My grandma leaves big pots of soup cooling on the stove for 10 hours. Can it stay out that long safely?. Full article

There’s also a common belief that putting hot soup directly into the fridge is dangerous or can damage the appliance. While it’s true that placing a very large, steaming pot into a refrigerator can raise the internal temperature temporarily, modern refrigerators are designed to handle warm food in reasonable quantities. The key is to cool food more quickly and evenly.

A safer approach is to divide the soup into smaller containers. This increases the surface area and allows heat to escape faster, bringing the temperature down more quickly. Placing those containers in the fridge once the steam has reduced—rather than waiting hours—is a much better option. Some people also use an ice bath in the sink to speed up the cooling process before refrigerating.

Another helpful guideline is the “two-hour rule.” Per widely accepted food safety recommendations, perishable foods should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If the room is particularly warm, that window may be even shorter.

If soup has been left out for ten hours, the safest choice is to discard it. While it might look and smell fine, the risk of bacterial growth is high enough that it’s not worth taking chances, especially for children, older adults, or anyone with a weakened immune system.

Food traditions often come from a place of experience and practicality, but as our understanding of food safety evolves, some habits are worth rethinking. Cooling soup on the stove for a short time is perfectly fine—but leaving it out all night crosses into risky territory.

In the end, a few small changes—like using smaller containers or refrigerating sooner—can make a big difference in keeping meals both delicious and safe.