Q: For so many people microwaving leftovers twice is one or the only reason why they bought a microwave oven. We always have no time. Be it an office, a dormitory or your home. There’s nothing easier than taking out a pan of soup cooked yesterday and heat a bowl of it in the microwave oven. In just three minutes all of you guys are full and happy. The matter is the studies and talks about microwaving leftovers twice are extremely controversial. Is it dangerous to microwave leftovers? If not, how to heat yesterday food?
There’s Something Good in Microwaving Leftovers
The truth is any method of cooking or heating food changes the structure of the products. We suppose that microwaving food for 3 minutes harms food less than heating it in a frying pan for 15 minutes.
What is more, some products become softer and easier to digest after microwaving.
We do not mean that you must throw out the saucepans, an oven, and a stove. Just use the microwave to heat leftovers, or defrost something, or prepare the ingredients fast before you cook them in a traditional way.
It is absolutely OK if you use the microwave oven as a device for express heating or cooking.
Microwaving leftovers is fast and convenient if you have more than one kid in your family, where both parents work and want that free time to be spent together, not in the kitchen.
How to Microwave Leftovers Twice?
The microwave oven is specific in structure so heating of various types of food differs.
Soft and liquid products are heated faster than meat, poultry or fish.
Most of the time, the container with your lunch or dinner requires a cover, such as:
- Food film
- Plate
- Special foil
- Special lid
- Glass, plastic or ceramic tableware
It is easy to heat soup, porridge, mashed potato, meat, fish or vegetable side dishes.
To get them warmed up more evenly, put them on a plate in thin layers.
The soup or any other liquid dish should go in the microwave in a large bowl.
In some cases, you need to take the dish out of the microwave in the middle of microwaving to stir it so that the dish is heated evenly.
Should Meat and Vegetable Leftovers Be Microwaved Separately?
You know, to preserve the juiciness, aroma and natural moisture in vegetable side dishes, use a closed container.
To heat meat leftovers in the microwave, cut them into smaller pieces and cover the dish with a foil, a film or a lid.
If the food you are going to microwave for the second time has been sprinkled with breadcrumbs, do not cover the dish to preserve crispiness.
In case you are afraid of overdrying the product, just sprinkle it with vegetable oil.
Using a special container, you can also heat baby food (but never microwave breast milk!) Usually, the baby formula goes in the microwave oven in a special container without lid and teat.
After microwaving, don’t forget to shake the bottle or container well and check the temperature before giving it to your baby.
If you need to microwave such leftovers as chicken legs, tenderized steak, or baked/grilled meat, microwave it on one side, then take the dish out, turn the product upside down and microwave on the other side.
Set the microwave oven to low or middle power and don’t microwave for too long. If you need more moisture, sprinkle the food with vegetable oil or cover with the lid.
One great secret you should know is to place dense products like meat and fish along the edges of the dish, while the liquid and soft food like a mashed potato are placed in the middle of the plate.
This method helps to heat the food evenly due to the peculiarities of the microwave oven.
What Tableware Is Good for Heating Leftovers Twice?
Basically, all the types of heat-resistant tableware are good for microwaving if they don’t have golden or silver borders or patterns.
To microwave leftovers, use the following utensils:
- Glass dishes
- Porcelain plates
- Ceramic bowls and mugs
- Silicone Molds
- Plastic containers
…and use the following as the lid:
- Foil
- Food film
- Special plastic food cover
- Glass Lid
- Ceramic dish
Our recommendation is to buy a set of special dishes for the microwave oven for the whole family. It should include plates and bowls, pans and lids, cups and mugs.
By doing so, you will accelerate the process of cooking food or heating it in the microwave oven. You won’t need to look for the lid or the large mug in the last minute.
Remember to protect your hands with potholders and enjoy microwaving.
