Can Hot Leftovers Go Directly in the Fridge or Freezer?

You're absolutely stuffed after enjoying an incredible meal and even though you'd love one more bite of that Chinese take-out, another slice of pizza, or another helping of spaghetti it's not to be.

Now it's time to pull out the Tupperware and put those leftovers in the refrigerator. If you're like me, you grew up hearing that hot food needs to cool off to warm temperature first. So after scooping or pouring your food into those containers you use for your leftovers, you leave them out on the kitchen counter to cool for an hour or so.

Why?

If you cover warm or hot food and then put it in the fridge bacteria will grow from the trapped steam or warmth.

Or will it?

According to the Epicurious website, there's a good reason this loving safety advice started.

In 1942, the US government’s War Department Technical Manual specified that one should allow hot food “to obtain room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.” A few  years later, another guide published for US naval personnel  working in ships’ commissaries noted that “hot leftover food should be placed in the refrigerator as soon as it is cool enough to handle.

However, according to the Verify website, that myth of waiting to put food in the fridge was debunked in the 1950s and '60s.

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Refrigerator

It's perfectly fine to put hot food directly in your fridge without letting it cool at all.

If anything, food, hot or not, shouldn't sit out for more than two hours.

Anything left out longer than that should be discarded, as should any food that’s been kept out of the fridge for an hour over 90º Fahrenheit.

Bacteria grow rapidly between 40F and 140F no matter what according to Epicurious.

Freezer

Where this urban legend does have some accuracy is regarding the freezer. Never directly freeze hot leftovers, rather put them in the fridge first to cool down. Also, give your Tupperware room to breath according to Verify.

Something you might want to try to avoid is stacking containers on top of each other. This will allow you to prevent uniform distribution of the air in your fridge.

Also, leftovers are only good for up to four days in the fridge before it's time to say goodbye.