One hundred years ago, people used "iceboxes" to keep food cold. These were non-electric, insulated wooden or metal cabinets. A large block of ice—delivered regularly by a neighborhood "iceman"—was placed in a top compartment, while melting water was caught in a drip pan below.
Manufactured iceboxes that looked closer to modern refrigerators became popular in the 1800s. These designs consisted of insulated metal or wooden cabinet-type structures with a tray or compartment that held a large block of ice. These ice blocks were regularly delivered to households with iceboxes.
The traditional kitchen icebox dates back to the days of ice harvesting, which was commonly used from the mid-19th century until the introduction of the refrigerator for home use in the 1930s.
The Amish primarily keep food cold using propane-powered refrigerators, large ice blocks harvested from frozen ponds during winter, and natural earth-cooling techniques like spring houses and root cellars.
Before refrigerators, people preserved food using natural cooling, active ice delivery, and shelf-stable preparation methods. Instead of electricity, households relied on ingenuity and local resources to keep perishables from spoiling.
In the 1800s, people kept food cold using wooden or metal "iceboxes". These pre-electric predecessors to modern refrigerators were insulated with materials like straw or cork and cooled using large blocks of ice, which were harvested from frozen lakes in the winter and delivered to homes by local icemen.
Adults in the 1950s and 60s often called refrigerators “iceboxes,” a name that carried over from the early part of the century. There were very few (if any) iceboxes still in use at the time, but the description lingered in the vocabulary. Refrigeration had become one of the most popular innovations in home kitchens.
Yes, many Amish women wear deodorant, though the type used often comes down to personal choice and strictness of the local church district.
Buffalo meat was also traditionally sun-dried; this practice is now more commonly done through the use of a food dehydrator. Jerky or bapa (dried buffalo meat used in soups and stews), sun-dried corn and wild berries are a healthy food which has traditionally provided sustenance to the Native American diet.
Many traditional Amish communities consider manufactured toilet paper an unnecessary luxury and use resource-saving alternatives instead. In outhouses, families often repurpose old newspapers, magazine pages, or catalogs (like the Sears and Roebuck catalog). To make the paper soft enough to use, they crumple it vigorously multiple times.
Potatoes, onions, and tomatoes should never be refrigerated because the cold breaks down their starches, flavors, and textures, turning them sweet, mushy, or mealy. For best quality, store these items in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated area rather than the fridge.
Finding a fridge alternative depends on your needs. For daily food storage, highly insulated Rotomolded Coolers (like Yeti or RTIC) packed with block ice keep perishables cold for days. For electricity-free, eco-friendly cooling, use a Zero Waste Cooling Method or a clay pot cooler.
Ice houses kept ice frozen through the winter and into the summer months by combining natural cooling with heavy insulation. By burying the structures partially underground to utilize the earth’s stable, cooler temperature, and densely packing the ice blocks with thick layers of sawdust or straw, these houses slowed melting to an incredibly slow crawl.
Ice was cut from the surface of ponds and streams, then stored in ice houses, before being sent on by ship, barge or railroad to its final destination around the world. Networks of ice wagons were typically used to distribute the product to the final domestic and smaller commercial customers.
The refrigerator was less efficient than existing appliances, although having no moving parts made it more reliable; the introduction of Freon to replace refrigerant gases toxic to humans made it even less attractive commercially.
The large block of ice 🧊 was delivered to them every 2nd day until an electric fridge was bought in early 1950's. Think each block cost them under 25 cents each then. A Block Was 25 Cents.. Mom would place a Red Card In Our Front Door Window So The Passing Ice Man Would Know We Needed Ice!
Traditionally, many Native American tribes viewed homosexuality and gender fluidity not as taboos, but as natural parts of the human experience. Instead of rigid, binary categories, many Indigenous societies embraced multi-gendered cultures where individuals who exhibited both male and female traits held respected, and sometimes sacred, roles in their communities.
The two most well-known foods that never expire are honey and salt.
The phrase "poor man's meat" most commonly refers to pulses (such as lentils, beans, and chickpeas) and soybeans. These are affordable, highly nutritious plant-based protein sources used globally as budget-friendly alternatives to animal meat.
Because the Amish emphasize modesty and natural living, both men and women generally do not shave any body hair, including pubic hair.
The characteristic "old age smell" is scientifically known as nonenal (or 2-nonenal). It is a chemical compound produced when the skin's natural oils and fatty acids break down and oxidize as we age.
Whether Amish girls wear bras varies significantly depending on the strictness of the specific church district or community. While some modern or progressive sects allow basic, store-bought bras, very traditional and conservative communities often prohibit them in favor of going without or wearing loose, homemade alternatives.
Poodle Skirts
When rock 'n' roll music exploded onto the social scene of the 1950s, dancers wanted nonrestrictive clothing that would allow them to move more freely to the beat. This unleashed one of the most memorable fashion fads of the era: the poodle skirt.
Purchasing a refrigerator in Mexico (referred to locally as a refrigerador or nevera) is straightforward, with standard models generally ranging from $600 to $1,000 USD (roughly $11,000 to $20,000 MXN) depending on features and size. Top brands like Samsung, LG, Mabe, and Whirlpool are widely available.
Refrigerating the wrong items can ruin their flavor, alter their texture, and cause them to spoil faster. Avoid keeping produce like tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and garlic in the fridge, as well as pantry staples like bread, coffee, and honey, to maintain optimal quality.