Which part of the refrigerator is coldest? You might answer the freezer compartment, right? Not exactly. Most ref-savvy professionals agree that if a refrigerator has a separate freezer (with its own door), there probably is no “coldest” part as the cold is supposedly evenly distributed. Those with built-in freezer compartments though have the coldest part, on the shelf directly below the freezer.

In most refrigerators, this would be the chiller section. Why so? Probably because cold air is heavier. As such, it tends to settle and the chiller is just directly beneath the cool freezer so it traps most of the cold air. Anyway, the reason why finding out which part of the refrigerator is coldest is important as some dishes specify that their storage be in the coldest part.

Can hot food immediately stored in a refrigerator? Yes and no. It seems that in the olden days, the very first refrigerators have poor insulation. As such, it would not be advisable to immediately place hot foods inside them as they would obviously wreak havoc to the refrigerator’s temperature and even melt the freezer’s ice.

At present, most refrigerators have better insulation and even have carefully controlled temperatures. However, it would be advisable to cool foodstuffs first before placing them inside refrigerators in order to avoid the possibility of consideration.

It is advisable to cram every available space of the refrigerators with foodstuff ? No. Despite the closed space, air still needs to circulate freely in the refrigerator in order for the temperature to remain cool. The same goes for the freezer compartment as a full freezer makes it harder for the refrigerator to maintain a constant temperature. In fact, the latter makes the ref work harder resulting even in greater amount of electricity used.

In relation to this, would be advisable to sometimes keep foodstuffs not in their original form, especially when freezing. For example, one can separate the meat from the bones, and packaging the meat in plastic before placing them in the freezer. Without the bones, the meat would  obviously take up less space and thus result in more space for air circulation, if not for other foodstuffs.

It is advisable to store honey, preserves and marmalades inside the refrigerators? Surprisingly, it is not advisable. Any foodstuff that contains a great deal of sugar run the risk of granulation, especially when placed in a cool environment like a refrigerator. Indeed, it is best to store these foodstuff in a cool dry place instead of the refrigerator. Just be sure to that insects (e.g. ants) do not have access to them.

Incidentally, don’t panic if these foodstuff you chose to place inside the refrigerators is important as some foods absorb foul smells. One can eliminate the latter by washing the refrigerator with a mixture of baking soda and water. Also placing a saucer or bowl full of baking soda and water. Also placing a saucer or bowl full of baking soda and charcoal is handy in eliminating odors.

Another way of preventing odors from spreading inside a ref is by keeping food in separate containers. Plastic containers are handy in this case as some of the newer containers even have odors preventing qualities.