Should I refrigerate soup that's still hot?!

Let it cool naturally first. That way you don't strain the cooling mechanisms in your refrigerator, which also wastes electricity (more input work is required to remove the additional heat from the refrigerator).

Thermodynamics coursework & common sense

Ideally you should let it cool down, so as not to warm anything in your fridge or make your fridge work too hard. But if it's possible to put it away from other things in the fridge, or if you don't have anything that will spoil in there (I'd worry most about meat and milk, I wouldn't worry about veggies), then you could do it - just don't make a habit of it or your fridge will suffer!

If you leave it out all day it will end up at room temperature for a long time and bacteria may breed. On the other hand, if you reheat it well enough it should kill any bacteria...

Personally, I might put it outside in the shade (make sure animals and bugs can't get at it!) It's cold enough out there (here) to keep the soup fresh all day.

Can you not take it to work and cool it down naturally there. Hot foods in your fridge is bad as the food already in there is going to be at risk of not being refrigerated anymore... Making it a health & safety hazard as the point of being cool is to keep growth of bacteria away...

Hot stuff in a fridge is a quick way to having to buy a new fridge.

Let it cool naturally. I don't know if it will keep like this, but it's sure as hell better than getting a busted fridge.

Potentially bad soup versus potentially bad fridge? Easy answer for me.

do you have an attached garage or another place safe from animals that you could put it in for the day? My dad used to say "the only good thing about winter is the zillion cubic foot refrigerator outside."

DON'T LET IT SIT OUT and be hot and covered all day as this will cause bacteria to grow and spoil the soup. If you are going to cover it leave an air space for the steam to escape.

pro chef

you can leave it cool down, covered and refridgerate it when you get back from work :)

The answer is no, but i think you already know that.

No! It's not good for your fridge.

let it cool down first.

no, otherwise it will go lumpy and curdle

Don't Refrigerate Soup That's Still Hot Let It Cool Or It Will Go Bad

Myself