Is it bad to put a hot glass container in the fridge?

Author: Ms. Tanya Lueilwitz Jr.  |  Last update: Monday, February 16, 2026

Never place hot drinking glasses or jars in the fridge, as they are likely to shatter! If you do a lot of meal prepping or food handling at different temperatures, consider buying some reusable food storage bags or borosilicate containers that aren't so fussy about temperature changes.

Can I put a hot glass container in the fridge?

Putting hot glass straight into the fridge can make it crack or shatter because of the sudden temperature change. Here's how to cool it down safely: Let It Chill Naturally: Place the hot glass on a heat-safe surface and let it cool down at room temperature.

Is it bad to put a hot container in the fridge?

It's generally not recommended to put a hot pot directly in the fridge. Placing hot food in the fridge can raise the overall temperature inside the fridge, potentially putting other perishable items at risk. Additionally, the sudden temperature change can cause glass or ceramic pots to crack.

Can you put a glass of hot coffee in the fridge?

Cool It Down: Let hot coffee cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge.

Is it OK to put hot Pyrex in fridge?

Allow Pyrex to Come to Room Temperature Before Changing Its Temperature. This goes for transferring Pyrex from the fridge or freezer to the oven, or vice versa. Allow Pyrex to come to room temperature before immersing in water or placing in the freezer, refrigerator, microwave or pre-heated oven.

True or False: It isn't safe to put hot food directly into the refrigerator

Is it OK to put a hot dish in the fridge?

Despite persistent lore, the United States Department of Agriculture and other agencies agree: Hot food can — and in many cases, even should — be placed in the refrigerator right away, as long as it's portioned in small batches.

Can I put a warm jar in the fridge?

The sudden temperature change can cause the glass to crack or shatter. To safely store your food, let your filled mason jars cool completely at room temperature before placing them in the fridge. This will prevent the jars from breaking.

Can I put a hot beverage in the fridge?

It's important that liquids are cool before you put them in the refrigerator; if the liquid is too hot, it will increase the temperature inside the refrigerator and potentially cause food to rise to unsafe temperatures.

Can you put glass in the refrigerator?

It also has a low thermal expansion rate, which means it won't crack or shatter when exposed to sudden changes in temperature. This is why glass containers made of high borosilicate glass like Allo glass containers are considered to be safe for storing food in the refrigerator.

How to cool down hot coffee?

Ice: Add ice cubes to your hot drink to quickly cool it down. Be careful not to add too much ice, as it can dilute the flavor of the drink. Refrigeration: Pour your hot drink into a heat-safe container and place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool it down.

Why don't you put hot stuff in the fridge?

It's true that you wouldn't want to stick a full pot of piping hot chicken stock into the fridge, as it will take a long time to cool down; during that time, it can stay in the danger zone long enough that bacteria will multiply.

Should I wait for food to cool before putting in the fridge?

Overview. Food that has just been cooked or taken out of the oven to cool should be cooled as quickly as possible to prevent the growth of bacteria. Hot food cannot be put directly into the fridge after cooking. Putting hot food into a fridge may cause the fridge temperature to increase above 5 °C.

What happens if you put something really hot in the fridge?

The longer food sits out, the higher its risk of growing harmful bacteria. However, placing hot foods straight into the refrigerator might raise the appliance's ambient temperature, putting the foods inside directly in the "danger zone" for bacterial growth.

How hot does glass have to be to break in the fridge?

At What Temperature Does Glass "Break"? Glass bottles and jars are usually not affected by ambient, refrigeration, or warm temperatures. However, high heat (>300°F) and excessive thermal variations can cause glass to shatter or break.

How to cool down hot glass without breaking it?

The key is to keep the temperature from dropping too quick. Glass changes sizes as it cools, and if it doesn't cool slowly in an insulated spot the outside will change size at a different rate than the inside, causing it to shatter.

Can you chill a glass in the fridge?

When freezer space is limited, glassware can get a decent chill in the refrigerator. Place glasses in the coldest place of your fridge—typically at the back on the top shelf, near the cooling unit—for at least an hour or up to four hours.

Can you put a hot glass container in the fridge?

Never place hot drinking glasses or jars in the fridge, as they are likely to shatter! If you do a lot of meal prepping or food handling at different temperatures, consider buying some reusable food storage bags or borosilicate containers that aren't so fussy about temperature changes.

Can you put hot food in the fridge?

Generally, it's best to put hot food and leftovers into the fridge within two hours of being cooked. After this time, bacteria can start to grow and transform your delicious meal into a bout of food poisoning waiting to happen.

Can I put a hot coffee mug in the fridge?

Containers and glass jars are designed not to shatter when hot liquid is added. An exception is if the glass container or mug has prior damage or has been repeatably put in the fridge. Enamel mugs will be your best choice if you're putting hot coffee in the refrigerator.

How long should you let food cool before refrigerating reddit?

Well, the food poisoning comment might be referencing bringing the entire temperature of the refrigerator up to where other food in the fridge will be more susceptable to spoilage, but that's kind of hard to do. 2 hours is the accepted cool-down time for prepared food, because after that then you are breeding bacteria.

Can I put my cup of tea in the fridge?

The good news is that you can store your cup of tea in the fridge overnight. For hot-brewed tea, it is recommended that you don't keep your tea in the fridge more than 8 hours.

Can you put hot bottles in the fridge?

Also, if you've warmed a bottle, you'll need to feed it to your baby within one hour or throw it out. Don't put warmed formula back in the fridge to use later.

Can I put a jar of hot soup in the fridge?

Refrigerators should register 40°F or below, so adding hot soup or stock with a significantly higher temperature can cause the overall temperature to rise, creating a breeding ground for spoilage. The USDA also does not recommend leaving hot or cold food out at a temperature within the danger zone for over two hours.

Should you let food cool before putting it in the fridge FDA?

To prevent bacterial growth, it's important to cool food rapidly so it reaches as fast as possible the safe refrigerator-storage temperature of 40° F or below. To do this, divide large amounts of food into shallow containers.

How to tell if a glass jar is heat resistant?

Heat Resistance Test

Remove the heat and check if the glass surface cracked — if not, it's likely tempered. Tempered glass can withstand much higher temperatures due to the strengthening it receives during manufacturing.

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