Many of you are like me and value the extra storage capacity of a chest style freezer. Did you know that your freezer keeps food cooler, faster and uses less energy when it’s full? In order to keep my freezer working at optimal capacity, here’s what I do:
As I use items and my freezer begins to get empty spaces, I wash an empty gallon milk jug, fill it to about two inches from the top with water and put it in the bottom of my freezer chest. Now reaching for food is easier when empty spaces down near that bottom are filled and the food I want rests neatly on top. The resulting block of ice in the jug helps keep the freezer cold even in the event of a power failure. Filling in those empty spaces helps to prevent freezer frost and lowers my summer electric bill. Best of all, the ice jugs are clean and easy to remove when I need the space again for food or I want to grab ice for the picnic cooler that won’t make a mess.
Re-using plastic milk jugs in my freezer? That’s what works for me! For more tips and ideas visit Rocks In My Dryer.
10 responses so far ↓
1
Kristin
// Jun 25, 2008 at 12:18 am
What a great tip!! It is certainly true - a full freezer is an efficient one. I would have never thought of using water filled milk jugs…awesome!
2
Jennifer H
// Jun 25, 2008 at 2:15 am
Now, that’s a smart idea. I’ve never heard that, but it makes perfect sense. Brilliant.
3
HRH
// Jun 25, 2008 at 7:41 am
You are a smart cookie. Mmmmm…cookies.
4
Carol
// Jun 25, 2008 at 8:14 am
Great tip!
5
Leslie
// Jun 25, 2008 at 8:31 am
If you have kids that drink a lot of milk, buy it on sale, pour out a little bit and freeze it. it takes about a day to thaw but is just fine. a tip I learned from my mom who had to work with a budget with 5 kids!
I love my freezer! I don’t have a chest but an upright one and love it!
6
nottryingforaboy
// Jun 25, 2008 at 8:33 am
What a great idea! I have a stand up freezer that is half empty right now. I’m sure it would be beneficial there too.
7
Janet
// Jun 26, 2008 at 9:21 am
Excellent! We have a small stand up freezer which we don’t really need but his parents gave it to us. It’s never full, so this will be perfect.
8
Janet
// Jun 26, 2008 at 9:22 am
I am snorting over your plurk comment about your karma nosedive. Hopefully you meant it to be funny.
9
Nan
// Jun 26, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I fill juice bottles, the big rectangle-shaped cranberry ones, with water. We spend plenty of time on the beach and if I stick one or two of those bottles into the cooler, it keeps everything cold while melting into drinking water. Killing several birds with one stone!
10
Melissa
// Jun 26, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Could you BE any more clever? Seriously. Great tip.
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