What is the proper way to store leftovers in the fridge?

Question

Ok, I made a stew yesterday I made a lot so we could have leftovers. Do I put it in the fridge while it's still hot, or do I let it cool then put it in? My husband says it has to cool off completly, I thought it is better to put it in while still hot so it won't spoil. Who is right? And in regards to reheating can I warm the whole pot at one time then put it all back in the fridge? Or should I just take out what I need to, then warm that up only? I am just not sure. Thank you.

Answer 1

i always keep my leftovers in one-meal sized plastic containers so i can just pop one into microwave whenever i need it. however usually i just freeze them packed same way. depends how much you've got and how soon you want to eat it. once frozen it will be good for months.
in either case you must let the food cool completely because otherwise you'll warm up food in fridge / freezer and it's bad for your fridge as well. and never warm your food up more than once!

Answer 2

It doesn't need to cool completely, but you should allow it some time to cool down...don't worry about spoiling, that won't happen in the short time it takes to cool down. Also if you have a lot left over, place it in a few containers this way you don't have to reheat all of it at once. You can then put some in the freezer for future quick meals and it will last a lot longer in there than in your fridge

Answer 3

Let it cool first then put it in the fridge, otherwise you will be warming up the food that is already in the fridge. Take out only what you need and reheat it in a separate container. I can't remember where I heard all this but it was from a source that was credible to me at the time.

Answer 4

I'd let it cool for a bit, at least until the steam no longer comes off it. Then put in containers and place in fridge. As for reheating, reheat only the amount you can eat at one time. If you reheat too much, it's not safe to put it back in the fridge. Besides losing its flavor, bacteria can grow with all the reheating and cooling.

Answer 5

cool completely, what I usually do is put the pot in a sink full of ice water and stir the stew occ until its cool, replace ice water as needed make sure that it's in the fridge within 2 hours. Then only heat what you want to eat, consistant heating and cooling can encourage bacterial growth; remember too that you should only keep leftovers for 2 to 3 days before tossing unless you portion and freeze.

Answer 6

let it cool down for about half a hour then put in containers with tops or cover bowl with foil or saran wrap.....only reheat part of it, what you think will be eaten. you can also freeze the stew for another meal, but the potatoes do not freeze well so take them out and use for something else...

Answer 7

Let it cool completely. Put it in an air-tight container. When it comes to re-heating, only take out what you need.

Answer 8

you could freeze it and it is going to stay good that way for a lengthy time period. in the refrigerator, it is going to likely be good for type of three weeks. My husband offered that exact same huge can and ate it through himself in 3 weeks!

Answer 9

I love big ziplocks. Easy to get back into, and throw out when you need to.

Answer 10

let it cool