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24
STORING FOOD AND SAVING ENERGY
Ideas for storing foods
Fresh food storage
• Keepthefreshfoodcompartmentbetween34°F
and 40° F with an optimum temperature of 37° F.
• Avoidovercrowdingtherefrigeratorshelves,which
reduces air circulation and causes uneven cooling.
Fruits and vegetables
• Storefruitsandvegetablesincrisperdrawers,
where trapped moisture helps preserve food quality
for longer time periods.
• Washitemsandremoveexcesswater.
• Wrapanyitemsthathavestrongodorsorhigh
moisture content.
Meat
• Wraprawmeatandpoultryseparatelyandsecurely
to prevent leaks and contamination of other foods
or surfaces.
• Usethedelidrawertostoremeat/poultryforshort-
term storage. Any meat to be kept longer than two
(2) days should be frozen.
Frozen food storage
• Keepthefreezercompartmentat0°Forlower.
• Afreezeroperatesmostefcientlywhenitisat
least
2
/
3
full.
Packaging foods for freezing
• Tominimizefooddehydrationandquality
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,
changecolor,anddevelopanoff-avor(freezer
burn).
• Wrapfreshmeatsandpoultrywithsuitablefreezer
wrap prior to freezing.
• Donotrefreezemeatthathascompletelythawed.
Loading the freezer
• Priortogroceryshopping,activate“quickfreeze”
so that on your return you can ensure your newly
purchased food designated for the freezer will be
preserved as quickly as possible.
• Activating“quickfreeze”alsowillhelpyourfreezer
moreefcientlymaintaintheselectedtemperature
after placing new purchases with pre-existing
frozen foods.
• Avoidaddingtoomuchwarmfoodtothefreezerat
one time. This overloads the freezer, slows the rate
of freezing, and can raise the temperature of frozen
foods.
• Leaveaspacebetweenpackages,socoldaircan
circulate freely, allowing food to freeze as quickly
as possible.
Ideas for saving energy
Installation
• Locatetherefrigeratorinthecoolestpartofthe
room, out of direct sunlight, and away from heating
ducts or registers.
• Donotplacetherefrigeratornexttoheat-
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
operatemoreefciently.
• Leveltherefrigeratorsothatthedoorsclose
tightly.
Temperature settings
• Refertothe“Controls”sectionforprocedureson
temperature settings.
Food storage
• Avoidovercrowdingtherefrigeratororblockingcold
air vents. Doing so causes the refrigerator to run
longer and use more energy.
• Coverfoodsandwipecontainersdrybefore
placing them in the refrigerator. This cuts down on
moisture build-up inside the unit.
• Organizetherefrigeratortoreducedooropenings.
Remove as many items as needed at one time and
close the door as soon as possible.
• Donotplaceahotcontainerdirectlyonacold
shelf. Remember, such an extreme temperature
change may damage the glass.
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