Cold, hard facts about freezers

Sales of freezers are up, according to Mike Goodwin, merchandising director of appliances/food preservation for more than 1,575 Lowe's home-improvement stores. Goodwin attributes the rise to higher energy costs and grocery prices, which have people organizing their trips to the stores and buying in bulk.

We asked Goodwin for some tips on shopping for the right kind of deep freeze.

1. The big picture. Residential freezers generally range in size from 5 cubic feet, which is probably the "smallest footprint for a family of three," to a very large 25 cubic feet -- and that's likely to be a commercial-grade appliance that doubles as a very large home freezer, said Goodwin. Expect to pay $150 to $700.

2. Storage capacity. The rule of thumb, according to Goodwin: Multiply the number of people in your home by 1.5 cubic feet. Then evaluate how much food you buy and add 1 cubic foot for every 35 pounds. (A cubic foot of freezer space will hold 35 pounds of food, Goodwin explains, although packaging could "eat a lot of that.")

Families of four with average freezer needs will do well with a chest freezer measuring 8.9 to 15 cubic feet. In an upright style, 16 to 20 cubic feet generally will do the trick, he said.

3. Style and configuration. Speaking of chests and uprights, picking one or the other is your major "style" decision, Goodwin said. Key to it is the amount of space you have.

Chest-style freezers, at 48 to 65 inches wide, require lots of floor space, Goodwin said.

Chests, though, are great for people who want to freeze lots of one item -- i.e., hunters with game or gardeners/farmers with crops -- as they naturally are more energy-efficient than their upright counterparts because less cold air escapes from the hatch-style lid.

Another notable bit of info: Folks thinking of investing in a freezer and/or in need of a new refrigerator as well, might want to consider the relatively new French door-style refrigerators with freezers below, Goodwin says, noting their growing popularity. By their very design, they offer about twice as much freezer space as the typical refrigerator. And that might be enough space to preclude the need for buying a separate freezer.

4. Special features. Look for a frost-free freezer -- unless you want to endure the rigors of emptying your freezer and defrosting manually. It will cost $75 to $100 more. Look for good interior organization. Some manufacturers have replaced traditional shelves on their upright models with more accessible pull-out bins and redesigned door storage to include adjustable-height shelves and even included vertical storage for pizzas.

If you have children and/or simply need peace of mind, look for freezers with a locking system.

Not all freezers come with interior lights. Know where your freezer is going to be and whether a light from within will be key.

Vacuuming in the kitchen Reynolds' Handi-Vac handheld vacuum sealer removes air from specially designed freezer bags to preserve foods' texture and eliminate freezer burn. A starter kit, which includes three quart-size bags and the required six AA batteries, costs $9.50-$11; boxes of 14 quart-size or nine gallon-size bags are $3 to $3.50 at Wal-Mart and Target.

RENEE ENNA, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Most soups, stews. Sauces and marinades freeze nicely, although you might want to add fresh touches such as lemon juice, garlic or herbs after thawing, to perk up flavors.

Bread and many baked goods also adapt well to the freezer. Pie crusts and quick breads can be frozen unbaked and then popped into the oven straight from the freezer.

Pasta or rice-based casseroles are classics -- think lasagna -- especially when made with a tomato sauce or cream sauce. Be sure to slightly undercook the pasta so it can stand up to reheating without getting mushy.

Fried foods -- with the exception of French fried potatoes and onion rings -- lose their crisp texture in the freezer.

Baked or boiled potatoes darken and become mushy when frozen.