A common misconception in India is the assumption that food “loses nutrients” when it’s refrigerated. That is not as true as you think it is. It is always good to ask 2 follow up questions
1. What nutrients exactly?
2. And by how much?
It turns out that water soluble vitamins are the most unstable and easily lost nutrients, but fun fact: most of the loss happens during cooking, not refrigeration. It is heat that destroys vitamins, not cold. In fact, in an airtight container, most cooked food will last 2-3 days at the minimum and upto a week in many cases. In the freezer, food will last upto 6 months (assuming no power cuts). All biological activity slows down with temperature.

There are a few exceptions - plain cooked/steamed rice can sometimes be infected by a bacteria that doesn’t mind low temperatures, so it’s best to consume it within 1-2 days.

Funnily enough - Indian food is uniquely fridge friendly because it tends to be spicy, salty and sour - these are three conditions microbes absolutely hate. And yet, WhatsApp uncles who simply want their wives to make them fresh food 3 times a day end up demonising the fridge with zero evidence (or for that matter, actual help in the kitchen)