The Difference Between French Door vs Side-By-Side Refrigerator

Kevin Drako is here to show you a few things to consider when deciding if a French door or side-by-side refrigerator is best for you and your family.

The great thing about both units is that French doors and side-by-side refrigerators both have options of having a water and ice dispenser in the front with control panels. Both have options to not have this in the front. The other great thing is that both units come in different finish options. You can match your other appliances with different colors such as white, black, stainless steel, slate, black stainless steel, and more. 

The big question that you should ask yourself is "does my family eat more frozen foods or fresh foods"? This question can determine if you need a unit with more freezer space or refrigerator space.

If your family makes a lot of big dishes with over-sized baking trays, you will need that extra room in your refrigerator and a French door option might be best. If you eat tons of sandwiches and pack on a bunch of meat, cheese, and veggies the deli pantry and refrigerator doors in a French door might be very useful for you. If you eat tons of fruits and veggies (like your suppose to) and more natural foods, a French door is going to be a great choice.

On the other side, if your family makes a lot of frozen foods such as frozen pizza, lasagna, or other frozen meals, a side-by-side might be a better option. With a French door, you have to stack your frozen foods on top of each other, making it hard to reach things or even see some of the foods that you have in your freezer. You may also get into situations where you have to bend over or get on your knees to maneuver through the things in your freezer.

If you have children, there are a few things to consider. If you want them to learn how to be independent and grab their own snacks and help out with dinner, think about how tall they are and that it might be a little harder for them to get things that are in a French door fridge. A side-by- side is nice in that you can see and grab things from both the freezer and refrigerator side equally and more easily than a French door. You can also see and grab all of the frozen foods a little more easily.

Can you fit a frozen turkey in a side-by-side? Maybe a small one, but probably not a big one. You may want to consider having a chest freezer in the garage or basement. If you have a side-by-side and make a big casserole, you might not have enough room to put it in your fridge and may consider getting a second fridge and keep it in the garage or basement. If you choose a French door, you might need more freezer space and need to get a chest freezer or second fridge.

The options are endless. After watching this video which option is best for you and why? If you have more questions, stop by one of our locations and we can answer any additional questions or concerns you may have. It's always best to see these options in person.

5 School Lunch Ideas for Even the Pickiest Eaters

It’s that time of year again- time to stress out about packing your kids healthy lunches they’ll actually eat! Fear not- we have compiled a list of surefire nutritious meals and snacks that pack up well in a Bento box and have the seal of approval from the pickiest eaters around!

1. DIY “Lunchables”- A healthy spin on the popular but sodium- and preservative-filled pre-made snack boxes, these homespun twists on a kid favorite are sure to win lunch! Some thin-sliced deli ham, turkey or roast beef cut into small squares, thin, square-cut slices of cheddar, gouda or colby jack cheese, a small handful of baked low-salt crackers and a chewy peanut butter and chocolate granola bar will be a fun-to-eat lunch that packs a protein punch!

2. Yogurt Parfait- In a small plastic container, layer fat-free vanilla yogurt, granola, strawberries and blueberries, then repeat the pattern twice. Sprinkle with granola as a garnish, and refrigerate until it’s time to serve. Your child will love the look and taste of this healthy snack! (You can even substitute other fruits for variety. Don’t be afraid to get creative!)

3. PBJ “Sushi” Rolls- Want an exotic twist on a tried-and-true favorite? Make your kids’ peanut butter and jelly sandwich into small, sushi-inspired rolls! Simply cut crusts off of whole-grain bread, slather with peanut butter and grape jelly or strawberry preserves, roll up and cut for a next-level PBJ experience! For extra credit, pack it with disposable chopsticks so your child can have fun trying to pick up the sandwich rolls.

4. “Dippy Picnic”- There’s not much kids love more than eating with their hands. Why not let them go nuts with a “dippy picnic” snack? Pack pretzel rods, apple slices, baby carrots and celery sticks in a Bento box, along with mini containers of peanut butter and hummus. Then let the dipping madness ensue!

5. Go Bananas!- Give your little monkey a delicious, nutritious snack with these tasty, protein-rich banana roll-ups. On a small flour tortilla, spread a layer of peanut butter, then drizzle with Nutella. Roll up a peeled banana, and either cut into small finger-food rolls or give it to your child whole. For an added crunch, use chunky peanut butter for texture!

Any great suggestions for kids’ lunches? Let us know in the comments section!

3 Back-To-School Organization Tips

It’s hard to believe, but summer vacation is nearly at an end. It’s just a matter of time before the little ones are off to school again for a brand new year! If you’re still catching your breath from the hectic morning rush to get the kids to the bus stop, now may be a good time to tweak your routine so you and the kids can stay a little more organized this school year. For smooth sailing from Day One to Day DONE, here are some of our favorite back-to-school organizational tips. Enjoy!

1. Lay Out a Week’s Worth of Clothes- Save time and a whole lot of drama by skipping the morning “nothing to wear” crisis and planning ahead! Every Sunday, when all the laundry has been done, put together an outfit for each day of the school week, and group them together in your child’s closet. Getting dressed will now be as easy as pulling clothes out of the corresponding day’s drawer or hanger! If your children are older, invite them to help choose their outfits so they have some input.

2. Establish a Good Night Schedule- In order to do their best at school and stay healthy, your kids need at least 10 hours of sleep per night. Check out this handy bedtime chart from Wilson Elementary School to determine an appropriate bedtime for your kids, based on their ages and what time they need to wake up:

3. Keep Everything in One Place- Designate a countertop, small table or desk in your home as the Information Center for all things school-related. This includes your kids’ school calendars, after-school activity schedules, homework, school supplies and permission slips. This all-in-one solution will help you avoid a last-minute dash around the house looking for your child’s homework!

If you have any more organization tips for starting the school year right, we’d love to hear from you- post your comments in the section below!

Thanksgiving Craft- Paper Plate Turkey

Your kids will love making this adorable craft while watching the big parade or while you’re busy cooking Thanksgiving dinner. You’ll love how easy it is!

What You’ll Need:

• Small paper plates
• Large paper plates
• “Googly” eyes, large
• Construction paper, assorted
• Tissue paper, assorted
• Brown tempera paint

Directions:

• In advance of the project, have your child paint the large and small paper plates brown using tempera paint. Allow at least an hour to dry.
• Cut construction paper in assorted colors into oblong “feather” shapes. Also use construction paper to cut small yellow squares which will be folded on the diagonal and used for the turkey’s beak, orange feet, and a red wattle.
• Cut assorted tissue paper into small squares.

• Have your child arrange and glue the construction paper feathers  and turkey feet to the large paper plate, facing up. Once dry, turn paper plate over and have your child glue the small paper plate, face down, to the lower half of the large paper plate.
• Let your child glue on googly eyes, yellow construction paper beak, and red wattle.
• Show your child how to roll tissue paper squares into small balls and glue onto corresponding colored construction paper feathers- red to red, blue to blue, and so on. Your child will have fun matching the colors!
• Allow to dry for at least one hour before displaying prominently and proudly on the fridge or front door. Happy Thanksgiving!