There should be a word for the feeling you get when you realise there are leftovers in the fridge and you’re off the hook for making dinner. For us, it’s a combination of elation and relief. Which is why it’s so frustrating when we ruin the food by microwaving it. Anyone who’s ever had a dried-out, reheated slice of pizza or a bowl of tough, crispy-edged noodles knows what we're talking about.
Microwave ovens produce electromagnetic waves that are absorbed by molecules in food, particularly fat, water, and sugar. This process heats up the food and also dries it out, especially if the food isn’t covered, which is the most common microwave mistake. Who hasn’t reheated a bowl of chilli only to find it cold in the centre and molten hot around the edges? Or opened the door of a communal office microwave to find a horrifying array of baked-on splatters?
Why you should cover food in the microwave
To better understand this problem and learn how to fix it, we asked an expert: Eva Bleyer, a trained chef and the reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. Bleyer has tested nearly 20 microwave models in the Lab and has used the appliance for everything from melting butter to making mug cakes to toasting nuts. (Yes, you can toast nuts—uncovered—in the microwave!)
“Covering your food while microwaving is quite critical to ensure low-moisture foods won't dry out or prevent soup from splattering all over your microwave,” she says. “The only time I wouldn't recommend covering your food is if you want it to stay crisp or not get soggy.”
When covered food is heated, steam forms, which helps lock in moisture and prevent casseroles and pasta from drying out. There’s also the matter of food safety. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, microwaves can heat food unevenly, leaving cold spots where dangerous pathogens can survive. Covered dishes reheat more evenly, and the moist heat helps destroy bacteria.
What’s the best way to cover food in the microwave?
“Cover food with a damp towel to prevent low-moisture foods from drying out, or use a vented lid to hold in the liquid of high-moisture foods and heat them more evenly,” Bleyer says. At home and in the Lab, she likes to use food storage containers from Anyday, which have vented glass lids designed for reheating food.
A damp paper towel also does the trick!
Lisa Cericola (she/her) is a writer and editor who specializes in travel, food, and culture. A South Florida native, Lisa lived in New York City for 15 years and now resides in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama. She has been an editor at Southern Living and Food Network Magazine and writes for numerous publications including Garden & Gun and Late Checkout. When she’s not working on a story, or planning her next trip, Lisa is likely making and selling small-batch olive oil granola at her local farmers market.
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.
