Your freezer holds the stuff that has to stay cold. And because freezing foods keeps them good for much longer than room-temperature or refrigerated foods, you can put a lot of food in your freezer without worrying about it going bad:
Store food you buy in bulk (as well as leftovers) in your freezer. Your freezer can be a great storage space for bulk items such as meat, frozen vegetables, and bread, as well as leftovers such as soup, chili, casseroles, and baked goods.
To get the most use of limit freezer space, stack items neatly and use bins to keep food organized. Because your freezer is probably relatively small, you need to plan and economize storage.
If you have a stand-alone freezer, make use of it! These come in two styles: chest freezer where the door flips up like on a pizza box; and upright, where the door opens like a refrigerator door. Either way, you can take advantage of sales on meat, frozen vegetables, and fruits, and you can also cook in bulk, freezing leftover soups, stews, sauces, and desserts. You’ll always have food handy at the touch of the microwave’s defrost button.
Make sure that your refrigerator/freezer is within easy reach of your kitchen workspace. You can store a stand-alone freezer, however, in another room off the kitchen or even in the garage or basement.
If your refrigerator-freezer is more than 20 years old, consider buying a new one. Newer models are much more energy-efficient.
