Don't Put Hot Food in the Fridge in Deep Containers — Cool It First

A deep pot of hot soup placed directly in the fridge raises the internal temperature of the entire refrigerator, putting other foods at risk. Worse, the center of the pot stays warm for hours — a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

Transfer hot food to shallow containers to increase the surface area and speed up cooling. Let it stop steaming before placing it in the fridge. For very large batches, use an ice bath: put the container in a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir occasionally. The goal is to get below 4°C within 2 hours.