Jains do not avoid next‑day food only because “earlier there was no fridge.” Even today, with fridge and technology, the Jain reason is different:

1. Main reason: Ahimsa (non‑violence)

• As time passes, especially overnight, a lot of minute living beings (micro‑organisms, nigod jeev) develop in cooked food.
• Fridge may slow their growth, but it does not stop it.
• Eating such “old / paryushit / basi” food means more himsa than eating fresh food.

So the rule is based on life developing with time, not on the presence or absence of a refrigerator. ( jainknowledge.com)

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2. Concept of Paryushit (stale by time)

In Jain Dharma, food kept overnight is called paryushit (stale due to time), whether:

• kept in open,
• kept in box, or
• kept in fridge.

For shrāvaks/householders, ideal aahar‑maryada:

• Cook fresh every day
• Eat same day, before sunset
• Avoid food that has crossed the night. ( jainknowledge.com)

For sadhus & sadhvijis, rules are even stricter:

• They never store food; whatever is received, they eat same day in daylight only.

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3. Other spiritual reasons

Besides ahimsa, there are more subtle reasons:

• Sharir shuddhi (physical purity):

Fresh, simple food is lighter and better for health and sadhana. Old food tends to be heavier, more toxic, and supports more bacteria.

• Chitta shuddhi (mental purity):

Discipline of “no leftovers” trains sanyam, reduces attachment, and teaches planning & contentment.

• Aparigraha (non‑possessiveness):

When we cook less and fresh, we avoid hoarding and wasting.

So the rule helps both spiritual progress and practical health.

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4. “But wasting food is also wrong, right?”

Yes, Jain Dharma does not like:

• eating paryushit food and
• wasting food.

Best Jain way: ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Cook carefully – only as much as needed.
2. If extra is cooked:

- Share same day with others / workers / neighbours / needy. - Give suitable items to animals the same day.

1. Try that nothing needs to be kept for next day.

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5. Digambar & Shwetambar view

On this point, both traditions agree in essence:

• Shwetambar

- For householders: avoid paryushit (overnight) food as ideal practice. - During Paryushan, Aatham, Chaudas, Chaturmas niyam, rule is followed more strictly: no leftovers at all.

• Digambar

- Daily rules also encourage fresh, same‑day food only. - During Das‑Lakshan and other vows, stale / overnight food is clearly prohibited.

Local family practice may differ slightly, but scriptural direction is: fresh, same‑day, daylight food.

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In short: Jains don’t avoid yesterday’s food because there was no fridge in olden days. They avoid it because time itself brings more living beings into food, increasing himsa and reducing spiritual purity. Fridge does not remove that basic problem; it only slows it.