I used to think that if I packed a freezer, it would increase my energy costs to keep all that extra food cold. I was wrong. I learned, years later that the exact opposite is true.
If a freezer is packed, there is less empty warm air to cool. Also, more frozen food will slow down the natural heat transfer between the freezer walls and the food, meaning that the freezer doesn’t have to power on again as quickly as if there was less food.
If you don’t have enough food to fill that freezer, simply fill old water bottles and toss them in the freezer. They will help fill that space and act as ice packs to help keep food frozen.
And if you’re worried about stuffing that freezer and winding up with freezer burn, check out these tips on How to Prevent Freezer Burn.
~Mavis
Teresa says
Oh Mavis!,
I am so jealous of all that corn you put in the freezer! I’ve been sick with some sort of crud for the last week and it has put me behind on going to ‘the corn stand’. Yours looks very beautiful all finished. What’s the best way you’ve found to cut it off the cob?
Mavis Butterfield says
I keep it simple and just use a sharp knife. No fancy gadgets for me. 🙂
Karin Carson says
I have two stand up freezers and one small chest then two on top of my fridges. What you plan to freeze totally dictates what type of freezer you gave, if you are freezing me you MUST have a freezer you have to defrost, a Self defrosting freezer will dedicate your meat,makes all the moisture from your meat 🙁 =freezer burn. We are a family of hunters so my large stand up is just for meat it is NOT FROST FREE, my other freeze lets go into my other stand up and all meat scrap which is made in to sausage or ground goes into our small manual defrost freezer. 🙂
Tammy says
I hope no one decides to freeze you, whatever type of freezer you have. 😉
Sharon says
The freezer on my side by side is stuffed to its limit! A carrot couldn’t fit in there! Lol
This helps save electricity and my grocery budget. I have a wide variety so I do not get bored using what I have until the next great sale!