How to Properly Heat Leftovers

Whether it's restaurant leftovers or holiday feast leftovers, or just the desire to overcook a meal so you have less to cook the next day, a surprising number of us eat leftovers multiple times per week. But improperly cooked leftovers can be a serious source of illness. So let’s take a look at the best ways to prepare leftover foods safely so we can enjoy them again. And while we're at it, we'll cover the best methods for the most delicious leftover reheats, too.

Skip the Microwave If Possible

There are some foods that do fine being heated back up in the microwave. These include soups, stews, sauces, some veggies (though others — like precooked broccoli — may become overdone and rubbery) and braised foods. Think saucy stuff. If there's a lot of moisture, the microwave is probably a good bet. But if the food wasn't really moist already, it's likely to dry out further or toughen as it cooks. So adding things like steak, pork or rice to the microwave may result in food that's dry or tough. 

Don't try to heat up too much food at once, either. It's best to use the microwave for single servings to make sure everything heats through thoroughly.

Tip: Cover food with a paper towel or set the dish to reheat in a container with a small amount of water in the bottom to rehydrate food. 

Toasting Works,Too

Foods that have an outer crunch or light breading will do best being toasted. A toaster oven works perfectly for foods like sandwiches, pizza or chicken parmesan. The bottom of the pizza can re-crisp, too. 

The key is to keep delicately breaded items intact to prevent them from overcooking and drying out. Set the toaster oven to around 300 to 325 degrees. Some people wrap food items lightly in aluminum foil to retain moisture but this can result in sogginess so consider the type of food, first.

What About Fried Foods?

Breaded foods like chicken tenders, French fries or deep fried veggies are the best when they come right out of the fryer or oven. It's hard to beat that hot and fresh taste of a deep fryer! (Though we at Wellness cannot in good conscience recommend fried foods as a habit.) While it may be challenging to get soggy fish sticks to be as delicious as they originally were, try heating them in the oven at the original temperature to re-crisp them. 

This allows the crunchy outer layer to re-crisp to some degree. The key is to cook them through at least until they reach the safe temperature of 165 degrees. 

Another popular option is to reheat fried foods in an air fryer or convection oven. The circulating air can add to the crispness. One thing that does not work is returning them to a deep fryer. More oil is only going to make these foods soggy and raise the fat content. Better to opt for a dryer method and let the existing oils do the re-crisping.

The importance of Keeping Leftovers Cold

Heating leftovers is important for taste and quality. But storage and safety play vital roles as well. The potential for foodborne illness might increase when reheating leftovers because improper storage may allow certain types of bacteria to grow on food. 

Staphylococcus, salmonella, E.coli and campylobacter are major players in triggering gastrointestinal distress. As soon as leftover foods cool down, make sure they stay cool (below 39 degrees) to prevent bacterial growth. 

Eating leftovers may stretch our food dollars or simply provide us the opportunity to enjoy an amazing meal over again. Remember not to overheat food, to keep it hydrated, and to make sure it’s stored in conditions that discourage microbial growth.

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