What Temperature Should a Refrigerator Be?

Without trying to be dramatic, we believe the temperature you keep your refrigerator at can play a big role in your family’s health.

This major kitchen appliance keeps your food cold and ideally prevents the growth of bacteria. Oh, and did we mention keep your fridge at the right temperature will improve your food’s taste?

What Temperature Should a Refrigerator Be?

While the CDC suggests keeping your refrigerator at or below 40℉, we find that somewhere between 35℉ 38℉ is the sweet spot. There are many considerations for temperature controls based on your individual household. Do you often have fresh produce in the fridge? Is your refrigerator stocked with casseroles and pots of soup? Does your refrigerator get bare in between grocery store trips?

It's great to keep food chilled, but you do not want your produce to begin forming icicles, nor do you want it to start getting soft within a day or two. We suggest keeping your refrigerator stocked to maintain an even temperature but keep airflow to have your produce tasting fresh.

Tips for Food Storage

One habit to kick as quickly as possible is putting anything hot in your refrigerator. This temporarily heats up the space and creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Let your casserole, soup, or any other hot food cool a bit before putting it inside your fridge. This will also save on energy as well!

We all want our food to taste fresh as long as we can. To help preserve the texture and flavor of household favorites like sour cream, broccoli, cream cheese, or cottage cheese, it is especially important to keep your fridge temperature as close to 36℉/37℉ as you can.

Customize Your Refrigerator with FlexZone™ Drawers

But what happens when there is a sale on chicken breasts, and you need extra refrigerator space? Refrigerators like this one by Samsung with a FlexZone™ drawer now offer adjustable temperature areas. This allows you the option to convert freezer space to extra refrigerator space. Now you can truly customize your refrigerator to your household needs.

The adjustable divider also helps you organize your space to further help avoid any accidental spoilage. Easily see what you have and make any adjustments if needed. Better yet, you can monitor and adjust the temperature settings right from your smartphone!

Looking to Finance?

Extend your budget and apply today for special promotional financing. Howard’s can work with you to find flexible financing and you can receive 18 months of no interest. Learn more about our financing options online today or contact us for more details.

Shop for Refrigerators at Howard’s

Ready to purchase your next refrigerator? Howard’s has been in business for over 75 years and is Southern California’s largest and most trusted appliance retailer. We offer free next-day delivery on purchases over $399 within qualified zip codes scheduled before 5 p.m. in the Southern California area. To make things easier for our customers, we also offer online chat, phone consultations, and online ordering. Shop one of our 13 locations or browse our selection online.