Don’t Wrap Your Leftovers in Foil, Registered Dietitians Say

Don’t Wrap Your Leftovers in Foil, Registered Dietitians Say

For many people, covering a plate of leftovers with foil and throwing it in the fridge is the easiest way to store food for a few days.

But wrapping your food in a sheet of aluminum foil is also an easy way of putting yourself at risk of certain health hazards.

When food is exposed to air, it allows bacteria like staph and Bacillus cereus, which cause foodborne illnesses, to thrive and produce toxins. When a hot meal is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, the bacteria grow rapidly, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

leftovers-in-tin-foil

Covering your food in aluminum food creates the same risk, since food isn’t 100% sealed from air exposure.

“When air is present, that allows the bacteria to grow faster, so you really want to get the right containers and pack things appropriately,” says Lindsay Malone, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic. “Otherwise, your food isn’t going to last.”

Related: Smart Ways to Use Up Your Leftovers

Instead, Malone suggests always stowing leftovers in shallow, air-tight containers; this speeds up the cooling process, keeping bacteria from thriving on the food. This is especially true for dairy and meat products, as they’re particularly prone to bacterial growth. Be sure to put food away in the fridge within two hours in general, before bacteria has time to grow and spread all over your home-cooked meal.

“If you have an abundance of food left over, the smartest thing to do would be to put a portion of it in the refrigerator, and then pack a portion of it really nice in air-tight containers, and put it into the freezer,” says Malone. “And then when you’re ready to eat it, take it out.”

Photo Credit: Dan Badiu/Shutterstock.com; Noel V. Baebler/Shutterstock.com

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