The Freezer

A freezer is a machine that keeps food very cold so it does not go bad. It can freeze meat, vegetables, ice cream, and many other foods. Most homes have a freezer as part of their refrigerator.

The History of Freezers

Before freezers, people kept food cold using ice cut from frozen lakes. They stored the ice in special underground rooms called icehouses. This only worked in cold climates and during winter.

The first home freezers became available in the 1940s. They changed the way families ate. Now people could buy food and store it for weeks or months without it spoiling.

How Freezers Work

A freezer works by pumping a special liquid called refrigerant through pipes. The refrigerant absorbs heat from inside the freezer and releases it outside. This keeps the inside of the freezer very cold, usually around 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Freezing food slows down the growth of bacteria that cause food to spoil. Frozen food can last for months. When you are ready to eat it, you just thaw it out and cook it.

Fun Facts

• Clarence Birdseye invented a way to flash-freeze food in the 1920s.
• Food can stay safe in a freezer for months or even years.
• Ice cream needs to be stored at about minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit to stay firm.

Did You Know?

Clarence Birdseye got the idea for frozen food by watching people in Canada freeze fish in the cold winter air and then eat them months later.