what temperature should your fridge be at

The ideal temperature range for a refrigerator is between 35°F and 38°F (or 1.7°C to 3.3°C) . This temperature range is as close as you can get to freezing without being so cold that your food will freeze. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you keep your refrigerator temperature at or below 40°F (4.5°C) . However, most experts recommend that the ideal temperature setting for a refrigerator is between 35°F and 38°F (or 1.6°C to 3.3°C) . This temperature range ensures food safety by giving a 2-5 degree buffer in case the temperature gauge isnt wholly accurate. If the temperature is too low, it can cause your food to freeze when you don't want it to. It's best to set your temperature gauge a few degrees below 40°F (4.5°C) . Some refrigerators don't display temperatures at all, but instead let you adjust the fridge temperature on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the warmest option. Without a thermometer, you can't know what those milestones translate to in real degrees. Therefore, it's important to test your refrigerator's temperature yourself.