Depending on who you ask there are three answers to the question whether you should put hot food into the refrigerator: “Yes”, “no”, and “yes, but…” Different Places, Different Approaches To Storing Food Opinions in the US and Europe vary widely when it comes to putting hot food in the refrigerator. In the US the emphasis is on this quick development of bacteria that may infest and spoil the food. In Europe, where electricity is generally more expensive than in the US, the fact that energy consumption rises when hot food items are placed into the refrigerator has people letting their food cool down first. Warm Food: The Facts Both approaches are based in fact and there are justifications for both. They aren’t even really incompatible. Let’s remember the refrigerator was invented for this specific reason: To keep food cold so that it can be stored longer. Your refrigerator must work much harder in order to maintain or restore the “cold” level inside when a particularly hot item is placed in it. The warmer or hotter the food is and the larger the amount, the longer the refrigerator needs to  get back to the temperature is it originally set to. … Continue reading Should You Put Hot Food In The Fridge Or Let It Cool Down?