KEEP COOL AND CARRY ON
John Sootheran provides some ice-cold (or thereabouts) tips on how to get the most from your fridge when out on tour
Ah, the humble refrigerator… it will keep on quietly chilling away for years without a whimper. In fact, modern fridges are so good, we get complacent – until they go wrong, that is. Then it’s like being plunged back into the listeria-filled Dark Ages. Here’s some great advice to help your motorhome fridge perform at its best.
General overview and maintenance
230V mains electricity gives the best fridge performance. Gas is the second best, while 12V is generally considered to be the least effective.
A well-maintained, modern motorhome fridge will chill brilliantly, even in extreme holiday temperatures. I toured in 42°C temperatures in France, a few years back. I was concerned about fridge cooling, but shouldn’t have been. On mains hook-up, the (new) Thetford refrigerator performed well, arguably even better than the fridge we had at home.
Some modern fridges have a removable icebox, which can be taken out when you need to expand the chilling space.
Keep your fridge clean by washing the inside with warm water mixed with some bicarbonate of soda. If there’s a persistent bad smell, place half an onion inside. They are excellent at absorbing odours.
Keep your freezer box full, because it will freeze things more effectively that way.
Top shelves deliver the most consistent temperatures, bottom shelves are coldest. Always empty your fridge between trips. When the ’van’s not in use and the fridge is off, leave the door slightly ajar for better airflow. Some fridges have catches to hold the door in this position.
Never overload your fridge to the extent that the door doesn’t close properly.
You can buy clips to prevent containers and canisters moving around in the fridge when towing. Camco 44033 Fridge Clips cost around £18 for a pack of two online.
Prepping and using the fridge
Ideally, you should pre-cool your ’van’s fridge-freezer before packing it for your trip. Turn it on for at least three hours, but ideally 24 hours, before you need to load the contents. Once the fridge is down to the correct temperature, you can then fill it up with pre-chilled food supplies.
If your motorhome is stored on your drive, run an extension power cable to it, so that you can power the fridge on 230V mains electricity. If it’s kept out on the road, use gas cooling instead.
Pack the contents carefully, ensuring they don’t cover or touch the cooling fins at the back of the fridge, as these need to absorb heat from the compartment. In addition, make sure there is space around the various items, so that cold air can circulate properly and chill all of the contents evenly and effectively.
Putting chilled-drinks tins and bottles, or frozen icepacks, in the fridge might help it achieve its cooling temperature faster.
Take care to buy cool-box icepacks which fit into your freezer compartment.
Your fridge should remain cool for periods of several hours – such as on a ferry crossing – so long as you don’t open the door. For longer crossings, wait until you arrive to buy meat and fresh veg/fruit.
Consider pre-freezing appropriate items, such as bread, cooked meals and milk, before packing the fridge. This keeps them fresher longer and helps to lower the temperature of the fridge compartment.
Don’t store non-perishables in the fridge. Transfer them to it as needed.
Set your fridge temperature gauge to between 1°C and 4°C, for the best food-chilling performance.
Do not put hot food and leftovers into the fridge until cooled. In hotter climates where the fridge is kept in frequent use, it might never manage to regain its sub-5°C safe temperature.
Some fruit and vegetables, such as avocados, bananas, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums and tomatoes, will release ethylene gas that can make other fruit and veg spoil prematurely.
Dry foodstuffs, such as beans, lentils, quinoa and couscous, will keep best in the freezer box.
Keep fresh soft-stalked herbs, such as parsley, coriander and basil, in good condition by placing them upright in a jar with an inch of water in the bottom. Loosely cover it with a plastic bag.
Keep hard-stalked herbs fresh by wrapping them in a single layer of damp paper towel and placing in a resealable plastic bag, before refrigerating.
Fruit and vegetables should always be washed before eating, but shouldn’t be left wet when stored, because this will promote early deterioration.
Potatoes and onions should be kept in a cool, dry environment, not in the fridge.