The art of microwaving is about more than just pressing the “popcorn” button. If you’re making any of these microwave mistakes, you’re using your microwave wrong.
Alyssa Jung
You don’t cook your veggies in it
Believe it or not, the plain old microwave might trump all the chef-y cooking techniques you use to cook your veggies. Vegetables retain their highest nutrient content the less they’re exposed to heat and water. That means nuking your broccoli will preserve more vitamin C and cancer-fighting glucosinolate than pretty much any other method (besides stovetop steaming); plus, it’ll leave you with fewer dirty pans to scrub later.
You never use the pause button
If you’re in a time crunch, delaying your microwave meal is probably the last thing you want to do. But pressing the pause button can actually save you a lot of time down the line when you’re not hugging the toilet for hours. It’s important to stir leftovers and ready-to-eat frozen meals halfway through the reheating process; this allows the food to cook evenly and prevents any cold spots from lingering, which are a breeding ground for bacteria that could make you sick.
You reheat hardboiled eggs
Never, ever reheat a hardboiled egg still in its shell! Doing so could cause a mini explosion, complete with a loud pop and bits of shell and smelly egg splattered all over the inside of your microwave. Peel the egg first, then gently warm it up.
You microwave plastic containers
Unless the container says “microwave safe,” don’t put it in the microwave. Many plastic storage and takeout containers contain chemicals (BPA is one) that some studies suggest may be linked to health problems like diabetes, infertility, and heart disease; they can leach into your food during the cooking process.
You haven’t used it to dry herbs
If you don’t want to wait around for your fresh hanging herbs to dry out when the growing season ends, pop them in the microwave. Sandwich fresh herbs in a single layer between two paper towels. Then microwave in 30-second intervals until they reach your desired dryness.
You don’t use it to peel garlic
Say goodbye to tediously peeling clove after clove of garlic. You can microwave a whole head of garlic for about 20 seconds and the cloves will slip out of their peels effortlessly, without the garlic-scented fingers.
You don’t know its wattage
Not all microwaves are created equal, and if you don’t know your model’s wattage you could find yourself in trouble. Many premade meals require a certain wattage to properly heat up the food; following the recommended cook time could still leave you with undercooked and possibly contaminated food if you’re not heating it at the proper wattage, too.
You’re not making microwave lattes
You don’t need a fancy machine to make the perfect latte or cappuccino. Once you brew the espresso on the stove or in a coffeemaker, you can create that creamy finishing foam right in your microwave. Fill a lidded jar about halfway with milk and shake vigorously. Remove the lid and microwave for 30 seconds. Voila! You have warm milk to pour and fluffy foam to scoop on top.
You cover plates with plastic wrap
Covering your food is always a good idea to prevent splattering, but never use plastic wrap; the chemicals from the plastic can get into your food while it cooks. Instead, opt for a moist paper towel to retain moisture or invest in an inexpensive microwave splatter guard, available at most home goods stores.
You don’t have a regular cleaning schedule
Even if your microwave looks clean, it almost certainly is not. It’s important to regularly scrub the inside and outside of your oven. This eliminates harmful bacteria from raw meat or fish and removes food particles that can be smelly and also harbor bacteria. Pressed for time?
You defrost meat in its package
Microwaving right in the package might seem like a good way to contain raw meat’s messy and bacteria-laden defrosting juices, but it can actually be more harmful than unwrapping it first. Chemicals from the foam trays meat is sold on and from the plastic packaging can seep into your food as both heat up.
