24
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 or Custom Temp
TM
drawer and set to meat/poultry setting
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 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
“express freeze” so that on your return
you can ensure your newly purchased
food designated for the freezer will be
preserved as quickly as possible.
Storing Food and Saving Energy
• Activating “express 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.
