Maytag RSW2700 Meat and Cheese, Fruits and Vegetables, Dairy Food, Packaging Foods for Freezing

Meat and Cheese

•To maximize storage time place these items in the Meat/Cheese drawer.

Fruits and Vegetables

•Storage in the crisper drawers traps moisture to help keep fi'uits and vegetables fresh. Refer to page 5 for setting the control,

•Fruit and vegetable quality affects the length of stor- age. Quality can vary from item to item, variety to variety and season to season. For example, a rainy growing season can cause {ettuee to be brown when purchased or brox_mmore quickly,. Sort fruits and veg-

etables before storage and use bruised or soft items fi_t. Discard those showing signs of decay

•When storing vegetables, the crispers perform better if they are at least two-thirds full. If they are less than

two-thirds }hll, store the vegetables in plastic bags or airtight containers to reduce moisture loss.

•Always wrap odorous foods such as onions and cab- bage so the odor does not transfer to other foods.

•While vegetables need a certain amount of moisture to remain fresh, too much moisture can shorten stor-

age times (especially lettuce). Be sure the vegetables

are"well drained before storing. It mayal_o }_e}mlpful to place a layer of paper towels in the bottom of the bag to absorb any excess moisture.

Dairy Food

• Store butter and margarine in the Dairy Compartment found in the refrigerator door.

•Most dai U foods have freshness dates on their ear- tons for appropriate length of storage. Store these tbods in the original carton and refrigerate immedi- ately after purchasing and each use. Close carton lids tightly to keep out air and odors,

•Occasionally mold _dl] develop on the surface of hard cheeses /Sudss, Cheddar, Parmesan). The moldy

areas can be trimmed away and the remaining cheese will be flavorful and safe to eat.

Frozen Food Storage

The freezer compartment of a ret'rigerator should be kept at 0°F or lower. To check the freezer place an appliance thermometer between the frozen packages and check after 24 hours. A freezer operates more effi- ciently when it is at least two-thirds full. If not this full, it will be helpful to fill milk cartons half full of water

		2.
and place them in the freezer. For the best results when
freezing foods, follow these guidelines:		C
Packaging	Foods for Freezing

*Seleet fresh, top-qnali_"products.

•Use a freezer wrap that is air-, moisture_ and vapor-

proof. Some good choices are heaD,-du _, aluminum [_. foil, freezer plastic wrap, polyethylene-coated freezer

paper, freezer bags or airtight containers. Force as much air ont of the packages as possible and he sure they are tightly sealed. Trapped air can cause the food to dr)' out, ehange color and develop an o,G_avor (freezer burn).

• Do not	refreeze	meat that has completely thawed.	K
Loading	the	Freezer	r_

*Avoid adding too much warm food to the freezer at _" one time. This slows the rate ol"freezing and em_raise

the temperature of frozen foods.

•Place packages in the coldest part of the ficeezer first (against the walls or bottom of the compartment) to

ensure the _bod fi'eezes as quickly as possible. Leave ae a little space between the packages so c*_]dair can elf- culate.

•Avoid storing hard-to-freeze tbods such as ice cream

and orange juice on the fi'eezer door shelves. These foods are best stored in the freezer interior where the

temperature varies less with door openings.

Foods That Don't Freeze Well

•Some foods cannot be frozen successfully because the freezing causes them to deteriorate. These include:

potatoes (unless mashed) mayonnaise

cream		fillings	milk and cream
eooked		egg whites	gelatin salads
sour	cream		bananas
salad	greens		citrus frnits

luncheon meat

soft cheeses (cream, cottage, processed)

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