Food Tips
Should You Let Your Food Cool On The Counter?
Photo by Lucie Liz, Pexels
Food Tips
Should You Let Your Food Cool On The Counter?
Should you refrigerate your meals right after you cook them or let them cool on the counter before putting them in the fridge?
Putting your meals directly in the refrigerator after dinner is something that differs by family and by culture. In North America, and especially in the United States, people put their leftovers in the refrigerator quickly. In Europe, where electricity costs much more, many people prefer to wait.
Is it better to wait to put away leftovers right away?
Our fridge works to keep its temperature constant (about 4 or 5°C). However, if we put very hot food in it, we risk raising the overall internal temperature and the temperature of already refrigerated food.
However, if we leave food on the counter at room temperature, the amount of bacteria will double every 20 minutes. if left too long, some dishes can become unfit for eating. This is especially true of meat proteins, such as poultry—at room temperature, it can germinate enough bacteria to cause food poisoning.
What should we do?
Photo by Getty Images
According to experts, the perfect combination is never letting leftover dishes sit out at room temperature for more than two hours, and one hour if it is above 32°C.
So, yes, you can leave your dishes out, but not for too long!
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