Fridge and freezer temperature

The two numbers

CDC and the FDA give the same targets: keep the refrigerator at 40 °F or below and the freezer at 0 °F or below. Every fridge and freezer time on this site assumes those temperatures.¹²

Check with a thermometer

Few refrigerator controls show the actual temperature, so the FDA recommends an inexpensive freestanding appliance thermometer to check it and adjust the setting. It suggests one in the refrigerator and one in the freezer, at the front where they are easy to read, checked at least once a week. CDC gives the same advice for any refrigerator without a built-in thermometer.³²¹

Hot food and leftovers

Putting hot food in the refrigerator does not harm the appliance, the FDA says. To help it cool faster, divide leftovers into smaller containers before they go in, and clean the fridge out often as part of your kitchen routine.³

Inside the fridge

The FDA advises against overpacking, because cold air must circulate around food to keep it chilled. Store refrigerated foods in covered containers or sealed bags and check leftovers daily for spoilage. Keep eggs in their carton on a shelf rather than in the door, where the temperature is warmer.³²

Wiping up spills right away, especially drips from thawing meat, helps reduce Listeria, which can grow at refrigerator temperatures, and keeps bacteria from spreading from one food to another. Listeria is also why the FDA says ready-to-eat foods such as luncheon meats should be used as soon as possible, especially if the fridge runs above 40 °F.³²

When the power goes out

Keep the doors closed. The FDA says a refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours if it stays unopened, and a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours.²

Afterwards, throw out refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs or leftovers that has been above 40 °F for four hours or more. Frozen food that still has ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below can be refrozen or cooked.²³