Knowing how to best organize a small refrigerator is key to living on a boat. Practically no boat has anywhere near as large a refrigerator as we had ashore! Our current boat, Barefoot Gal has a very small refrigerator. At just 3 cubic feet (and I think that’s a generous measure), it’s smaller than most dorm or bar refrigerators.
I’ve been refining my techniques for organizing a small refrigerator for over 12 years now, and don’t feel deprived at all! It’s just a matter of knowing what needs to be refrigerated, what doesn’t, and how to make the most of whatever space you have.
Below, you’ll find my basic strategies for going three weeks or longer between trips to the grocery store.
MEAT
Small refrigerators – especially front opening, like ours – are subject to more temperature variation than larger ones. Just opening the door lets cold escape, and adding warm food or drinks also raises the temperature.
With that in mind, meat and seafood are best kept in the freezer. I also use canned meats, which don’t have to be refrigerated. Read my tips on making good meals from canned meats and also canned meat meal ideas. By alternating canned and fresh (frozen) meats, we can go several weeks without restocking.
Dave likes lunch meat, and I try to buy it in half-pound vacuum-sealed packages. I remove the inner pouch from the plastic container before putting it in the refrigerator, which saves a lot of space. I keep one plastic container that the open package goes in.
DAIRY
Butter and margarine have to be kept cool and so go in the refrigerator.
While I may buy a carton of fresh milk for immediate use, we use boxed milk most of the time. Boxed milk doesn’t need to be refrigerated until it’s opened, so we only have one quart in there at a time. If you’re even more pressed for space, you can get single serving boxes of milk (and soy and almond milk).
I also use powdered milk (again, soy milk for us now) for cooking – this is really more to save space in lockers as it takes up a lot less space than the boxed milk. I also use powdered milk to make yogurt – while it has to be refrigerated once you’ve made it, you can make small batches every few days instead of taking a large quantity of store-bought.
PRODUCE
I keep very little produce in the refrigerator and this is a big key as it can take up a LOT of space. Much produce – both vegetables and fruit – does surprisingly well outside the refrigerator.
CONDIMENTS
Americans are used to having large refrigerators and refrigerate lots of things that no one else does. Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, jam, jelly, syrup, A1, Worcestershire and more really don’t have to be refrigerated. Even in summer in the Bahamas, Florida Keys and Sea of Cortez, with temps over 100 F., I never refrigerated mine and they have been fine for months.
DRINKS
Drinks take up the majority of our refrigerator space. In hot climates, cold drinks – even without ice – are a real treat and one that we treasure. Putting warm drinks in the refrig makes the system work harder, so while we have the soft drinks in mid-afternoon and the beer for happy hour, I don’t replace them with warm ones until just before we go to bed. Read more about improving your refrigerator’s efficiency by having it do the most work at the coolest times of day and other tips.
Cold drinks are obviously a priority for us, but we don’t normally have extras for guests. If we plan to have guests for happy hour or dinner, we’ll try to cram a few extras in, possibly by removing a couple of water bottles if the fridge is packed full.
SEALANTS
“Huh?” you’re saying. “Sealants? But I don’t store sealants in the refrigerator.”
You should. If you’re in a warm/hot climate, keeping your sealants in the refrigerator will make them last far longer in the tubes. We’ve had opened tubes last six months to a year – not just a cost savings but also meaning that we have what we need even in remote locations.
THE BENEFIT OF A SMALL REFRIGERATOR
The good thing about a small refrigerator is that you don’t forget about something “lost” in the back. Believe me, nothing can get lost.
This article was originally written in November 2014 and has been substantially updated to February 25, 2020.
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tami says
Eating less/no meat isn’t a bad thing, especially as we grow older. Also, wasabi and horseradish can be purchased in powdered form and mixed to use as needed.
Carolyn Shearlock says
We definitely eat less meat than we used to, and portion sizes are much smaller. For example, one chicken breast is cut in two and serves us both.
Jan Bogart says
big fridge==big butt!! I have both….
The Boat Galley says
You know I can’t “like” a comment like that 🙂
Donna says
If you don’t use a lot of mayonnaise, the little single serving ones that you often get for free at a sandwich shop can be refrigerated without taking up a lot of space. I ‘collect’ a few of these little packets whenever I see them as they make a great addition to a backpacker’s meal plan.
Louise says
I find that grouping items together in a basket is really useful. For instance, I put all our lunch food in a rectangular plastic bin with perforated sides (Sterilite makes good ones). At lunch time, I pull the whole thing out, select the day’s lunch, and immediately put the whole basket back in. This means absolutely no rummaging around with the fridge door open. Small fridges heat up really fast with the door open!
The basket circulates air well because it’s perforated, and because it’s rectangular, it fits the shelf with no hidden nooks and crannies. I don’t need to bend over to see if there’s something in the back, just grab the basket.
My basket groupings are lunch, salad, and dinner leftovers. I also have a condiment basket, since our fridge is a little bigger than yours.
Ruth W. says
I don’t have a refrigerator and, at the time, did not have an ice box when planning provisions for our summer trip from Astoria, OR. to Hawaii and back. Finding unrefrigerated produce in the U.S. is difficult, even farmers’ markets vendors may put produce into refrigeration between the farm and the stand. It was much easier finding unrefrigerated produce in Hawaii’s farmers’ markets. Still, using care about storing the produce I bought, and especially about cushioning to prevent bruising and separating apples from everything else, and using lots of small plastic bins in ventilated lockers, we had usable produce on board when we approached Hilo after a 19 day passage, and – what was even more amazing to me – when we returned to Astoria after 31 days at sea we still had onions, potatoes (sweet and regular), citrus, one rather shriveled hot pepper, and even a couple of Japanese eggplants that were still good to cook with. Although I hadn’t read Carolyn’s post before our trip, I can vouch for all of the suggestions/tips – I used them all and they do work.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Thanks!
David S Wheatley says
How much current does your fridge (and freezer for that matter) use or do you have a power cord to Three Mile Island Power Station ? 🙂
Carolyn Shearlock says
Ours runs on propane when away from shore power, but Dometic’s DC model of the same one uses a little over 3 amps on average, so somewhere in the 75 – 80 amp-hours per day range on a 12-volt system.
Grace says
What make is your fridge Caroline? Did it come with your new boat or where did you buy it? Our boat doesnt have space for anything bigger.
Carolyn Shearlock says
It came with our boat. Dometic 2332 . . . no longer available but Dometic sells the 2354 as the replacement. They have ones that are even smaller, as does Engel.
Jon Floyd says
Your small reefer is bigger than my small reefer. 🙁
Carolyn Shearlock says
Really? I thought I had the smallest! Frustrating as the outside cabinet looks decent-sized, then you realize that part is a bookcase on the side . . .
Lindsey Swope says
but you’re so lucky it has a DOOR and opens in front!! that’s such a step up from a top-loader, even if it is smaller!
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’d much prefer my old top-loader, actually. Don’t lose all the cool every time I open it!
Gill says
we have a cold box (or use an esky) for fruit and veg and use freezer blocks (1 large,thin and 1 smaller book size) . One set in freezer and one in box, swopped every morning, taking out the day’s needs or putting on top. Has kept everything fresh so worth the hassle!
Monika says
There was a recall in Feb and April 2014 on batches of the OvaEasy for Salmonella. Google search to find affected lot #s.
Suzanne Cranford says
Minimus.biz is an invaluable on line store that specializes in individual sized and travel sized items, including food & condiments, personal &, health care items, cleaning, etc. Living in a tiny space, I find it effecient, space saving, practical, and cost effective to order many smaller sized items from them.
Emilie @ liveyachtlove says
Hi Carolyn, doing research on living aboard, especially on storage and cooking and galley storage before we take the plunge. We’re planning on living aboard near the city (& go out on trips infrequently). We’re a mainly paleo (naturally gluten-free) family due to my boyfriend’s autoimmune disease (Celiac), so I’m delighted to see all of your tips, but am very worried about fresh meat and veg storage (we don’t do much out of cans), cooking and more. We cook A LOT. Meal planning and prepping meals in advance for leftover dinners for lunches and dinners. We realize we’ll have to grocery shop more often, but I’m worried about our high maintenance diet requirements living aboard. I discovered your blog just a few days ago via Sailing Chance and will keep looking to see what problems living aboard you’ve solved.
Carolyn Shearlock says
You really shouldn’t have a problem. Even with our small refrig/freezer, we can have meat for 3 weeks (no meals out). We freeze it all. Most fruit and veg don’t need to be refrigerated, even in the tropics, so you don’t have to worry about having the space for them. Eggs don’t have to be refrigerated. Seriously, don’t sweat it.
More on storing fruit without refrigeration
More on storing vegetables without refrigeration
John Meerman says
When using small office size refr we used cut off alum drink cans to make ice cubes. They froze fast and we didn’t have to use space for drinks. We would share a drink and if there was ice left we put back in fridge. This worked for us while we were living on board 1.5 yrs
Kate says
A couple thoughts about butter, which unfortunately, I can’t live without. Since it’s just me, I buy butter and freeze it, which is good for at least six months (if it lasted that long). A way to keep butter without refrigeration is to make ghee, which is butter with the milk solids removed (very easy to do). This is a staple of Indian cooking and doesn’t need refrigerated. It’s a pain to make a small batch, so I’ll make a pound or so at a time and either freeze or refrigerate what I don’t need immediately, which keeps it for a long time, six months or so. Ghee is available to buy, but it’s easy enough to make. Even out on the counter, it will last a month or two. I’ve heard of canned butter but haven’t tried it. A butter bell might be another solution in cooler climes (it doesn’t need refrigerated, either), but in warmth the butter comes unmolded from the cup that holds it and makes a mess.
Kyla says
This site is so fun. I do not have a boat but we have a pop up trailer with a small fridge and many of the tips are relevant to me as well when we are out camping. Showers, storage, food prep, etc. 🙂
Diane Finley says
I have been sailing with my husband for 18 years. Always struggling with keeping vegetables fresh.
These are great ideas. I also like the idea about putting all your lunch items in a perforated basket and not rummaging around for everything.
thus, not keeping the door open so long.
We have had jars of mayonnaise for all these years, kept out of the frig, and not contaminated.
Carolyn, you are terrific!!!
Lewis Sipfher says
I thought my fridge was small, then we got a 40qt Engel. That’s 1.41 cuft…
The Boat Galley says
Yep! But I bet you make it work.
Lewis Sipfher says
We’ll see; brand new. Gotta say am impressed with the low draw and good cooling
The Boat Galley says
Yeah, I’d rather have it be small and work well than any size and not work well.
Debbie Bowen Crawford says
This is a daily battle when you are full time but we are making it work. I have learned from The Boat Galley to buy unrefrigerated and store outside the fridge and it lasts just fine.
Dave Skolnick (S/V Auspicious) says
For cold drinks, or at least cold-ish drinks, you can put your cans and bottles in a bucket or better a net and drop them off the back of the boat. Stay at least a couple of feet above the bottom but if you can get 20′ down all the better. This works exceptionally well underway although it will slow you down a tad. Works great.
More fridge space!
Paul Thompson says
If you become vegan, you drastically reduce your need for refrigeration. Not to mention the lives that you will save and the benefit to your health and the planet.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Everyone has different needs; I know vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters who live both with and without refrigeration.
Paul Thompson says
You are missing the point, which is that for vegans, there is very little need for refrigeration. It becomes a very optional thing. Sure it can be very handy to have (I like my cold beer as much as anyone) but it is also very easy to get by without one.
Don says
I really enjoy your tips on cooking and travel. I don’t travel by boat but I do make extended trips on land in a motorhome or my SUV and a tent. I make extensive use of canned meat with prepackaged noodles and sauce. Quick and easy. Thanks for the tip on making sour cream.
K says
Helpful tip:. Make sure fridge motor is well ventilated. We added additional vents because hot air/heat did not vent well causing fridge to run more often.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Yes, we had to add ventilation to the compressor area on our previous boat.
Michael Toney says
I’ve been living “off grid” for almost 3 years in my moterhome. It’s been a learning experience for sure. Fresh meat is a luxury that I cherish. I usually only go to town once a month. But I’ve learned techniques to make canned meat and foil packaged meat palatable. Im a chef that has owned and operated every thing from 4 star to street tacos. So it took work and imagination to be satisfied with my meals. lol But it is possible. The tips here are straight up. Wish I had found them sooner. I threw out lots of food. Bonus for my dogs and cats. lol Terrible on my food budget.
sheila says
I don’t refrigerate butter, even in the heat…