Check that freezer

Press, 23 October 1980, Page 10

Check that freezer

Although more than -0 per cent of New Zealani households own a freezer, many are under-used, says the University of OtagQ extension department. Using the freezer, as much as possible makes good economic sense as the. more the freezer is used, the less it costs per kilogram of food. For e mple, the annua! running cost for a 350 litre (12 cu. ft) chest freezer amounts to about $lOO. This is equivalent to about 7Cc a kilogram for a small r. "Hint of food or as little as 30c a kilogram for a larger amount and a higher turnover. ((See table A). ' > Because the cost of owning a freezer is high, many households choose to store foods which offer significant savings when bought in bulk, says the department. A cost analysis done in Dunedin in August showed that freezing an 80kg side of beef saved 17 per cent of the cost of retail cuts. Savings can be greater if meat prices rise during the time the beef is stored. (See table B). However, many people do not buy beef in bulk because they are not sure how to prepare some cuts

and because of the amount of money needed to make a bulk purchase. Sending to the department for the 45c leaflet. "Cutting Meat Costs,” and setting aside some cf each week's food allowance for a - bulk-buying fund,' would help overcome these problems.

Savings will be made by freezing if the difference between the bulk price per kilogram is 30c less than the retail price per kilogram.

Freezers can save time as well as money. Double pontons of family meqls can be made and one portion stored for quick preparation at a later date.

Ways to get the best results from cooked foods can be learned from the bulletin “Freezing” which is ax '.'.able for $1.45, It can be bought from local bookstores or from the department, c/o P.O. Box 56, Dunedin.

TABLE A Estimated cost of owning and running » 350-litre (12 cu. ft.) chest freeier. (Dunedin, October 10. 1SSO» Return on the investment foregone ($5OO at 5" ff ) •. $25.00 Annual depreciation ■ U. 5 years expected life! .. $33.33 Repairs restimated at 2% o f purchase price* $lO.OO Electricity to maintain -ISdegC at 3.05 cents/unlt .. $30.60 (estimate requirement 0.25 units. 301/24 hours) $081)3 Costs related to the food 15l)kg 250 kg 400 kg Eleciricity to freeze the food at 3.05 cents/unit fl 90 1 50 3.44 (estimate requirement 0.2 units-kg) Packaging (estimated at 5 cents,kg- .. 7-50 12.50 20.00 8.41) 14.00 22.44 Total cost/annuin 107.33 112.93 121.37 Storage cost/kg of food .. 71c 45c 30c Estimated capacity use of freezer 75' r 125’, 200% These figures take into account the total cost of owning a freezer not just the cost of electricity to run the motor, which amounts to about $32 a year. TABLE B Estimated cost of freezing a side of beef iDunedin, August. 21, 1980) Outlay 801 kg side '(at $2.58/k.gi . . .. $206.49 Estimated return on investment foregone tat 5%) .. 10.32 Cost of freezing meat (at 30c/kg) ■. . ■ • ■ 24.00 Actual cost of freezing beef $240.72 Cost of comparable retail cuts (21.8.80) • $290.71 Estimated saving; $50,00