Freezers

One of the most efficient ways to save on your food budget is to buy in bulk quantities and store them for further use. To this end, it is a very good idea to add a separate freezer to your list of appliances. Consumer reports show that while upright freezers can cost a little more to run, it averages out to about $1.00 per month over chest freezers so the most important factor to consider is what type of storage you are going to need.

Upright freezers have the advantage of having shelves that can organize your frozen foods for ease of selection whereas the chest freezer is usually a large single chamber and you may need to shift items around to find a specific item. If you are storing large quantities of frozen meat or vegetables, the chest freezer will work better as you can organize the bulk in the same area. If you have a lot of smaller items like freezer meals (the ubiquitous TV dinners) the upright will serve you best. These upright freezers also make the use of freezer mugs for cold summer drinks more practical.

The location of your freezer is also important. If you live in a colder climate, a back porch or garage will do fine. Warmer climates tend to leech the cold from around the freezer and so should be installed in a cellar or basement for most efficient use.

Freezing food is a great way to store it over long periods of time as the extreme cold will completely stop any bacterial activity in the food. The biggest spoil danger in frozen foods is if it stays that way too long, freezer burn (the bursting of cell membranes) can damage and ruin the food. The most effective way to prevent freezer burn in stored foods that are not ruined by this process is to surround the food in the bag with water and let it freeze the food into an ice block.

There are smaller compact freezers on the market that allow storage of ice cream or a less massive inventory of food. These are good for apartment dwellers that don't have the extra room for a full sized freezer. Consumer reports will help you find the right freezer for your needs and a bit of searching can allow you to discover wholesale freezers and parts to make your pantry a long lasting investment.