The refrigerator is one of the most important and also high energy-consuming kitchen appliances in the kitchen. This is one home appliance that rarely gets switched off – even when you are off on your holidays. You must make sure your refrigerator and freezer are operating at their best capacity and keep the food inside fresh while efficiently using electricity. Here are some useful tips and hacks from Voltas Beko that will not only extend the life of your refrigerator but also help in optimizing energy consumption.
Don’t Store Hot Food Immediately
Don’t put hot food inside your refrigerator. Before storing food in the refrigerator, allow it to cool to room temperature. If you put hot food or hot liquids in the refrigerator right away, they can lose some of their nutritional content and your refrigerator might have to work harder. Before putting it in the refrigerator, you should at least allow it to reach room temperature.
Storing Fruits And Vegetables
Use the various shelves that are available for storing fruits and the dedicated tray to keep vegetables. Fruits and vegetables will deteriorate sooner if they are kept together. Additionally, avoid washing fruits and vegetables before storing them in the refrigerator because the moisture from the water left on them can make them stale sooner than usual. It is a good idea to look for refrigerators with the StoreFreshTM Technology as it locks in the freshness for up to 30 days.
Ensure That You Clean Your Fridge Regularly
Cleaning your fridge regularly will help you to ensure that it is free of microbes, bacteria, etc. This is particularly crucial for the handle, shelves, and storage spaces of refrigerators. Before rinsing them clean, wash all surfaces thoroughly in warm, soapy water. Use a fresh towel or kitchen roll to dry the surfaces.
Temperature
The temperature is the most crucial factor to consider when preserving the food’s freshness for the longest amount of time feasible. The freezer should be below 0 Celsius, while the refrigerator should be between 0 and 4 Celsius. There are high chances of food getting rotten or spoiled if the refrigerator temperature is below 0 Celsius.
The temperature inside your refrigerator can be affected by a wide range of variables, including variations in the outside temperature due to changes in the season. The temperature in your refrigerator can naturally drop in the winter as a result of indoor temperatures getting cooler, and the opposite happens in the summer. The inside temperature of the refrigerator and freezer can alter even when the door is closed. The refrigerator’s temperature may change if the door is opened, allowing cool air out or letting warm air in.
Never Keep Any Products On Top Of A Refrigerator
Ensure that you do not keep any products such as loaves of bread or bottles on top of your refrigerator. The condenser coil pumps warm air out to moderate cooler temperatures inside the appliance, which raises heat around the cabinet. The outcome? Because it warms up at the top, the bread will decay more quickly and fine wines will become tainted. Try to keep your storage to just a few pots, pans, and the occasional cookbook.
Check The ‘Use-By’ Dates
Go through your refrigerator at least once a week to look for foods that have passed their “use by” date and discard them. Just keep in mind that a use-by date differs from a “best before” date, which denotes that the item may still be safe to eat but may not be at its finest flavour or texture.
The Appropriate Way Of Storing Food
First, you need to start storing the food properly if you want it to stay fresh for a longer period. Bananas, potatoes, and onions should not be kept in the refrigerator. Learn to store food items in the refrigerator in their right locations so you can find them quickly and extend their shelf life. Food should be stored such that there is adequate room between each item to allow cold air to circulate throughout. Food items of the same kind should be kept together on the same shelf.
The gases that are released when different food types are kept together can cause the food to decay. Fruits and vegetables retain their flavour and nutritional value for a long time after being stored in the refrigerator thanks to Active Fresh Blue Light technology in refrigerators that produces an anti-bacterial environment inside the appliance.