41. Refrigerating rules
Whenever we cook a fresh meal or reheat leftovers, we’re told to leave the food on the counter to cool before putting it in the fridge. However, this is nothing but an old myth. While it may have been true in the past, it is no longer the case. Leaving our food out for too long has the opposite effect; it can even ruin our products, making them unsafe to eat.
Food that’s been left out slowly but surely reaches an unsafe temperature that allows it to gather bacteria easily. For this reason, the USDA advises to refrigerate the food as soon as you finish eating – the sooner the better – and distribute it to smaller portions while stored in the fridge, to allow the refrigerator to work its magic.