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Ideas for storing foods
Fresh
food
storage
o 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 drcu[ation 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
% 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 offoflavor (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 preoexisting
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 heatoproducing
appliances such as a range, oven, or dishwasher.
]:f 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
buildoup 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.
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