Tips on eco-friendly usage: Refrigerator
Close the doors
Only open the appliance doors when necessary and keep them open for as short a time as possible.
Keep food cool
Use outdoor areas to keep food cool. After use, place cooled foods back in the refrigerator as quickly as possible. Leave warm or hot food items to cool down before placing them in the appliance. Store foods that release moisture in closed containers or covered in the refrigerator compartment. Moisture can cause the rear wall of the refrigerator to ice up more quickly and reduce its cooling output. To optimise air circulation, do not place food or other items too close together.
Installation
When installing your refrigerator, make sure there is plenty of room for waste heat to circulate and that there are ventilation slots of an adequate size.
Optimum temperature distribution
If possible, leave the drawers, glass shelves and door trays in the positions they were in upon delivery. These positions are designed to maximise efficiency and distribute the temperature as evenly as possible.
Buying food
Be smart when shopping for food. Plan a weekly meal plan and write a shopping list. Before you go shopping, take a look in the refrigerator to see what you already have and only buy what you need. Choose small or prepackaged portions where possible and be careful with special offers. Whenever possible, opt for local and seasonal produce. Have a bite to eat before you go food shopping – if you shop when hungry, you’re more likely to buy more than you need!
Storing food
“Use by”, “sell by” and “best before” don’t all mean the same thing! Don’t consume food after the “use by” date. In every other case, don’t just pay attention to dates – you can also use sensory cues (look, smell, taste) to decide if food can still be eaten. Set the temperature of your refrigerator to 5 °C – temperatures higher than this favour the growth of harmful bacteria. Store leftovers in clear containers. Position them such that you won’t forget about them and consume them within 1 to 3 days. If you’ve bought too much food and can’t eat it all, remember that most foods can be frozen: bread for up to three months and some animal products for up to a year. With animal products, ensure that the cold chain is not broken. Be organised – for perishable foods such as fruit and vegetables, use the first in, first out principle: place older items at the front of the refrigerator and newly purchased items at the back.
Sources: foodwaste.ch, V-ZUG operating instructions