Organizing foods in your walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer is incredibly important because it allows you to find everything you need quickly and it minimizes the number of times that you need to access the cold storage space. The more frequently you access the cooler or freezer, the more likely cold air will escape and frost will build up on foods. If you are a restaurant, caterer, or wedding planner, you may wonder – what is the best way to organize foods in a mobile refrigerator? Below are some tips for safe and efficient storage of food items to keep you organized during a busy work day.
- Separate raw and prepared foods. To avoid the risk of cross-contamination and the spread of food-borne illness, it is recommended that raw and prepared foods be separated from each other in cold storage. Prepared foods that don’t require cooking should be placed in the upper shelves, followed by dairy products in the middle shelves, and raw products (like meat and poultry) in the bottom shelves.
- Label all your food containers. Labels should include the names of the foods as well as the best before dates (to remind you of when these foods will expire). Certain foods can look very similar and mix ups could occur without labelling, so it’s always best to label every container in your walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer. In particular, ingredients like peanuts and dairy are a source of allergen for some customers, so it is vitally important to label ingredients as a safety precaution.
- Follow the rule of FIFO (First-In, First-Out). Always place the freshest inventory with the longest expiry date at the back of the shelves, so that older items with shorter time until expiry and items that have already been opened will be used first. This method prevents food waste, and ensures proper product rotation in the cooler or freezer.
- Leave sufficient space between foods. For best cooling results, you need to reserve space between food items so cold air could circulate. Make sure you don’t push foods all the way against the trailer wall or against each other. Leave at least a few inches of space between stacks of food containers.
Restaurant walk in fridge rental is made easy at Coolmate Rentals. We can provide businesses in the food industry in Southern Ontario with rental mobile coolers, freezers and combo cooler and freezer units in sizes ranging from 6’ to 16’. Whether you are experiencing power or equipment failure at your business, or your existing freezer or cooler is being repaired or replaced, or you are running out of cold storage space to store foods – Coolmate Rentals can provide your business with the right refrigerated trailer rental. Please reach out to us directly to further discuss your business needs.