• Chest freezers allow for more-efficient storage of large amounts of frozen foods, as most built-in freezers in refrigerators are small and cannot accommodate 20 or 30 pounds of meat at once. A chest freezer can be a great way to lower food costs by buying in bulk, but there are certain ways to use a chest freezer for peak storage efficiency.
  
  

Keep the Freezer Full

• Empty freezers struggle to keep the temperatures inside low and the foods fully frozen, according to the California Energy Commission. Keep your chest freezer moderately full at all times for its best efficiency. If food supplies run low, switch remaining foods into a smaller freezer or fill it with plastic containers full of water. Once frozen, these blocks of ice will act as temperature buffer when the freezer door is opened and lead to quicker cooling. Buying an overly large chest freezer leads to higher energy bills if you can't keep it full. Avoid overfilling or stuffing the freezer as well because this will impede the air flow around items.
  
  

Rotate Foods

• Mark and use older foods first, says the National Center for Home Food Preservation, because all foods deteriorate in quality the longer they stay frozen. Even with the best freezer bags and proper storage at 0 degrees F or lower, frozen foods eventually lose their nutrient content and flavor. Writing the date and contents on the bags or plastic containers as they are added to the freezer allows for quick identification and helps you keep track of foods that are losing their quality. Checking your frozen food stocks for freezer burned or damaged foods regularly prevents wasted space in your chest freezer.
  
  

Use the Right Storage Materials

• Packaging materials prevents frost from damaging the surface of your foods, while it allow foods to cool completely as quickly as possible. The University of Clemson Cooperative Extension website says that thick plastic bags, tempered glass containers and moisture-resistant papers and foils all work well in a chest freezer. Containers larger than a 1/2 gallon prevent liquids stored within from freezing quickly, lowering their quality and possibly leading to spoilage. Flexible packaging like paper, foil and plastic bags work well for meats and other solid foods because when all of the air is pressed out and the package is sealed, frost can't develop on the surface of foods. Regular glass containers shatter when frozen foods expand, but tempered glass withstands freezing. Rigid plastic bowls allow for stacking and hold up to freezing well if they come with tight fitting lids.
  
  

Keep It Closed

• Keeping the lid of your chest freezer closed as much as possible prevents warming that raises your energy bills and could spoil preserved foods. This is especially important if the power goes out or the freezer becomes unplugged, according to the Ohio State University Information Extension website. Opening the freezer doors when the freezer is off speeds up the warming process. Full freezers can preserve foods at 40 degrees F. or lower for 24 hours or more if the doors stay shut. Some foods that melt partially or stay at 40 degrees F. and below will spoil, while others can be eaten immediately or even refrozen. Any foods that melt completely or become warmer than that temperature should be discarded.