Mistake: Refrigerating hot leftovers.
The danger zone isn’t just something that can happen on your table or outside. You can also cause your fridge to enter a heat wave if you place still-hot leftovers inside.
How to fix it: Allow hot food—such as stews, casseroles, and pastas—to cool on the counter or stovetop.
“The FDA recommends cooling foods to 70°F within the first two hours after cooking and 40°F within four hours after that,” explains Lisa McManus, executive tasting and testing editor at America’s Test Kitchen in Boston, Massachusetts. “We stay within these guidelines by cooling food on the countertop for about an hour, until it reaches 80°F to 90°F (food should be just warm to the touch), then transferring it to the fridge. A good investment is an instant-read thermometer, so you can quickly check for safe temperatures.”
And while you’re waiting for the big chill, label your leftovers by name and creation date (a strip of masking tape and a permanent marker are the perfect tools for the job). That way, you and your family are always well-informed about what’s safe to eat.
“Plan on getting rid of leftovers more than a week old,” says Tom Beckman, chef instructor at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Illinois.
