I would suggest you also invest in a thermometer to keep track of temps.

 

[LughTheBard]

I made a small Zeer pot when I was living in the bus years ago. It was remarkable how cool it got inside! Keep it shaded and it will amaze you! I'd forgotten about it. Gotta build one for the van.

 

[Fisher473]

I don't use the fridge either, so I have to shop for food when ever I want to eat something special, but at least I don't have to buy something I later would not eat.

In the morning I pick up fresh pastries still warm from the oven with some veggies, salami, and chess, if I feel like it I make my self some scrambled eggs.

Lunch is either at work or if its the weekend some steaks with mashed potatoes with a side of veggies.

and in the evening I buy something simple to snack on or some canned food.

They key for me is to buy only what I can eat that day, and make sure nothing goes bad.

 

[marigold]

I'm a big fan of dehydrated refried beans, you can often find them in bulk at the grocery. They reconstitute fast, and can be eaten dry as a crunchy snack. I also love seaweed, I usually buy dried wakame and add it to any dish for salt and sea flavor (soak in a bit of water first). Chia seeds are another good weird superfood, they absorb something like 10x their weight in water and turn into a kind of pudding when soaked. I mix mine with oats, but you can get creative with peanut butter, milk, dried fruit, honey, as the seeds themselves don't have much of a flavor. Rice and lentils are great, and they can be cooked together in the same pot (use 2 parts water 1 part rice/lentil). Depending on where you are, you could try foraging some things from the woods, nettles are delicious in a stir fry Lots of produce will last, like potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, leeks, squash etc. If you like meat, summer sausage and salami don't need refrigeration. yum!