You've been storing leftovers wrong … The next time you cook a meal and make more than you need, be sure to get those leftovers into the fridge immediately. While you may be tempted to let that hot dish cool down for a while before sliding it into the fridge, one food safety expert says you shouldn't wait. Dr. Benjamin Chapman, the head of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University says your aim should be to cool off your leftover food as quickly as possible to prevent food from spoiling and creating an environment for foodborne illnesses to grow. Although many of us may think it's wrong to put hot food right into the fridge because it will create condensation and throw off the temperature in the refrigerator, Dr. Chapman insists that refrigerators today aren't like the old ones and are designed to maintain their temperature. He only cautions about putting large pots of food into the fridge because some of the food will take longer to chill. He suggests storing it in smaller containers and covering them loosely to allow steam to escape.