Refrigerator Temperature
Have you ever thought about your refrigerator temperature? If not, you may be interested to know that the temperature inside of your fridge will greatly impact your food.
The refrigerator was invented in order to stop bacteria from growing on food. Though the intention was to stop bacteria completely, this is not possible with a fridge. Instead, a refrigerator will slow down the growth of bacteria, which is good enough to allow us to eat foods inside of the fridge. Freezers have the ability to stop bacteria completely, though not all foods can be frozen. So, instead of trying to freeze everything it is important to control the refrigerator temperature.
The best temperature for the inside of your fridge is between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything colder than this will cause everything inside of the fridge to freeze. Anything lower than this temperature will allow that evil bacteria to grow. If you do not have a temperature control that includes number amounts, set the control between 3-5. The idea is to make sure that your food doesn’t freeze while still keeping things cold. Most of the time, people tend to set this dial improperly causing food spoilage, food poisoning (yes, this can happen from the wrong temp.), and food freezing (have you ever had frozen milk?).
If you are not sure how to set your refrigerator temperature, take a look at the owner’s manual. Most people never read this guide, though it can offer a lot of helpful tips. In addition to the inside of your fridge, you will also have to set the vegetable crisper temp. In order to do this, slide the bar towards the middle of the drawer. If you find that this provokes a lot of condensation, simply adjust it later on. The beauty of the fridge is that it can be altered when you want to change the settings inside of it. No matter what you do, make sure that your food is cold when you eat it.
Sometimes, people will eat meats that aren’t cold simply because they don’t check the temp. If you find that your packaged meats are slimy, or if they smell, when you take them out of the fridge don’t eat them. Instead, throw them away and adjust that temp.
Now that you know how to adjust your refrigerator temperature properly, your food should stay fresh for weeks. Remember to keep those bacteria away with the proper temperature in order to be sure that your food is safe.