24
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 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
⅔
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 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.
