Is It Safe to Put Hot Food in the Fridge? And More Food Safety Questions, Answered

There’s a universal — and easy — answer to a common kitchen predicament.Portioning hot food when storing ensures it cools more quickly.Maren Caruso/Getty ImagesPublished Dec. 12, 2024Updated Dec. 12, 2024Faced with a steamy pan of food that needs refrigerating — or six, on holidays and other feast days — we may find ourselves in an apparent predicament: Do we wait for the food to cool on the counter (and risk…