Rinse out empty water bottles, milk jugs, or juice jugs, fill them about 75% full with tap water (it expands as it freezes), then stick them in the freezer and leave them. They'll help keep your freezer's temperature low over the long haul, so it kicks on less often to keep your items cool. You can also use the frozen bottles directly when you need a lot of ice, either whole in a cooler or smashed open for ice pieces. And if your power ever goes out, all that frozen water will dramatically extend how long your food stays cold.
Keep Your Freezer Full With Water Bottles to Save Energy
Your refrigerator/freezer combo is the biggest energy consumer among all of your appliances, and it expends most of its energy cooling the warm air that flows in every time you open the door. That means your freezer functions best when it's really full, since the cold items help keep everything else cold. If you don't want to fill it with food you may not eat, fill it with water instead.
Freeze Water Bottles and Jugs
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