Storing Food And Saving Energy - Frigidaire FRFS2823AS Use & Care Manual

36

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.
• Avoid placing food in front of air
ports. (See Controls Section for
illustration.)
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
Freeze Boost so that on your
return you can ensure your newly
purchased food designated for the
freezer will be preserved as quickly
as possible.
• Activating Freeze Boost 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.