You can reheat food multiple times in the microwave but ideally, you should avoid reheating as much as possible. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), food should be reheated only once. Each time the food is reheated, quality declines.
Food when reheated for a second time can sometimes cause food poisoning resulting in illness. To prevent this, it is important to reheat the food correctly.
When reheated, the food should be piping hot all the way through to destroy bacteria but in the microwave, food does not get heated up evenly and cool pockets are left in between where the bacteria can thrive.
For even heating of the food, stir the food halfway during the heating process and reheat it till the food gets heated evenly.
Ideally, as soon as the food is cooked, we must consume it. But nowadays it is common practice to make food in bulk and then store it in the fridge to use it later on as and when required.
This practice helps in reducing food waste and saves a lot of time and effort.
After the food is prepared in bulk, it should be stored in individual portions so that you can reheat only that portion in the microwave which is required. This practice will avoid reheating the same food many times.
Some food items should not be reheated again after cooking. Such food items when exposed to high temperatures twice can develop toxins in them and kill all their nutritional contents.
Such food items are potatoes, rice, pasta, egg, cooked meat, beetroot, sauces containing milk, soybean products, seafood, and mushrooms.
Is reheating food in the microwave healthy?
Yes, reheating food in the microwave is healthy. It is a myth that when the food is reheated in the microwave, it becomes unhealthy but this has not been proven right till now.
Until and unless the food is reheated multiple times, it is not unhealthy. To avoid the development of food poisoning, the food should be reheated evenly in the microwave.
Also, it must be taken care that ceramic and microwave safe containers are used while reheating food in the microwave.
It is found that there is no change in the mineral content of the food when reheated in the microwave but the vitamin content gets a hit.
Vitamin C is water soluble and heat-sensitive as well so when the food is reheated in the microwave, vitamin C content of the food is lost.
Apart from this, there is no other loss of nutrients in the food when reheated in the microwave. It is a good way of preserving nutrients that can otherwise leach into the cooking water if we overcook the food.
How to microwave food without it getting soggy?
To prevent food from getting soggy in the microwave, you should cover it with a dry paper towel and then heat it in the microwave. This will absorb the moisture that is formed during the heating process in the microwave.
When food is heated in the microwave, the electromagnetic radiation generated causes the water molecules to move in the food. Due to this movement, friction is produced that helps in heating the food or liquid in the microwave.
Since the moisture can’t get removed from the food, it remains inside, and thus, the food becomes soggy.
To prevent this, there should be something that can absorb the moisture that is formed during the heating process, So a dry paper towel can be helpful in this case. This method is useful in heating sandwiches, french fries, etc.
While reheating a slice of pizza, put a small microwave-safe mug or dish filled with water near the pizza in the microwave.
This extra water will prevent the pizza from getting soggy as it will absorb some of the microwaves that would have gone in the pizza directly and caused moisture content to evaporate.
Can you reheat food in the microwave when pregnant?
Yes, you can reheat food in the microwave when pregnant. But while reheating the food, you must take proper precautions which are mentioned above in this article.
During pregnancy, it is important to eat healthy nutritious food so it is advised to eat freshly cooked food.
A pregnant woman should not reheat the food in the microwave more than twice. All the leftovers and ready-to-eat foods like deli meats and hot dogs should be reheated until they are steaming.
For this, this food should be reheated to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If for any reason food can not be reheated then pregnant women should avoid consuming it.
How to reheat food in the microwave without drying it out?
To reheat food in the microwave without drying it out, wrap or cover the food with a damp towel or sprinkle some water on it. This will prevent the loss of water during microwaving and thus, water is retained which helps in keeping the food moist.
The other way to prevent drying of the food during reheating the microwave is to keep water in a microwave-safe mug or dish near the food. The water acts as a good conductor of heat and produces steam which keeps the food moist.
Food gets heated up quickly in the microwave but it can cause the food to dry out. This is one of the disadvantages of using a microwave for reheating purposes.
But with the methods mentioned above, you can reheat food in the microwave without worrying about getting it dried out.
How to reheat crispy food in the microwave?
To reheat crispy food in the microwave, parchment paper or dry paper towel should be used. Place the parchment paper or dry paper towel beneath the food or wrap it with the paper.
This will absorb the moisture formed during the reheating process in the microwave and thus, the crispy food will not become soggy.
While reheating in the microwave, the food should not be kept for more than 2 minutes as the food will dry out otherwise.
How to reheat fried food in the microwave?
To reheat fried food in the microwave, the following method should be followed:
- Fried food that is kept in the refrigerator must be brought to room temperature. For this, take the food out of the refrigerator and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes.
- Place a paper towel beneath the food or wrap the fried food with the dry paper towel while microwaving. This will help in absorbing the moisture and prevent it from getting soggy.
- Microwave the fried food at the interval of 30 seconds till it becomes warm.
Conclusion
It is important to reheat the food in the microwave safely to prevent it from getting spoiled. The whole dish should be evenly reheated, for which you need to microwave it at the interval of 30 seconds and stir in between if required.
It is also essential to prevent the food from reheating multiple times in the microwave as this can lead to food poisoning.