Several years ago I made what can only be described as a suspicious sandwich. I was a teenager and still living with my parents at the time. At this not so shining moment in my culinary history, my mother wasn't at home to tell me not to do what I was about to do. So I did do it. I made and ate a sandwich comprised of mouldy bread, mouldy cheese, rusty lettuce and slightly greenish processed meat. It was all I could find in the fridge and I did cut off all of the really furry bits. In my defense I was quite hungry.
If you're looking for a really good sandwich, check this one out. It's my favourite.
And if I'm going to be perfectly honest, my mother Betty probably wouldn't have thought twice about the sandwich. She's pretty much convinced anything can be eaten and nothing goes bad. She's like a goat that woman. Conversations growing up went something like this. Karen: Mom ... I think this blue cheese is expired, it's getting kind of runny. Mom: Oh ... it's fine, that's not blue cheese anyway, it's a peach. It's still loads of bonding fun for my sisters and I to go around my mom's kitchen laughing hysterically at the expiry decades on everything. Don't accept a glass of Creme de Menthe if my mom ever offers it to you, by the way. 1972.
So where am I going with all of this? Well, I've been cursed with rotten food again. And it's all the fault of my stupid fridge instead of my stupid self. You see, I have one of those refrigerators with the freezer on the bottom, that were fancy about 10 years ago. You know ... the kind you have to press your face onto the kitchen floor to get the ice cube tray out of. Yeah .... one of those.
Well the other problem with having the freezer directly below the fridge is that everything in the crisper drawers freeze. I open the crisper drawer vents and everything freezes. I close the vents and everything freezes. I tried every combination in between and still ... everything would freeze solid! The rest of my fridge is always completely full so I had nowhere else to put the fruit and vegetables. Those poor oranges made it through the freeze in Florida only to be killed by my murdering crisper.
The next bit of information I am about to give you is to be held in complete confidence because it is both embarrassing and stressful. Once I say it, we are never to mention it again for the sake of my mental health.
I estimate I wasted about $10 worth of produce a week with this crisper problem. That works out to $520 a year, which is bad. But not nearly as bad as the $6,240 over the lifetime of that STUPID, STINKING, MONEY SUCKING, LETTUCE FREEZING FRIDGE! Now do that twisty motion at your pursed mouth and throw away the key.
I came up with a solution. It took me over a decade but I did it. And in case you too are losing thousands of dollars in frozen celery, here it is:
Materials:
Styrofoam-type insulation - $7.50 (I bought a broken piece from a hardware store but you could try to use regular packing styrofoam. I like to do things in the extreme)
X-Acto Knife
Measuring Tape
1.
Take everything out of your crispers and clean them. Yes. These are clean. A little smudgy maybe, but clean. Cleaner than they were anyway.
2.
Measure the bottom and back of your drawer. Mine measured 11.25" X 8.25" and 11.25" X 5.25". In case you were wondering.
3.
Measure and cut your styrofoam. Obviously I cut my 2 pieces to be 11.25 X 8.25 and 11.25 X 5.25. Duh. Use your X-Acto knife for this. Just score the board and then snap it. You'll get the cleanest cuts this way. Cutting lengthwise your cuts will be perfect. Cutting horizontally, across the grain the cuts will look rougher. You can try sawing with the X-Acto knife for the horizontal cuts if the snapping thing is making too messy of a break.
4.
Stick your cut pieces into the bottom and back of the drawer. See where this is going now? The insulation prevents the super-cold radiating from the freezer below from freezing the food in your crisper. I know! I was pretty impressed with myself when I thought of this. After 12 years. Is it pretty? Not so very much, but neither is a frozen solid leek 4 minutes before you're about to make soup.
5.
As long as your first 2 pieces fit, use them as a pattern to cut the pieces for your other crisper drawer.
6.
Pink insulation board isn't supposed to be toxic, but neither was thalidomide so I cover it with waxed paper just in case. Just change it out once it starts to get gross. How often this is depends on how much tolerance you have to slimy things at the bottom of your crisper drawer.
7.
Load the crispers back up and stick them back in the fridge. (am I oversimplifying here?)
I discovered this solution about 6 months ago and I haven't frozen anything since. Now the only vegetables I throw out are the ones that rot naturally over a reasonable period of time. Unless my mother wants them.
Sheryl Bee
Great idea! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! My husband has been complaining miserably over his lettuce for three years. Styrofoam was easy to find, simple to cut, & I sealed them up in 2 gallon zip locks bags, so I could wipe them off easily. Thank you again! Perfect solution!
Connie Volkman
I believe that when you need the message it will come and it did even though this was a blog from the past, it was perfect for me. I have this expensive refrigerator with a freezer on the bottom and my lettuce is a frozen mess. It's eat it now or throw it into the compost pile for the crazy possum that lives under the deck but I digress...I'm going to try this tomorrow first thing.
Thanking you in advance,
Connie
Karen
You're welcome Connie. Let me know how it goes! ~ karen
AA
My fridge doesn't even have a freezer compartment, but anything stored at the back (which is where I usually shove the dozens of eggs MIL brings over) ends up solid. Not sure I can put a layer of insulation along the back, though, it's kinda arty and curvaceous (curse those modernist appliance designers).
Just discovered your site, I fear I will spend too much time here...
Karen
A modern curvy fridge interior? Wow. Sounds kindda sexy. Your coils must be at the back of the fridge which makes it the coldest part. Just stick the beer there instead of the eggs. ;) ~ karen!
Ken
Feed the world- 40% wastage, the Norwegians will be calling you!
Laurie
Hi Karen, I actually had this problem with my old fridge. I didn't go as far as putting pink insulation in, I just used the styrofoam tray that mushrooms come wrapped on. Two of them side by side covered the bottom of the veggie drawer, and nothing else ever froze!
Sandra Dowkes
It's funny that only my veggie bin freezes, but the fruit one doesn't. Wonder why? Like the solution, thanks.
Karen
Hi Sandra! Maybe the ... well ... hmm ... I have no idea why only one freezes, lol. But this should fix it. ;) ~ karen!
Sandra Dowkes
I forgot to add that there is a temp gauge in the freezer, too. I've turned it down and bit and that has also helped; stuff still freezes, but not so fast (usually because I've left it in one position for too long; like most people, veggies are at the bottom of my food faves, no matter how often I say I'm going to change)!
Tami Cochran
I see this post is pretty old but I just found it, have been using crisper drawers for drinks! and crammed all produce on bottom shelf for years just cut out my styrofoam, and loaded up the drawers with fruit and vegetables, we'll see what happens! My fridge is 19 years old have been hoping for it to die for years!! is it only "older" models with freezer on the bottom that has frozen crisper problems. if mine dies i really like my freezer on the bottom, and it is built in so I don't have as many choices. Thanks for the post!
Tami Cochran
I see this post is pretty old but I just found it, have been using crisper drawers for drinks! and crammed all produce on bottom shelf for years just cut out my styrofoam, and loaded up the drawers with fruit and vegetables, we'll see what happens! My fridge is 19 years old have been hoping for it to die for years!! is it only "older" models with freezer on the bottom that has frozen crisper problems. if mine dies i really like my freezer on the bottom, and it is built in so I don't have as many choices.
Rachael Pallenberg
Oh Karen - I want to marry you...This is the perfect solution! I have to admit I wept a little when I read your post - such has been the burden of my frozen produce. Thank you from the bottom of my heart...and fridge.
Ha - wow can't wait to go all out on a crazy dangerous limb and put my veg on a poisonous toxic board of deadly Styrofoam! Double whammy for me as this is what they get delivered in also. Someone stop me....
Karen
Ah! Putting your food on wax paper wrapped styrofoam. Welcome to the dark side Rachael! ~ karen!
DDAY
Styrene Which what Styrofoam is made with is regarded as a "hazardous chemical", especially in case of eye contact, but also in case of skin contact, of ingestion and of inhalation, Why would you put your fruits and vegetables on styrofoam in your bin?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrene
http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/styrene.html
Karen
Yeah, I'm a real risk taker that way. I also use styrofoam coolers and styrofoam cups when need be. ~ karen
Blair
We all did in the 50-80s. It's amazing any of us survived. No offense to DDay, but Wikipedia isn't a credible source. I work in a science field and my lab's hobby is correcting the science on that site. Some can be correct, but too much isn't.
Thanks, Karen, for the simple and hopefully effective, solution.
Karen
You're welcome, I hope it fixes your problem. FYI Wikipedia once had me listed as being 64 years old, lol. I was about 45 at the time. ~ karen!
Jill
I am so glad I decided to Google this problem. I thought I'd be replacing my refrigerator, it never occurred to me that the issue was the bottom freezer. I'll get some styrofoam tomorrow. Thanks a bunch!
Karen
You're welcome Jill! I have a new refrigerator now, but this trick helped my old fridge last another 6 or 7 years! ~karen
Marti
Wow. All life's questions answered tonight.
Nikki
LOVE your blog...I have fuzzy stuff in my fridge all the time & my kids are always ragging on me & checking dates on my food...but they still bring the grand kids for babysitting!!
Debra
Just looked for an answer to this problem. And DUH, what brilliance!! It is genious! I too have tried everything. From frozen to the bottom towels, which pick up the slimies, to sink liners under the drawers. I need all the room I can get in the drawer so I think I will put the strofoam under them with a thin towel under. Tell ya my results. Thank you SO much
Karen
You're welcome Debra! It really does work great. You'll be amazed! ~ karen
Stan McIntyre
Karen,
I was another frustrated person with crispers freezing my veggies and fruit, in the bottom freezer fridge. No more, did exactly as you said and showed in the pictures, works great!
Thanks
Karen
Excellent! I must say coming up with that solution was one of my prouder moments, lol. And I'm thrilled every time someone says they implemented it themselves. :) Thanks for letting me know. ~ karen!
Bill Dailey
First off I will agree with the "it's never too late" statement. Though this article is quite dated I found it to be very useful. After throwing out a head of lettuce, a green pepper, and a cucumber last night , I decided to do a search on the subject. It wasn't until I added bottom freezer to my search that I found this. Being a farmer and a bit of a handyman I immediately began thinking of a better solution given the large amount of space lost to the thick insulation. I soon recalled having some extra foam rubber tool drawer liners. They ended up being about 22" long and 16" wide. I cut about 4" off of the edge of two of them. The remaining 12" sheet pushed right down into the drawer bottom. The ends extend up most of the back and about a third of the way up the front. This could be slid front to back as desired. I left it just a little wide so that as I pushed it in it basically stayed flat to all sides with a tight fit in the corner. I pushed the corners down as much as possible with a putty knife but it really wasn't needed. I don't know that this will solve the freeze problem but I'm optimistic. Thanks for the helpful hints and hopefully my suggestion will prove helpful as well. I will try to update after a time trial.
Karen
Glad to be able to help Bill. And thanks for the tip! I just got rid of my bottom freezer fridge this weekend! Hopefully my new one won't have the same problem. Good luck with your modification. ~ karen!
Bill Dailey
Well it's been about 6 weeks since I installed the tool box liners in my fridge drawers and to date I have not lost one item due to freezing. I would call that a successful solution so thanks again for the tip that pointed me in the right direction Karen.
Tara Heelan
Found your solution after reading that the fridge is cooled by circulating cold air from the freezer below. Your solution still didn't occur to me until I read your post... My name is Tara, and I've been wasting produce for three years.
Karen
Dear Tara. Welcome. We don't judge here and we meet every Wednesday in the Church basement. Bring cookies. ~ karen!
Mandy
I have a side by side but everything in the bottom crisper seems to freeze. I will give this a try. Thanks :)
Julia
Thank you for such a great tip, I'm definitely going to try it. We have had two older side by sides in two different homes and always have frozen, wasted veges.
Jim Wolverton
Thanks Karen! My wife has been complaining about this for at least a decade. She's tried all sorts of ideas. I measured the temp in the fridge yesterday where she had the lettuce setting when it froze the day before, and she has it set to 50°. How could anything freeze at that temperature?! In fact, if it has to be that warm, why even have a fridge? I could unplug it, set it outside and keep things an even 40°, or thereabouts, for free.
I decided I was going to resolve this. My way is first to search the internet. I've probably read a hundred suggestions and ideas so far and you are the first one I see that thought of this (the only thing we haven't already tried), and I have a feeling it's right on. Thank you.
Karen
Hi Jim. It is right on. It'll work. I know of course because I, like you, kept having frozen lettuce! And I no longer have frozen lettuce. :) ~ karen!