What temperature should my fridge and freezer be?
THE living crisis across the UK doesn’t seem to improve anytime soon and that is why we need to find ways on how to save money and reduce costs.
The temperatures of your fridge and freezer will have an impact on for how long your food remains fresh and getting this right can help you throw away less food.
What temperature should my fridge be?
The ideal temperature for your fridge is between 37 degrees (three degrees Celsius) and 40 degrees (five degrees Celsius).
If you are changing the temperature of your fridge, beware that it will take up to 24 hours for your fridge to settle to the change.
We suggest that you change the temperature a day before you do a big food shop, so that the new products that you buy won’t be affected by it.
Having your fridge at a good temperature is not the only thing you need to consider to make sure that your food stays fresh.
Read More on Appliances
You should also think about where food should be placed, and be careful not to overfill your fridge.
What temperature should my freezer be?
Your freezer should be set at zero degrees (18 degrees Celsius).
Some think that putting things in the freezer, will stop bacteria from growing on them.
This is wrong because these temperatures only slow the process.
Most read in Fabulous
Bacteria will still grow, but a slower rate and also the longer you keep food in the freezer, the more its quality will decrease.
Tenderness, flavour, juiciness and colour will all be affected and when you cook the food, you might notice that it is not as tasty as you thought it would be.
How can I check what temperature my fridge is?
If you have a modern fridge, it will have a numerical dial which shows number from one to five.
These represent the fridge’s power – the number five being the coldest – and the higher the power, the more energy you fridge has been using.
If you want to measure the exact temperature of your fridge, place a thermometer in a glass of water and put in the middle shelf.
Leave it there overnight and in the morning it should show the exact temperature that your fridge is at.