25
STORING FOOD AND SAVING ENERGY
Ideas for storing foods
Fresh food storage
• Keep the fresh food compartment between 34° F
and 40° F with an optimum temperature of 37° F.
• Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator shelves, which
reduces air circulation and causes uneven cooling.
Fruits and vegetables
• Store fruits and vegetables in crisper drawers,
where trapped moisture helps preserve food quality
for longer time periods.
• Wash items and remove excess water.
• Wrap any items that have strong odors or high
moisture content.
Meat
• Wrap raw meat and poultry separately and securely
to prevent leaks and contamination of other foods
or surfaces.
• Use the deli drawer to store meat/poultry for short-
term storage. Any meat to be kept longer than two
(2) days should be frozen.
Frozen food storage
• Keep the freezer compartment at 0° F or lower.
• A freezer operates most efficiently when it is at
least
2
/
3
full.
Packaging foods for freezing
• To minimize food dehydration and quality
deterioration, use aluminum foil, freezer wrap,
freezer bags, or airtight containers. Force as much
air out of the packages as possible and seal them
tightly. Trapped air can cause food to dry out,
change color, and develop an off-flavor (freezer
burn).
• Wrap fresh meats and poultry with suitable freezer
wrap prior to freezing.
• Do not refreeze meat that has completely thawed.
Loading the freezer
• Prior to grocery shopping, activate “quick freeze”
so that on your return you can ensure your newly
purchased food designated for the freezer will be
preserved as quickly as possible.
• Activating “quick freeze” also will help your freezer
more efficiently maintain the selected temperature
after placing new purchases with pre-existing
frozen foods.
• Avoid adding too much warm food to the freezer at
one time. This overloads the freezer, slows the rate
of freezing, and can raise the temperature of frozen
foods.
• Leave a space between packages, so cold air can
circulate freely, allowing food to freeze as quickly
as possible.
Ideas for saving energy
Installation
• Locate the refrigerator in the coolest part of the
room, out of direct sunlight, and away from heating
ducts or registers.
• Do not place the refrigerator next to heat-
producing appliances such as a range, oven, or
dishwasher. If this is not possible, a section of
cabinetry or an added layer of insulation between
the two (2) appliances will help the refrigerator
operate more efficiently.
• Level the refrigerator so that the doors close
tightly.
Temperature settings
• Refer to the “Controls” section for procedures on
temperature settings.
Food storage
• Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator or blocking cold
air vents. Doing so causes the refrigerator to run
longer and use more energy.
• Cover foods and wipe containers dry before
placing them in the refrigerator. This cuts down on
moisture build-up inside the unit.
• Organize the refrigerator to reduce door openings.
Remove as many items as needed at one time and
close the door as soon as possible.
• Do not place a hot container directly on a cold
shelf. Remember, such an extreme temperature
change may damage the glass.
