In the unforgiving world of Rimworld, managing resources is crucial for survival. Among these resources, food is paramount. Preserving food is essential to ensure a steady supply, and one of the most effective ways to do so is by freezing it. However, the process of putting food in the freezer may not be immediately apparent to new players. This guide will provide a comprehensive walkthrough of the steps involved, ensuring that your colonists enjoy a bountiful supply of frozen sustenance.
The first step is to acquire a freezer unit. These can be crafted at a fabrication bench or purchased from traders. Once you have a freezer, place it in a suitable location within your base. It’s important to choose a spot that is well-ventilated and has ample space around it for colonists to access. Once the freezer is in place, you can begin stocking it with food.
To put food in the freezer, simply select the food item from your inventory and drag it onto the freezer’s icon. The food will then be transferred to the freezer and will be preserved until needed. When your colonists need to eat, they will automatically retrieve food from the freezer and prepare it in a kitchen or at a campfire. Remember to keep your freezer stocked with a variety of foods to ensure a balanced diet for your colonists. By following these steps, you can effectively preserve food and ensure that your colony has a reliable source of sustenance during the harsh conditions of the Rimworld.
Accessing the Freezer
In the labyrinthine depths of your RimWorld colony, where the hum of machinery intertwines with the bustling chatter of colonists, there lies a sanctuary for your precious sustenance: the freezer. Within its icy embrace, you can store an ample supply of food, ensuring the well-being of your colony in times of scarcity or unexpected emergencies. Accessing this vital resource is a crucial task that requires your undivided attention.
To begin, navigate to the "Zones" tab located on the bottom-left corner of your screen. This will display a variety of zone types, including the "Freezer" zone. Select the "Freezer" zone and drag it over the desired area where you want to establish your freezer. Once the zone is created, you can assign colonists to work within it by selecting them and clicking on the "Zone" button located next to their portrait.
The next step is to construct a cooling unit, which will regulate the temperature of your freezer. Head over to the "Structures" tab, locate the "Cooling" section, and select the "Cooler" building. Place the cooler inside the freezer zone and connect it to a power source. You can adjust the thermostat on the cooler to your preferred temperature, ensuring optimal preservation of your food.
Selecting Food Items
To effectively store food in freezers in RimWorld, it’s crucial to carefully select the items you want to freeze. Here are some key factors to consider:
Type of Food: Not all food items are suitable for freezing. Cooked meals, raw meats, and certain vegetables can be frozen, while perishable items like salads and bread spoil quickly and should be avoided. It’s best to freeze foods with a longer shelf life.
Spoilage Rate: The faster a food item spoils, the less time it should be frozen. If you have a surplus of rapidly spoiling food, consider freezing it in smaller portions to minimize waste. Note that freezing slows down spoilage but doesn’t prevent it completely.
Packaging: Food stored in freezers must be properly packaged to prevent freezer burn and contamination. Use air-tight containers or wrap items in plastic wrap or freezer bags. If possible, remove excess air from packaging to reduce oxidation.
Temperature: Freezers in RimWorld operate at -18 degrees Celsius (-0.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Ensure that your freezer maintains this temperature to effectively preserve food items. Avoid frequent opening and closing of the freezer, as it can raise the temperature and compromise food quality.
To illustrate the relationship between spoilage rate and freezing time, consider the following table:
| Spoilage Rate | Maximum Freezing Time |
|---|---|
| Slow | 120 days |
| Normal | 60 days |
| Fast | 30 days |
| Rapid | 15 days |
Hauling Food to the Freezer
Step 1: Designate a Freezer Zone
Select an area in your base and designate it as a “Freezer” zone. This will instruct your pawns to move perishable food items (i.e., meat, fruit, and vegetables) into the freezer for storage.
Step 2: Assign Pawns to the Hauling Task
Assign one or more pawns to the “Hauling” task in the “Work” tab. This will ensure that they prioritize moving items to designated zones, including the freezer.
Step 3: Configure Food Restrictions
To prevent your pawns from consuming food meant for storage, set up “Food Restrictions” under the “Policies” tab. Choose the “Forbid Food When Frozen” option to automatically forbid pawns from eating items within the freezer zone. This ensures that food remains frozen for future use.
| Food Restriction Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Forbid Food When Frozen | Prevents pawns from consuming food items within the freezer zone, keeping them for long-term storage. |
Additionally, you can adjust the temperature settings of your freezer to ensure optimum preservation conditions. Lower temperatures will further extend the shelf life of your food items, preventing them from spoiling prematurely.
How to Put Food in Freezer
Freezing food is an essential way to preserve it and extend its shelf life in Rimworld. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Set Up a Freezer: Build a freezer in your colony, powered by electricity.
- Harvest and Prepare Food: Harvest crops or hunt animals for food.
- Prepare for Freezing: Prepare food by butchering animals, cooking meals, or creating pemmican.
- Store in Freezer: Select the prepared food and click on the “Store” button in the freezer interface.
Additional Tips for Efficient Storage
To maximize storage efficiency in your freezer, consider the following tips:
- Categorize and Label: Organize food items into categories (e.g., raw meat, cooked meals) and use labels for easy identification.
- Prioritize Spoilage: Store highly perishable items (e.g., raw meat) at the coldest part of the freezer, and less perishable items (e.g., pemmican) at warmer sections.
- Use Temperature Controls: Adjust the freezer’s temperature settings to optimize energy consumption and prevent food spoiling. Lower temperatures preserve food longer.
- Check Temperatures Regularly: Monitor the freezer’s temperature regularly to ensure it remains within the optimal range for food preservation. Consider installing sensors or using a thermometer for accurate readings.
- Critical: These items are the most important and should be stored in a safe and accessible location.
- High: These items are not as important as critical items, but they are still important and should be stored in a secure location.
- Normal: These items are not as important as critical or high priority items, but they should still be stored in a secure location.
- Low: These items are not as important as other items and can be stored in a less secure location.
- Ignore: These items are not important at all and will not be stored by your colonists.
- Mouse over the food item. This will display the food’s current temperature, as well as its ideal storage temperature.
- Click on the food item. This will open the food’s info panel, which will display the food’s current temperature, as well as its ideal storage temperature.
- Use the temperature overlay. This overlay can be toggled on by clicking on the “View” tab in the bottom-left corner of the screen. The temperature overlay will display the temperature of all objects on the map, including food items.
- Changes in appearance, such as discoloration or mold growth
- Changes in texture, such as becoming slimy or mushy
- Changes in smell, such as becoming sour or rancid
- Bacteria and mold growth
- Enzymatic reactions
- Chemical reactions
- Physical damage
- Storing food in a clean and dry environment
- Keeping food at a cool temperature
- Avoiding exposure to light and air
- Storing food in airtight containers
- Freezing food
- Select the “Storage” tab on the bottom right of the screen.
- Click on the “New Storage Zone” button.
- Define the boundaries of the zone by dragging a rectangle on the map.
- Click on the “Allowed Items” tab.
- Enable the checkbox next to “Food” to include all food items in the zone.
- Uncheck any specific food items you don’t want in the zone.
- Click on the “Set Storage Priority” button.
- Assign a higher priority to the freezer zone to ensure that food is stored there first.
- Click on the “Confirm” button to save the storage zone.
- Priority: Set a higher priority for zones that need to be filled first, such as freezers.
- Critical: Mark critical zones to prevent pawns from removing items, even for urgent needs.
- Do Not Block Path: Allow pawns to walk through the zone, which can be useful for high-traffic areas.
- Allow Unfinished Items: Store unfinished products in the zone to keep production areas organized.
- Find a freezer. Freezers can be built under the Production tab or found in pre-existing structures.
- Select the freezer.
- Click on the “Add to freezer” button.
- Select the food you want to add to the freezer.
- Click on the “Add” button.
- Freezing
- Refrigeration
- Canning
- Drying
- Smoking
- Go to the Production tab.
- Select the “Furniture” category.
- Find the “Freezer” item.
- Click on the “Build” button.
- Hunting
- Farming
- Gathering
- Trading
- Raiding
| Temperature Range | Suitable Food Items |
|---|---|
| -20°C to -10°C (-4°F to 14°F) | Fresh fruits and vegetables |
| -18°C to -10°C (0°F to 14°F) | Raw meat, cooked meals |
| -23°C to -15°C (-9°F to 5°F) | Long-term storage of meat, pemmican |
Setting Item Priorities
Item priorities determine how your colonists will handle and use items. You can set the priority of an item in the Storage tab by right-clicking on the item and selecting the desired priority. The priorities are:
You can also set the priority of an item by dragging and dropping it into one of the priority boxes in the Storage tab. The priority boxes are located at the top of the tab and are color-coded to match the priority levels.
Once you have set the priority of an item, your colonists will automatically sort it into the appropriate storage location. This will help to keep your base organized and make it easier to find the items you need.
| Priority | Description |
|---|---|
| Critical | These items are the most important and should be stored in a safe and accessible location. |
| High | These items are not as important as critical items, but they are still important and should be stored in a secure location. |
| Normal | These items are not as important as critical or high priority items, but they should still be stored in a secure location. |
| Low | These items are not as important as other items and can be stored in a less secure location. |
| Ignore | These items are not important at all and will not be stored by your colonists. |
Refrigerating Food vs. Freezing Food
In Rimworld, food preservation is crucial for survival. There are two primary methods: refrigerating and freezing food.
Refrigerating Food
Refrigerating food slows down its spoilage rate, extending its shelf life by several days. Refrigerators require electricity, so they are more practical in established colonies with a reliable power source.
Freezing Food
Freezing food further extends its shelf life, keeping it fresh for many seasons or even years. Freezers consume more electricity than refrigerators and require a consistent power supply. However, they are invaluable for storing perishable items like meat, vegetables, and fruits.
How to Put Food in Freezer
To put food in a freezer in Rimworld, follow these steps:
1. Build a Freezer
Research the Refrigeration technology and build a freezer (cost: 200 steel and 10 components). Place it in a suitable location.
2. Set the Temperature
Select the freezer and adjust its temperature to -18 degrees Celsius or lower. This setting ensures that food freezes properly.
3. Haul Food to Freezer
Order your colonists to haul food that needs freezing to the freezer. They will automatically place it inside.
4. Check Freezer Temperature
Monitor the freezer’s temperature regularly, especially during power outages or heat waves. If it exceeds -18 degrees Celsius, food may begin to thaw.
5. Load Food Optimally
Organize food efficiently within the freezer. Place perishable items at the front and less important items at the back.
6. Keep Power Source Consistent
Freezers require a constant power supply to maintain their temperature. Ensure a reliable power source, such as a solar array or a wind turbine, to prevent food spoilage. Additionally, consider using batteries as a backup power source during outages.
| Refrigeration | Freezing |
|---|---|
| Slows spoilage | Halts spoilage |
| Shelf life: Several days | Shelf life: Many seasons/years |
| Requires electricity | Requires more electricity |
| Suitable for established colonies | Suitable for long-term food preservation |
Monitoring Food Temperature
To keep your food from spoiling in Rimworld, it’s important to monitor its temperature closely. Freshly cooked meals will start to spoil at room temperature, so they should be refrigerated as soon as possible. A freezer is the best way to keep food fresh for long periods of time, so if you have the resources, it’s a good idea to build one.
There are a few ways to check the temperature of food in Rimworld.
The ideal storage temperature for most food items is between -18°C and -12°C. If food is stored at a temperature that is too high, it will spoil more quickly. If food is stored at a temperature that is too low, it will freeze and become inedible.
Here is a table of the ideal storage temperatures for different types of food:
| Food Type | Ideal Storage Temperature |
|---|---|
| Raw Meat | -18°C to -12°C |
| Cooked Meat | -18°C to -12°C |
| Vegetables | 0°C to 4°C |
| Fruit | 0°C to 4°C |
| Dairy Products | 4°C to 8°C |
Preventing Food Spoilage
In Rimworld, food spoilage is a major concern, as it can lead to food poisoning and starvation. To prevent this, it is important to properly store food in freezers.
How To Put Food In Freezer
To put food in a freezer, simply select the freezer and then click on the “Add Food” button. You can then select the food items you want to add to the freezer.
Freezer Temperature
The temperature of the freezer is important for preserving food. The ideal temperature for a freezer is -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit). At this temperature, food will stay fresh for up to two years.
Food Storage Time
The amount of time that food can be stored in a freezer depends on the type of food. Some foods, such as meat and fish, will only last for a few months, while other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can last for up to a year.
Food Spoilage Signs
There are several signs that food has spoiled. These include:
Food Spoilage Causes
Food spoilage is caused by a variety of factors, including:
Preventing Food Spoilage
There are several things you can do to prevent food spoilage, including:
| Food Type | Storage Time (Months) |
|---|---|
| Meat | 3-6 |
| Fish | 2-3 |
| Fruits | 6-12 |
| Vegetables | 6-12 |
Utilizing Storage Zones
Storage zones are crucial for efficient resource management in RimWorld. To put food in the freezer, you’ll need to create a specific storage zone designated for that purpose.
Follow these steps to create a storage zone for food:
Advanced Storage Zone Settings
To further refine your storage management, you can adjust specific settings for each storage zone:
By utilizing storage zones effectively, you can ensure that food and other resources are stored efficiently, keeping your colony well-supplied and organized.
Setting Up a Freezer
1. Build a freezer by selecting the “Structures” tab and selecting “Freezer.” Place it in a convenient location.
2. Assign a colonist to the “Food Hauling” job by selecting them and clicking the “Work” tab.
3. Place food items in the freezer by selecting them and clicking on the “Store” button.
Troubleshooting Freezer Issues
Power Outage:
If your freezer loses power, food will begin to spoil. Ensure your freezer is connected to a reliable power source and has sufficient power to maintain its temperature.
Overcrowding:
A freezer that is too full will not be able to cool food effectively. Make sure there is enough space in the freezer for all the food you want to store.
Temperature Setting:
Check that the freezer is set to the correct temperature. The ideal temperature for storing food in a freezer is -18°C (0°F) or colder.
Damaged Freezer:
If your freezer is damaged, it may not be able to maintain a cold temperature. Inspect the freezer for any cracks, dents, or other damage. If you find any damage, it may need to be repaired or replaced.
Insufficient Refrigeration:
If the freezer is unable to maintain a cold temperature even when it is functioning properly, it may be too small for the amount of food you are trying to store. Consider upgrading to a larger freezer.
Inadequate Insulation:
The freezer may not be properly insulated, causing heat to leak in and warm the interior. Ensure that the freezer is properly insulated and has a tight seal around the door.
Poor Airflow:
Proper airflow is essential for the freezer to maintain a cold temperature. Make sure there is adequate space around the freezer for air to circulate.
Overheating:
If the freezer is located in a warm area, it may overheat and fail to maintain a cold temperature. Move the freezer to a cooler location or provide additional ventilation.
Defrosting:
If the freezer has not been defrosted recently, frost and ice buildup may be preventing it from reaching a cold enough temperature. Defrost the freezer regularly to remove any frost accumulation.
Failed Compressor:
The compressor is responsible for circulating refrigerant and cooling the freezer. If the compressor fails, the freezer will not be able to maintain a cold temperature. Replace the failed compressor if necessary.
How To Put Food In Freezer In Rimworld
To put food in a freezer in Rimworld, you can follow the below steps:
