23
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.
