Nothing tastes better than hot, freshly cooked food, but if you are a habitual leftover eater (by choice or circumstantial), then know the secret of reheating so that you can enjoy a warm steamy meal anytime.
We all love a hot, steamy plate full of freshly cooked food, but sometimes, when you are staying alone and working long hours in the office, you have to rely on heating and eating leftovers. After all, said and done, leftovers are a great way to lower your food waste and save money. But it is vital to know the correct way of cooling, storing and then reheating leftovers as most of the reported cases of food poisoning occur from home-cooked meals.
Learn to store your leftovers properly
Do not leave food or leftovers at room temperature for more than two hours.
Always label leftovers so that you know the ingredients in them. The easily perishable could be thrown when in doubt.
Reheat food the way it was cooked
One of the most important rules of warming up the food is doing it in the same way it was cooked. For example, most sauce and soup dishes could be reheated in the same pot they are cooked. The baked items such as casserole dishes, veggies, and other baked products can be heated up in the oven itself. If you are scared that the leftovers will dry out in the oven, cover them up with foil or portion them into tinfoil packets.
A little liquid can do wonders
Curries, soups and dishes with sauce can be easily reheated in the pot, but stir-fried or fried dishes can stick up to the pan. To avoid that, add a bit of liquid. This liquid can be oil, veggie broth, coconut milk, almond milk, or even water. Now add any of your chosen liquids and cook at medium-low flame stirring, continuously.
It is a good idea to steam food like rice and pasta
Steaming is a great way of reviving cold, dry leftovers such as pasta and rice. You don’t need a steaming basket or a steamer to do so.Simply put your heat-safe container into boiling water. Just elevate the heat-safe container with the help of a ring. Steaming can work extremely well for rice, quinoa, veggies and plain pasta.
Invest in a toaster oven instead of a microwave
The toaster oven works extremely well to heat leftovers such as casseroles, lasagna and pizza. It retains the freshness of the food and does not need preheating time like bigger ovens.
So, make the best out of leftovers.
