ok, wots the deal with the tiny refridgerators?!?!?!

  my fiance told me today, that in moving into our new home and preparing for my son and I to come over, he's purchased a tiny fridge....ack! I'm a HUGE grocery shopper, have always been, prolly always will be, because i can't be bothered with going to the grocery store once a week, what in the world does he expect me to fit into an apartment sized fridge??? (to us americans, it is that size anyhow) I know everything is on the lower scale over there, but omigosh!!! a tiny lil fridge like that will make me insane I just know it!!! LOL

Yup...it is THAT small! I have five children...so I shop almost everyday anyway, but I know what you mean...I always have enough food to last us a month or more in the big freezer downstairs and my cupboards! I don't feel "safe" without lots of food in the house!

When in the UK with my twins (and not working) I went to the market almost everyday as part of our excursions. I didn't mind it. Gave us something practical to do!

Oh, BTW...do you use icecubes? After my first visit with my honey he went out and bought me an icecube tray for my second visit (hahaha!) It made six, shallow cubes at a time (and I drink ice water all the time!) So, my third visit I brought over a couple of trays myself! Just a heads up, as I think it is viewed as an "American thing" to use ice cubes!

Its been hard to adjust but you do. You clean the fridge out alot. Nothing furry anymore. I was at Currys drooling over the big "American" fridges and told DH that is what we will be getting in the future. BTW the freezer is the same as mine in the states. It just has drawers. DH can fit a ton into it. Also, you can by plastic ice cube freezer bags that you can make ice cubes in.

Oh, BTW...do you use icecubes? After my first visit with my honey he went out and bought me an icecube tray for my second visit (hahaha!) It made six, shallow cubes at a time (and I drink ice water all the time!) So, my third visit I brought over a couple of trays myself! Just a heads up, as I think it is viewed as an "American thing" to use ice cubes!

My DF loves ice cubes...and uses ice cube bags which are readily available over there...they are a wonderful invention if you use a lot of ice!!! Helena

What are ice cube bags? Never saw them...I think?

after falling in love with them in the UK I did find them in the states ..they are geared towards partys....bags with small sections..you fill em up and tie em....then rip them open when you need ice...they are great...you can stack tonnes in a freezer...very convenient---although not reusable..reasonably priced I believe
H

Huh...well, my DF wasn't an ice cube guy, so he didn't clue me in on these. Are ther in the same section as plastic wraps etc? Our freezer (in the UK) is stacked on top of the fridge...so he has no problem getting whatever out (he is 6' 3") but I need to use the stool if the top drawers are full and I don't want them to fall when I haul them out! You can fit a lot of food into the drawers though.

I am not sure where to find them in the UK..I found them actually hanging near the soda in the US...if noone else can help I will check with my DF tomorrow and let you know; I know he will know what section to find them.

I have pretty much found them in all grocery stores big and small. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Costcutter, Spar, etc You name it. I've bought them there. Wonderful invention I tell ya

so, ok, I am to understand that I CAN get a regular (regular to us yankees that is) sized fridge if I shop around? Because nooooo way am I gonna survive with a mini fridge..LOL
I'm gonna be working immediately, so won't have the advantage of time on my hands to shop daily  :\\\'(  Gosh, of all the things to get frustrated about, I start spazzing out over a stinkin fridge!!! LOL
"color me stubborn american, lead me on my way" lmao, as my parents say...they are getting such a HUGE kick out of the things I'm freaking out about....

You can get an american sized one (I have one, and it wasn't that much more expensive than a regular one) However many of the houses just dont have the space for one.  Believe it or not you CAN get used to the small fridge. I only got my big one this year. For the past decade I managed with a small one  - and I am a once a week shooper.  It's all about space management.   Our first one was a fridge/ freezer with a freezer compantment about the size of a box of popcicles LOL I can pack the heck out of a suitcase or a car for camping now too!

Rosie

serious about the space for the big fridge. England is compact. Everything is compact.  Most kitchens dont have space for a big fridge, or a dryer at that. I have a side by side fridge freezer that is as tall as the counter. I dont have a dryer. Given the choice I would rather have the dryer.  I can have room for the big fridge but DH wont get one til the other breaks.... anyone know how to mysteriously break a fridge???

It's all about space management. 

Exactly! 

Oh, and ice cube bags are normally found with the plastic wraps, foils, etc.

You can buy refrigerators, freezers and fridge-freezers in almost any height up to about 7 feet.
Why do some people like to horde so much food?  You must end up throwing away an awful lot of food from the back of the refrigerator. 

Well, it's all about space management! I don't have a big fridge now though hope we will one day. But my  aunt does and she is very careful about checking what she has in it and rarely has to throws anything out. And her fridge is packed.

I personally find the small fridges a pain because we keep a lot of condiments and jars of indian spices that have to be kept cool. So we lose almost a full shelf to that sort of thing. And yes, we use all of it.

I agree with everyone who said that you will get used to it.  My grandfather owns a furniture/appliance store, and as a result, I grew up with mammoth fridges with ice/water/diamonds, etc., in the door.  No such luck once I moved to the UK!  In our first apartment, we had one of those 5ft fridges w/ a little freezer space and I initially hated it, but I did get used to it.  We moved a couple of months ago and now we have one of those 3ft fridges in the kitchen, and another in the garage (used mostly for juice, milk, and soda...and the beer left over from a bbq!), along with a small chest freezer.  It's more than enough now!     Give it a try....you'll get used to it.  And I'm betting you'd rather have a small fridge that needs regular stocking than a mammoth "American-style" fridge that takes up half your kitchen floor space (if you can even get it into your house!).