Medieval people used "stone cooling shelves," thick slabs of stone built into shaded walls, particularly north-facing sides, to absorb cooler temperatures and preserve food like milk, butter, and meats.

In the medieval world, clay was used in homes and food storage pits to regulate temperature, keeping food cooler in summer and retaining heat longer in winter.

"Bog butter," butter or lard buried in peat bogs, was a medieval long-term preservation method because bogs are cold, oxygen-poor, and acidic.

Hollow trees were used in the medieval countryside as impromptu storage units for perishable items like cheese, dried meat, and apples, as well as valuables and herbal remedies.

In the Middle Ages, meat was often preserved by hanging it behind an open hearth, where cool, steady smoke would dry it, kill bacteria, and repel insects.