Most of our lifestyles dictate that we have a method of refrigerating our food.  In fact, many of us have a freezer full of food that will rapidly go bad in the event of a prolonged power outage.  As a prepper, you have probably started storing a variety of nonperishable foods, but it would be convenient to have at least a limited refrigeration resource.  If you don’t mind spending the money and storing some extra fuel, you could certainly purchase a propane refrigerator.  However, if that’s not in the budget, there are a few things that you can do to keep some of your food cold.

Propane Refrigerators and Freezers:

Propane refrigerators and freezers are available for those that want to spend the money. They do not require electricity and will provide an uninterrupted source of refrigeration as long as you have LP gas available. They are a little expensive, ranging from about $500 for a small unit to several thousand dollars for a larger, more extravagant model.

Solar Powered DC Refrigerators:

This refrigerator runs on AC 110V or DC current that can be provided by your solar panels. It costs about $1,000 (solar panels not included).  Another option for DC powered refrigerators is this ICECO unit than can be plugged into your car’s accessory outlet.  It costs about $500.

Inexpensive Refrigeration Tips:

As you can see, there are a few refrigeration options available.  But, if you’re not interested spending the money or dealing with the extra fuel storage, there are a few things that you can do to give you some limited refrigeration capabilities.

• Use your refrigerated and frozen foods first.  Even if you have planned to have some refrigeration capabilities, it would be wise to use these foods up first.  This way, if you are forced to move or your refrigeration plans fail, you will not lose the food.
• You may have elected to get a generator or some other alternative power source that you can run for about three hours per day during an emergency.  If you purchase a large enough generator, you will easily be able to run your freezer and your refrigerator for this time period.  In many cases, this will be sufficient to at least prolong the life of your foods.
• Store some of your full water bottles in your freezer.  Be sure to use softer type bottles that will swell but won’t break.  When the power goes out, move some of the frozen bottles into your refrigerator or a smaller ice chest.  This will help keep food cold between generator sessions.  If necessary, you can drink the water.
• Avoid opening the freezer and refrigerator doors when the power is off.  This will keep the cold trapped for longer periods of time.

With just a few adjustments, you should be able to have at least some refrigeration available.  There will always be something that you would like to keep cold.  It would be a shame to have to throw precious left-over food away in a time of conservation.