Why hardboiled eggs and 4 other foods should not be reheated in the microwave, say experts

Leftovers can be perfect for easy-to-plan lunches, afternoon snacks, late-night bites — or all of the above. While it’s tempting to rely on the microwave for reheating these leftovers, food experts say that might not be the best move to make.Microwave ovens can cook food unevenly and leave “cold spots,” allowing harmful bacteria to survive during the reheating process, according to Michigan State University. In addition, reheated microwave food doesn’t always taste good.Leftovers can become dry or overcooked.Food experts weighed in with original thoughts to Fox News Digital about when rush-hour reheating in the microwave should be skipped — and what foods to avoid reheating this way.Some of these might be surprising.Known as protein powerhouses, hard-boiled eggs are a smart and portable snack.Yet food experts suggest eating them cold rather than using a microwave to take the chill away.“Never microwave a hard-boiled egg,” said Amanda Holtzer, a registered dietitian in Nutley, New Jersey.

“Doing so causes steam and pressure to build in the egg white — and can lead to an eruption when the egg is cut into.”“This eruption can happen in the microwave, on your plate or, frighteningly, in your mouth when you bite into the egg,” Holtzer told Fox News Digital.Because vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that’s very sensitive to heat, skip using a microwave for foods that are rich in this vitamin, Holtzer said. “When exposed to heat, vitamin C is degraded and destroyed,” she said. Foods rich in vitamin C include broccoli, bell peppers, berries and leafy greens. “To maintain the integrity of the vitamin C in these foods, I recommend consuming them raw as often as possible,” Holtzer said.From a food safety perspective, reheating chicken is usually perfectly safe, Holtzer stated. “However, from a quality-control perspective, I would recommend against reheating chicken,” she said.“When chicken is stored in the refrigerato...