The backbone of every successful commercial kitchen, aside from skilled cooks, is fully-functional and safe equipment. This includes commercial refrigeration like walk-in freezers. However, having the right equipment isn’t enough. You also need to know how to organize your unit to ensure food freshness and efficient food preparation. Below are a few ways to maximize the space in your walk-in freezer. 

3 Tips for Organizing Your Commercial Refrigeration

1. Store Meat on the Bottom Shelves

One food safety rule you should always adhere to is the proper placement of raw meat. The meat should be stored at the lowest point of your refrigerator or walk-in freezer to prevent dangerous cross-contamination from the packaging. If any food products come in contact with drippings or marinades from the raw meat, they must be disposed of immediately, which can cause you to lose money. Placing raw goods on the bottom shelves reduces the chances of juices coming into contact with other products.

2. Don’t Pack the Fridge

While it may be tempting to tightly pack the refrigerator or freezer, you should avoid this temptation. Tightly packing the refrigeration unit will prevent cold air from freely circulating throughout the space. Without proper airflow, you could end up with uneven cooling or hot spots inside your fridge. For adequate cooling, try to leave about three inches of space between your goods and the walls of the unit. 

3. Rotate Your Food

It’s easy to put something inside the refrigerator only to forget it after a while. Eventually, the product will expire, and it must be thrown out. This simple mistake causes food waste and a higher grocery budget because you’ll have to replace the items that went bad. To ensure every product in your commercial refrigeration unit is used in a timely fashion, periodically rotate your goods by bringing your older food to the front and placing the new items toward the back. This will give you enough time to make the most of everything in your fridge and freezer.

Maintaining your commercial refrigeration is necessary for a successful restaurant. The technicians at Lindbergh Commercial Services have assisted businesses throughout Maryland Heights, MO, for almost 15 years. These HVAC contractors specialize in everything from heating and air conditioning repairs to custom refrigeration solutions for walk-in freezers, coolers, and ice machines. To learn more about their services, call (314) 731-0404 or visit them online today.