I would honestly think that this would achieve the opposite effect.

By placing a room temperature container (and possibly water),
the refrigerator then has to work to cool the average temperature of the whole system down (not my much, but it still has too.)

I would suggest to save energy, turn the temperature up slightly in the refrigerator and freezer.
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I agree with the above answerer. It sounds like an urban myth to me. Your fridge would likely have to work harder to cool it down since it would raise(although every so slightly) the average temperature of the inner refrigerated area.
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The empty containers would keep chilled air from escaping and being replaced by warm air when the door is opened, so it would save _some_ energy. However, the amount of energy saved is probably negligible unless the door is opened frequently and/or for extended periods. You might even lose any savings if you have to keep the door open longer to move around empty containers to get at the items you need.
Source(s):
Hypothesis based on physics and engineering training.

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See http://sierraclub.typepad.com/mrgreen/2008/06/real-fridge-and.html for a comment on the question, followed by a longer back-and-forth on the importance of cleaning the cooling coils.

See "Investigation of Energy Consumption and Energy Savings of Refrigerator-Freezer During Open and Closed Door Conditions" by Hasanuzzaman, Saidur, and Masjuki in the Journal of Applied Sciences 8 (10): 1822-1831, 2008.

http://www.scialert.net/pdfs/jas/2008/1822-1831.pdf?sess=jJghHkjfd76K8JKHgh76JG7FHGDredhgJgh7GkjH7Gkjg57KJhT&userid=jhfgJKH78Jgh7GkjH7Gkjg57KJhT68JKHgh76JG7Ff
for a scientific study on the effect of refrigerator 'load' on its efficiency. This study shows how much more power it takes to cool down a refrigerator full of water. This doesn't answer the Questioner's question, however, because the study looks at conditions (door open for 30min and 60min) that bring the entire contents of a refrigerator/freezer up to the ambient temperature. I assume the questioner is interested in 'normal' usage that has a door open for 1-3 minutes, in which case the temperature of the contents of a refrigerator freezer would change little (though the temperature of the air would change more).

Others' comments on the high specific heat of water (relative to that of air) implies that the cold water will help bring the air temp in the refrigerator/freezer back to the thermostat's setting.
Source(s):
http://sierraclub.typepad.com/mrgreen/2008/06/real-fridge-and.html
http://www.scialert.net/pdfs/jas/2008/1822-1831.pdf?sess=jJghHkjfd76K8JKHgh...

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No and no.. do not put hot food in fridge let cool and than put in fridge as temp difference makes fridge do work and thus use energy.
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