Keeping produce longer term in the fridge - without crisper drawers.

My fridge is dying, and I don't want to spend the money to replace it right now after a bunch of expensive things going wrong all at once.

It still cools, but the electronics are fried so I can't set a temperature. Anything in the bottom vegetable drawers ends up frozen in 1" of ice. I basically use the crisper drawers only for milk bags at this point (yes, I am in Ontario, why do you ask?)

Is there a way to store fresh veggies in the other areas of the fridge, and not have them go bad quickly?

My vegetable consumption has plummeted because veggies either go bad quickly in the main fridge, or freeze and go bad in the crispers. Without fresh veggies, I feel less inclined to cook.

Note - I grocery shop about once every 2-3 weeks. I know it won't be a big deal once my garden gets going again, and I start storing veggies for 1-2 days max...

Hello Catie!

I have been keeping root veggies in tubs of dirt on my porch this winter.   I have them tucked close to the house and cover them with a blanket.  It has been keeping them fresh and above freezing.   If it was super cold I would probably cover them with straw to give more insulation.  

I keep greens and celery on the top shelves with their stems in a dish of water and a bag over the leaves.  That way they stay fresh for days.  

Good luck!

I'm afraid my porch is far closer to freezer temps than fridge temps! Not consistently above 0C even in the day yet here, with most nights still -10C, and -17C in the forecast.  I can probably finally tap my maple trees this week...

I do have a cold basement - generally 5C to 12C, so I keep garlic, squash, onions and potatoes there.

But I need a fridge to get things like carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, to last a few weeks...

I was thinking along similar lines as Samantha... Do you or a family member have an old fashioned camping cooler? Since your fridge is clearly making ice, you wouldn't need to buy the ice.

What sorts of veggies are you trying to keep? Which ones do you depend on the most to encourage you to cook?