How To Make The Most Of Your Fridge And Freezer Combination!

Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com

Your fridge is much more than a closet to store food. It is actually a high-tech appliance that every home needs to keep food fresh and suitable to eat. However, the way you pack the fridge will have an impact on the quality of the storage.

The holiday season is upon us, and if you are going away for a few days, you will not want to come home to the unfortunate situation of a fridge full of spoiled food. By the same token, if you are just aiming to chill at home and buy foodstuffs in advance to prepare special meals on festive days like Christmas or New Year’s Day, you naturally want your purchases to stay fresh until you need them.

Should you be going away for a few days, make sure before you leave that both the fridge and freezer doors are properly closed. Transfer butter, margarine, milk, and cheese to the freezer compartment to stay fresh.

It is always a good idea invest in a power-surge plug to protect your appliance from damage during power dips, power outages, and surges during storms.

The best way to pack your fridge.

Food needs to be maintained at cold temperatures to prevent bacteria and microbes that make it spoil. Modern fridges are designed with compartments suitable for storing various food items. Most manufacturers recommend that your fridge temperature be set at 40 F, and the freezer at 0 F.

Here are some tips how to manage your fridge storage space.

Freezers are obviously meant for storing frozen things like frozen meals, vegetables, meat, chicken, etc. However, you can also store items for later use, such as pasta sauce, bread, rolls, cakes, butter, margarine, and some tarts. Pack tightly in plastic containers or in freezer bags.
The inside of the doors are the warmest parts of the fridge and should be used for things that do not spoil quickly, like juices and sauces in bottles.
Upper shelves of the fridge have the most consistent temperatures, and ready-to-eat foods like deli meats, precooked meals, and leftovers will do well there.
The lower shelves are by far the coldest in the fridge, and are suitable for food items that are going to be used fairly soon. These include eggs, raw meat (kept in original hermetically-sealed packaging), milk, cheese, and butter.
Crisper drawers are designed to keep fresh fruit and vegetables in moist conditions. Each fridge usually has two crisper drawers, so for best results, store fruit and vegetables separately.
Fruit and vegetables should be washed just before eating and not prior to storage — this may lead to excess moisture and hamper freshness.

Do not overload the fridge shelves, and don’t pack as tightly as you pack the freezer. The cold air needs to circulate in the fridge as much as possible.

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Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com

Items that don’t always need refrigeration.

There are some things that do better out of the fridge, and other items where is your choice whether to refrigerate them or not. Here is a list to keep in mind:

Tomatoes will get too moist in the fridge and may go mouldy before their time. They will do well at room temperature, and those slightly green will also ripen quickly.
Potatoes and onions also need a place with low moisture and can be kept in a cool cupboard for quite a while without spoiling.
Avocados and other fruits that need to ripen can survive quite successfully on the kitchen counter top.
Nuts and nut flours can be stored in a cupboard, but if your house is warm, or they may not be used for a while, refrigeration will help maintain the natural oils.
The same applies to whole-grain flour, and oils such as sunflower, canola, and olive will last longer if kept in the fridge. They may, of course, also be stored in a cupboard, but fridge storage will help prevent the rancid flavour that may develop over time.

The refrigerator is the most important invention to hit the appliance world, and, if used properly, can save you hundreds of dollars wasted on spoiled food that may have been tossed in the garbage.

A magical machine!

The fridge is a wonderful appliance, specially designed to keep food fresh, and prevent bacteria from spreading, spoiling food, and making us ill.

Refrigerators are very important in the daily lives of people all over the world, and allows you to confidently purchase perishable goods, and plan meals ahead of time. Your food will also be safe when you go away on holiday.

Without a doubt, the fridge/freezer combo is one of the most important pieces of equipment in kitchens today.

References:

www.eatright.org

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