Fridge is broken/Renting in Indiana?

He cannot stop you from buying a fridge to replace it, but you  may have to store one that he supplies in place of the broken one, or put up with two in the home.  He is not responsible for any of your food loss.  If you bought renter's insurance, file a claim.  If you didn't, too bad.  Things break down.

No, he does not pay for the food that goes bad.  You can buy a fridge all you want to replace it, you just can't expect him to pay for it.

no , the fridge is broken and he arranged for it to be repaired , you bad luck , or take the food back to the supermarket to try to get a refund . if you owned the fridge and it broke down , what happens to your food then .

He is making an effort to fix it as best he can. The spoiled groceries are just bad luck, and something you'll have to pay for.

No, the landlord does not owe you for your food.

You could file a claim on your renter's insurance IF you have a policy that covers loss of perishable foods. Some of the policies from reputable companies actually do cover this. For example I heard of several people who filed claims with USAA homeowner or renter policies during the Texas winter storm where people were without power for several days. No questions asked, just submit an online form and USAA will mail you a $500 check to cover groceries.

You could place the items in a cooler and put store-bought ice to keep it cold for a day or two until a new fridge can be obtained. You can also purchase your own fridge, put it somewhere else in the house, and take it with you when you leave.

But the landlord has every right to say no to your request that you purchase a replacement at his expense. He gets to make the decision about whether or not to repair the current fridge or what type of fridge to buy as a replacement.

Your contents insurance would pay for the ruined food.

If you don't have insurance, then it's your cost. 

Your renter's insurance should cover your food.

Your landlord is not responsible for your belongings, which includes your food.

you could try donating some of it so it dont go bad

The landlord is not responsible for your lost food.

He is responsible to fix or replace the fridge in a reasonable amount of time.  A google search stated that most states allow 14 to 30 days as a "reasonable" amount of time.  I know - as the person going without a such a major appliance, that doesn't seem "reasonable" at all.  But, that is the time line before you would have a reason to make a complaint or take legal action against the landlord.  If you have reason to think that he is going to be slow with repairs, document everything about when you first made contact and any actions he takes.

Do you have friends or relatives that can store items for you while you wait.  You could save the most expensive food items by storing them with a friend.

If a rent - to - own store is nearby, you could also do a one week rental of a fridge while waiting for repairs.  Just have the rental fridge placed anyplace that has a plug in - even if it is sitting in the living room for a week.  The landlord is not responsible for this cost but can NOT stop you from renting a fridge for a short term fix to waiting on the fridge in your home to be repaired.  So, if you find out there is going to be a several day delay to getting a final fix, this is an option to consider.  (example - if a repair can be made - but will take a few days to order parts for the repair.)

If you have renter's insurance - check with your renter's insurance to see if something like this is covered by renter's insurance.  Some renters insurance might cover loss of food due to break down of the rental unit fridge.  I don't know if it is or not - it would really depend on the policy.  (you could also ask if the cost of renting a fridge for short term would be covered.)

Food in your freezer is good for 24 to 48 hours IF YOU KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED.  Do not keep opening things to check on it.  An unopened refrigerator will keep food good for about 4 hours.

Good luck.

You have the right to go buy some cheap foam coolers and a few bags of ice.

Or borrow some coolers.

Or take the food to a neighbor or friend's house.

I find it hard to believe that $300 worth of groceries ALL needs to be refrigerated.   Methinks you're exaggerating.

You have the right to file a claim with your renter's insurance company.

No your landlord doesn't have to pay for your groceries.  One could make the argument that your landlord should make an effort to lend you some coolers.   Did you ask if that was a possibility?   Be nice when you ask.

Remember, there are no guarantees that nothing is ever going to break.   Dwellings and their contents are in a constant state of decay.  The landlord must attempt repairs in a reasonable time frame.   But the landlord isn't responsible for replacing your belongings in a run-of-the-mill appliance failure where no negligence occurred.