Cool Leftover Soup Safely Before You Put It In Freezer

A pot of soup simmering on the stove is easy to freeze for future meals, but be careful when you cool it for storage. Leaving food out at room temperature to cool completely - particularly a large pot of soup - can cause food poisoning. Some safety tips:

Remove large pots from the burner after the soup is cooked. Stir frequently with a large utensil for the first 10 minutes.

Set the pot in a sink or large pan with ice water to hasten cooling.

Divide the contents of the pot into freezer containers and allow enough space between them in the freezer compartment to cool them properly.