These days a multitude of fast food choices are literally right across the street from us that we often end up eating from the packaging that the food came in rather than going through the hassle of getting out the cups, plates, bowls, and cutlery only to have to do a sinkful of dishes afterward. Takeout is about chilling and being a little lazy, right?
As a result, we always nearly always have leftovers from these ongoing bouts of laziness and this laziness follows through with how we eat the remaining food.
So can we put our cardboard containers in the microwave? Yes, you can but you need to do a little checking before blindly doing so. You cannot put anything with metal clasps, no matter how small, into your microwave safely. You should also avoid uncoated paper and cardboard too as any chemicals present in those materials may leak out into your food.
So can we heat our food safely using cardboard containers?
We normally reheat our leftovers by placing them on a microwave-safe plate or container and then zapping them but it would be really convenient if we could just reheat our meal in the containers that it was delivered in, especially if we were taking it to work the following day.
Some containers that state they are microwave safe can be used right away, for those that don’t, which just so happens to be most of them, we need to investigate a little more before we know for sure.
What if you put uncoated cardboard in the microwave?
Even though it may not appear to be a smart idea on the surface, microwave-safe cardboard is generally safe to use in the same way that paper plates are safe to use in the microwave.
When foods or liquids are cooked in the microwave, the water molecules within them begin to vibrate at a high frequency, causing the food or liquid to bubble. This is what causes them to get overheated. Due to the fact that cardboard does not contain significant amounts of moisture, it does not heat up as rapidly as food making it a much safer prospect to put cardboard in a microwave as opposed to a regular oven
Even if your cardboard absorbs some of the moisture from the food that is placed on top of it in the microwave, it is unlikely to reach temperatures high enough to cause combustion if you use your microwave in a standard manner, as long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
In the first instance, always double-check the labels on your container to ensure that it is safe to microwave. Most of the other criteria I’m going to mention will be checked off as well as the majority of the others. It is not recommended to microwave anything that has not been clearly labeled as microwave safe.
So can we or can’t we?
Only use cardboard in the microwave for small amounts of time at a time, and never by itself. In order for the cardboard to absorb the microwave waves, you must put food in the microwave with the cardboard. Although your cardboard is unlikely to catch fire, a shorter time period is preferable.
Another noteworthy point is that cardboard is frequently created from reclaimed or recycled materials so it’s safe to assume your cardboard may contain trace amounts of components like metals that are not suitable for microwave use. This is why it’s critical to double-check the labels on your containers at all times.
Coated cardboard is ok, right?
Even if your container does not include any metal, there are a variety of different items to keep an eye out for. Many cardboard containers have a waxy layer that, when heated, may cause chemicals to seep out. Others are held together with glue to prevent them from falling apart. Some even have printed inks on them, which, when cooked, might leak into your food and cause it to spoil.
The best way to approach the conundrum is: Coated is better than uncoated and quality cardboard is better than cheap. Using your judgment with regards to the quality of the materials used will keep you on the right track and keep your food tasting as yummy as possible.
Conclusion
However, while not all cardboard containers are microwave-safe, a significant number of them are. As long as you’re using a container made of microwave-safe cardboard, you should be able to reheat your meal without any problems.
Just be mindful of the fact that there are various grades of cardboard and different style of food containers for different products so make your choices accordingly.
If you prefer to be more eco-conscious then maybe transfer your food onto microwave-friendly plates, which will allow you to recycle your containers without needing to toss them away after they have been used numerous times to heat your food, most likely spoiling the cardboard in the process.
