Tags
#adulting, #baby, #dormlife, #family, #minibar, #minifridge, #motherhood, #Movies, #storage, food, kids
Today’s blog is inspired by an Epicurious article in which Maggie Hoffman explains how she came to have a dorm-fridge and why any adult could justify having one as well. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/i-love-my-dorm-fridge-article?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=epi&utm_mailing=EPI_WELL_EQ_011120&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5e1626b62a077c4eaf552bad&cndid=59609402&esrc=bounceX&utm_term=EPI_TOPTEN_AND_WELLEQUIPPED I thought I’d share my mini-fridge journey with you.
Just over a decade ago, when the realization came that we would not be parents, we decided to turn the second bedroom into a den. Conveniently located next door to the “Master” bedroom, it seemed like a perfect room in which to relax and watch movies since we didn’t (happily) have a TV in our bedroom. So, upon buying an “upstairs TV” we decided what would really be nice is an “upstairs fridge” for drinks and snacks, so we wouldn’t have to venture downstairs. We wanted a mini-bar experience on the cheap. I had recently purchased a small fridge/freezer for the office and thought it would be perfect for home use. And it was.
We filled our little fridge with an assortment of beverages and perishable snacks like ice cream and fancy cheese. We toyed with the idea of getting an “upstairs microwave” for popcorn and warm snacks like pizza, but that seemed to tilt us into full on lazy (our house is small…it is no great feat to get from that room to the kitchen and back). The at home mini-bar was awesome! Why didn’t we think of this years ago? Oh yeah…we didn’t have a TV upstairs, so it wasn’t at all necessary. As a matter of fact, for years we didn’t even have a TV in the living room. We loved that our home was a place where we enjoyed the company of others more than the glow of the screen. We enjoyed the mini-fridge as an entertainment companion until it was called into service for another use…formula storage. Yes. We gave up but the universe did not. We soon found out we were going to have a baby. Thanks Obama! (I am dead serious, but that is a blog for another day.)
Our baby was born via cesarean section. Three weeks early and with some unspecified “infection” that kept mom and babe in the hospital for five and ten days respectively. Despite best efforts, breastfeeding didn’t take. Recovering from surgery along with a pre-existing condition meant it best that mom limit her trips up and down the stairs. We had a bottle warmer upstairs, but needed to store the formula too. Great, we have the mini-fridge. Again, we were so proud of our decision to buy this thing…so dang useful. The only thing better than an “upstairs fridge” may be having the clothes washer and dryer upstairs. But that is debatable. I would LOVE to have these appliances upstairs, but someone thinks that would put too much weight on the floors and the noise would be disruptive. Meh, I’d suffer for convenience.
As the baby turned into a toddler, we were happy that the oddity of a lock and key mechanism on the fridge existed. The kid quickly learned that there was a magical box from which treats could be had and it was just the right size. Not at all intimidating like the big white box of food downstairs. I repeat…how great is the “upstairs fridge”?! Our lives had changed, but the mini fridge stood by, reliably supporting our needs and nourishing us on demand.
Now, amazingly, we have had this appliance for nearly twelve years. We did also get a small microwave, but only because our parents died and we found a perfect use for a small microwave. The fridge no longer gets locked. It primarily stores snacks again. In summer moths it is a great storage for an extra bag of ice or a surplus of popsicles. It currently holds a few yogurts, condiments, orange juice, sodas and fancy cheese. There is also ice cream in the freezer and frozen meals. These are segregated items exclusively for mom because if left in the main/downstairs fridge they seem to disappear. “Oh, I didn’t know that pint of ice cream was yours.” It wasn’t, it was OURS, but you ate the entire thing without sharing. So, you see, the mini-fridge is now living its fully intended life as a dorm fridge to keep food for (mainly) one person, MOM.
Sometimes, it really is the little things in life that bring great joy. If you don’t have an “upstairs fridge”, I highly recommend you upgrade your life and get one. What you store in it is up to you.
toast, a food blog (sometimes) 