We have agreement that the refrigerator works by cooling the air (i.e.,removing heat) inside.

To maximise efficiency I have a habit of filling usable space with items that would not normally be refrigerated

such as canned goods, condiments, water bottles, and dry goods. Idea being each time door is opened, there is less volume to cool

back down. She thinks I'm crazy.

Me too. It takes more energy to cool 'stuff'' down than it does to cool air. I guess that keeping the freezer running costs about the same whether it's empty or full.

Or are you trolling?

Yes but when you introduce new items, the refrigerator has to work and use energy to cool them down, once they have cooled down to refrigerator internal ambient temperature, then they become bulk taking up space an reducing the refrigerator internal space. in affect making your refrigerator smaller, and requiring less energy. If a smaller refrigerator is your desire, then why not just purchase a smaller refrigerator?

You will save money on the purchase, and on the additional energy necessary to cool all the items you place inside to make it smaller. Once you need to remove these items for use, they are replaced with either a new warm item or warm air, thus using even more energy

Edited August 30, 201411 yr by sirineou

I agree with the OP, that's why sensible people put bottles of water into an otherwise empty fridge/freezer, it reduces the volume of air that has to be cooled, ie it becomes a small unit. And since it is the freezer component that provides primary cooling, it's important the freezer is full, less so the fridge.

OP is right.. I encourage the gf to keep here drinking water in there.