¿Es seguro recalentar las sobras más de una vez?

Leftovers are a part of life, whether you're cooking for yourself or dining out at a restaurant; often, at least some food will be left to make another meal. However, you might want to think twice before reheating your leftovers more than once. At best, it can change the taste and texture of the food, and at worst, it could be dangerous.

On one hand, reheating leftovers multiple times can completely change the texture and flavor of foods. Things like pasta and meat will lose more moisture every time they're heated, causing them to dry out. While you can reheat rice with an ice cube to prevent moisture loss or use a spoonful of water to revive limp pizza, even these hacks won't produce good results if you use them on the same food over and over. Likewise, spices can lose their bold flavors with every reheating. However, what's more concerning is the potential danger of reheating food multiple times.

According to the USDA, leftovers must be reheated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bacteria. However, if the food isn't reheated properly, dangerous bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella can survive and start to multiply. Moreover, in foods like pasta and rice, the bacteria Bacillus cereus can release harmful toxins that can survive reheating. This bacteria can flourish if food is reheated and left to cool multiple times, increasing the risk of foodborne illness. That said, there are ways to enjoy leftovers multiple times without worrying about them losing flavor or making you sick.

Don't reheat your leftovers all at once

The best way to reheat leftovers safely is to portion out what you're going to eat and only heat that. This way, you're not putting all of the food at risk of being in the temperature danger zone — the range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit — where bacteria can flourish. It will also ensure that you're not compromising the flavor and texture of the food with repeated reheating.

Now, if you want to make sure you're reheating leftovers at a safe temp without overcooking them, you might want to consider using a sous vide machine. Not only can this stop your leftovers from overcooking or cooking unevenly, but because it's such a precise way of cooking, it ensures you can heat the leftovers to the right temperature. All you have to do is set the immersion circulator to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and relax. However, for this method, you will have to either vacuum-seal the leftovers or put them into a food-safe bag, like a ziplock.

Otherwise, we recommend relying on a thermometer, like Alpha Grillers Instant Read Thermometer, to gauge quickly whether your leftovers have reached a safe temp. Closely monitor leftovers while they're reheating and, when using the microwave, stir and rotate the food often to ensure even heating.