3 Reasons to Let Hot Food Cool Before Putting It in a Cooler

Hot food raises the cooler’s internal temperature Putting hot food in a cooler warms everything else inside, melting ice and pushing the temperature into the danger zone where bacteria thrive.

It ruins other food The heat can turn crisp lettuce soggy and leave potato salad lukewarm, making a mess of your entire cooler.

A closed cooler acts like a slow cooker Trapping hot food in an insulated cooler keeps it warm for hours, which is the opposite of what you want. Cool food on the counter for 20-30 minutes first, or speed things up with an ice bath or shallow containers.