"I can't put hot food into the refrigerator. The food will spoil if I do."
The food will spoil if it is not quickly cooled! The leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States is improper cooling, such as leaving cooked foods at room temperature and storing foods in large pots and other containers in refrigerators.
Foods need to be quickly cooled through the "danger zone" (140 degrees to 45 degrees F or less) to help minimize bacterial growth. Food can be quickly cooled by any of the following steps:
Cool foods quickly by using an ice bath. Place ice in a larger container, then place the food container in the ice and stir. Stirring liquid and semi-liquid food frequently helps distribute the cold.
Cool in shallow layers less than 3 or 4 inches deep. Keep food uncovered in cooler until 45 degrees F or less is reached. Stir frequently. Do not leave food cooling at room temperature. Do not stack food containers. Cover food after it has reached 45 degrees F or cooler.
Freeze food in small containers.
Add ice as an ingredient instead of water to help cool food quickly.
Cut food such as large chunks of meat into small pieces, then place uncovered pieces into the refrigerator. Cover food after it has reached 45 degrees F or cooler.
The most important thing to remember is to cool the food as quickly as possible to avoid growing harmful bacteria.
"There is just a little bit of mold on top of the food. I can just scape it off and what's underneath is still good."
The mold you see is only the tip of the iceberg. The poisons molds can form are found under the surface of the food. So, while you can sometimes save hard cheese and salamis and firm fruits and vegetables by cutting the mold out, most foods should be discarded.
"When in doubt, throw it out"
"Hard-boiled eggs are safe and don't need to be refrigerated."
Hard-boiling an egg will kill many bacteria such as salmonella that may be present in the egg. The shell of the egg does offer some protection but there are still some bacteria that can grow on cooked foods. Also, there might be cracks in the shell that could permit contamination of the interior. Once the bacteria makes it to the inside of the egg, the bacteria can grow and cause foodborne illness. Keep boiled eggs on ice, in a cooler, or in a cold pack if the eggs will not be eaten within two hours time.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen ones.
You may actually get more nutrients from some frozen fruits and vegetables. The same holds true for some canned vegetables. That's because the "fresh" produce you just bought at the grocery store may be a lot older than you think. After being harvested, produce can spend days being sorted, packaged, and then shipped, often cross-country. During that time, fluctuations in light and temperature rob fruits and vegetables of important nutrients such as vitamin C and folate.
The negative side of processing comes down to three factors: taste, texture, and additives. Frozen foods rarely taste as good as fresh, and processing can change the consistency of many items. Food manufacturers often add salt, sugar, and fat to otherwise healthy products. If you become a label sleuth, you can bypass foods that contain these additives. One final note: Items frozen in bags should move about freely, because clumping indicates that the product has been thawed and then refrozen.
Boiling drains away all nutrients from vegetables.
While it's generally a tastier bet to steam veggies to your desired level of crispness, boiling them doesn't leach out all their benefits. Some vitamins are water soluble and may diminish, but many important minerals and fiber remain.
Baking soda and baking powder keep forever.
This one's only partially false. A box of baking soda will keep fresh 'til the cows come home. Baking powder, on the other hand loses its potency after it's opened. Count on three to six months of effective leavening, check the expiration date, and store the can in a cool, dry place that isn't the fridge. If you're worried that your soda has lost its sizzle, add one teaspoon to 1/3 cup of hot water. If it doesn't bubble, buy a new can.
Salting beans before cooking makes them tough.
Reality: No matter when salt is added in the cooking process, it won't affect tenderness. It will, however, enhance flavor. Season away!
