Freezer Tips
World Wide Food Fact
Half of the world's population live on a staple diet of rice.
- Keep the door shut! While it sounds obvious, time is critical for preventing heat and moisture from entering the freezer.
- When your freezer is almost empty, put in some plastic bottles, three-quarters filled with water. This will reduce temperature variation within the compartment, and prevent the temperature from dropping sharply when the door is opened.
- The coldest part of a chest freezer tends to be on the compressor step; the coldest part of an upright tends to be the top shelf. Keep your long-term storage items here.
- Many people set their freezer thermostat so that ice cream can be easily scooped (about 5-10°F). That temperature is too high for long-term frozen food, which should be stored at least 0°F. Its best to keep your freezer set at lower temperature and store ice cream in the warmest part, which is the bottom of an upright or the top of a chest.
- Plastic containers, thick plastic bags and aluminum foil will preserve food quality by preventing dehydration and oxidation.
- If your freezer has "fast-freeze" function, remember to turn it off after a few hours, or running costs will be higher and constant noise could be a problem.
- When planning for how much freezer space to allocate, remember one cubic foot of freezer space will hold approximately 30 lbs. to 32 lbs. of beef.