Meal-prepping is all the rage these days, and for good reason.
Preparing, or even partially preparing, meals in advance can save you time, money, and be a boon for your health too.
However, whether you’re reheating something you prepped or it’s just last night’s restaurant leftovers, there are some foods that you should simply never reheat. Either consume these foods when they’re freshly prepared, or bin them!
Foods that’ve already been reheated
While most food can be safely reheated multiple times – as long as the interior temperature is hot enough to kill any bacteria – but the more times something is reheated, the greater chance it’s not being properly heated all the way through.
So unless you’re using a food thermometer while cooking, err on the side of caution and avoid reheating leftovers that’ve already been nuked once.
Breast milk
This is a simple one: breast milk should never be reheated in the microwave. Ever. Not only can reheated breast milk lose all nutritional value, it can pose a risk to babies.
Oils
Reheating cooking oil, or deep-fried foods by extension, can be a potential hazard. The trans-fat content of frying oil increases every time the oil is reheated.
Related: Smart ways to use up your leftovers
Eggs
Eggs may contain bacteria, called Salmonella enteritidis, which can cause food poisoning. They may hold up to a second reheating, but it’s not worth the risk.
Also, cooked eggs that’ve been left at room temp. for more than two hours should be tossed!
Chicken
Be aware that even cooked chicken can potentially contain salmonella; heating and reheating it can increase the risk of cooking error and food poisoning.
In any case, whatever you do – don’t use a microwave to reheat chicken!
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