eli5 why do we have to cool food before putting it in the refrigerator?

Question

eli5 why do we have to cool food before putting it in the refrigerator?

In: 3

Answer 1

This is (sort of) a myth in the sense it has to be done to safely store food. Personally, I believe it stems from the food industry. Nothing should be in a cooler without a lid, and it is unsafe to put a lid on hot food before it cools as it will keep the item in the temperature “danger zone” (the temperature range most suitable for bacterial growth) longer.

Edit: IF you’re cooking a large portion of really high temp food it can temporarily raise the temperature of your refrigerator. In this case I’d leave it out to cool to room temp first.