Sometimes, we realize we have too much food in our hands and in our stomach and there’s no more room in there to fill in, so we fall asleep with an ease of heart. But now, you’re left with leftovers and you have zero idea on how to store and reheat. Don’t worry, you’ve arrived at the right article. Here, we let you know how to store and reheat various foods so you can eat it again on the next day!
1. Pizza
Pizza is definitely the most common food we have for leftovers in the morning because we thought two large pizzas are enough for us (that’s what I thought so too until I realized I can become full just by eating three slices only). So, what’s the right way to keep it fresh in order for us to eat it again?
- How to store: Stack the slices into a resealable bag or wrap them tightly in a plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
- Reheat:
On the stovetop, heat the pan on medium heat and cook the pizza slices. On the empty side of the pan, add a few drops of water (not on the pizza!). Then, immediately cover the pan with a lid and let the pizza cook for a few minutes.
In an oven, preheat it to 176ºC. Put the pizza on a piece of foil and put it directly on the oven rack to make sure the top and bottom of the pizza is being heated evenly. Then, bake for about 10 minutes.
2. Fried Chicken
To get back the crispy fried chicken skin is hard but here are some ways that might help you out. For your fried chicken, it’s best to store it for only 3-4 days in the fridge.
- How to store: Place it in an airtight container or wrap it with plastic wrap/aluminum foil before putting it in the fridge.
- Reheat:
Let it set to room temperature after you have let it out of the fridge.
For an airfryer, you can start preheating it to 190ºC. Next, arrange your fried chicken in the air fryer basket and reheat it for about four minutes.
In an oven, preheat it to 204ºC. Fit a wire rack inside of a baking tray and arrange the leftover chicken on the rack. Pop them into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until it’s hot.
3. Pasta
Sometimes you would just have trouble measuring how much you would need for a serving of pasta, I do that a lot so you just end up with so much… pasta. So here’s some ways to store plain pasta and pasta with sauce.
- How to store: For plain pasta, pack it in a resealable bag and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil all over the pasta and toss. Then, store it in the fridge for 3-5 days. On the other hand, for pasta with sauce, store it in a tightly sealed container.
- Reheat:
For plain pasta, boil a large pot of salted water before placing the pasta into the boiling water for about 30-60 seconds and drain it. Then, cook with your sauce as usual and serve.
For pasta with sauce, you can try cooking it in the oven. Place the pasta in an oven-safe bowl/container and cover it with an aluminium foil tightly. Preheat the oven to 176ºC and cook it for 20 minutes, or on the stovetop, saute and cook it in a saucepan on medium heat with some olive oil drizzled all over.
4. Fries
For me, fries are the hardest thing to ever reheat because it’s hard to get the texture and crispness when you first buy them.
- How to store: Wrap the french fries with aluminum foil or place them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheat:
On the stovetop, you can try frying them in oil like how you would usually cook fries then drain once you’re done. Salt them if needed.
In an oven, preheat it to 232ºC. Place the fries on a baking tray and spread them out in a single layer and roast them for 3-5 minutes. Then, take it out of the oven immediately. Salt them if needed.
5. Burgers
I’m not a huge fan of burgers except for the Ramly ones that you see at food stalls but hey, I’m gonna help you out here on how to store and reheat it right!
- How to store: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheat: Using an oven is probably the best way to reheat a leftover burger so what you’re gonna do is preheat the oven to 204ºC. Place the oven rack on top of a baking tray and lay the meat patties on the oven rack so that the meat can be cooked around and evenly for three minutes. You can cook the buns as well by putting on the oven rack and baking for two minutes or until it turns golden brown.
6. Pancake Batter
Now, you’ve probably ended up making too much pancake batter for your breakfast and you’re not able to finish them anymore. So, now you have a bowl of pancake batter in your hands. Here’s how to save them and re-use them for the next morning.
- How to store: Cover your bowl/container of pancake batter with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Pancake batter can only last for a day or two.
- Reheat: Cook your pancakes as usual!
