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Is It Safe To Eat? How To Safely Reheat Cooked Meals

October 15, 2018 by Talia Koren Leave a Comment

Whenever I show a photo of meal prepped salmon on my feed, someone asks “is it safe to reheat?”

And what people usually want to know is if whether or not reheating a cooked meal will make them sick.

Going on record, I can say I have never been physically ill from my home cooked and reheated meals, including reheated fish.

The worst I experienced from my meal preps is minor bloating, and that has nothing to do with the reheating process.

The reason why someone would become ill from a meal, other than an allergy or intolerance, is harmful bacteria present in the ingredients.

Obviously, no one wants harmful bacteria in their food. From the grocery store to actually serving a meal, there are a few opportunities for bacteria to grow. But with the right washing, preparing, cooking (and reheating) practices, you’re totally in the clear.

And let’s get this out of the way — reheating your food is totally safe if you do it right!

I honestly have never thought of food as UNSAFE to reheat. Maybe ignorance is bliss? That being said, you can reheat the majority of meals in a completely safe manner without sacrificing the taste or texture.

It’s important to note that your meal preps will never taste or feel AS good as when you first make them. But with the right recipe, they can be pretty damn close.

It’s also important to note that not all meals are meant to be reheated or taste good the next day. So beware!

If you want access to creative and easy recipes that are made and tested for meal prep, sign up for the WWL Meal Prep Program which provides access to all of my meal prep recipes and weekly meal plans. Click here to learn more and join.

Safely cooking and reheating food is simple if you follow the steps below every time:

  1. Meats must cook all the way through initially, to an internal temperature of 165 F for poultry and ground meat and 145 F for steaks. You don’t NEED a food thermometer, by the way, you can just eyeball your meats for pinkness inside when cooking. That’s how I do it.
  2. Store cooked meats and all other ingredients in airtight containers in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Bacteria can grow between the temperatures of 40 F and 145 F, so your fridge is a safe place for cooked food if it’s below 40 F (most fridges are so don’t worry too much about that!)
  3. Make sure you eat meal prepped food within 6 days at the very latest. Most of my recipes say 4 days, but that’s because by day 5 the texture and taste start to get less appetizing, but technically it is still safe to eat.
  4. Make sure you reheat meals to a temperature of 165 F or above. Most regular microwaves can accomplish this temperature after a minute or two of reheating a meal!

The point of all of these practices listed above is to avoid potentially harmful bacteria from growing on your food.

It’s pretty simple and doable, and I promise if you follow the instructions above you’ll be perfectly safe — as long as your ingredients are safe to start with.

Here are best practices for safely reheating cooked meals in different appliances:

REHEATING FOOD IN THE MICROWAVE

Best for: pretty much all meals, soups, chilis, curries, stews, egg dishes, baked goods, breakfast dishes, oatmeal

You can reheat meals in the microwave covered or uncovered. Generally, reheating them slightly covered (as long as the lid is microwave safe) is safer. Make sure to adjust the lid to release steam while it cooks (you don’t want to microwave a sealed container).

I usually microwave my food for 90 seconds on high because I want it piping hot. A minute is usually okay and for some ingredients, such as fish, it’s better to reheat it on a lower power for a longer period of time.

REHEATING FOOD ON THE STOVE

Best for: anything you cooked on the stove will reheat well on the stove. Soups, chilis, stews, stir-fries, rice dishes, pasta dishes, meat dishes etc.

When you reheat food on the stove, you have a lot more control over the heat. Make sure to add a little bit of oil or water to the pan when reheating food on the stove.

You can reheat your food covered or uncovered, but using a lid will help the food reheat more evenly and retain moisture.

If you’re reheating soups, sauces, curries or chilis, it’s safest to bring the pot to a boil to reheat it to a safe temperature.

REHEATING FOOD IN THE OVEN

Best for: anything you cooked in the oven first will reheat well in the oven. Baked pasta dishes, sheet pan meals, casseroles, meat dishes etc.

Reheating food in the oven takes the longest, but it works just as well. Make sure you’re using an oven-friendly or glass dish for this method.

I like to stick my oven meal preps in there as it’s preheating. By the time the oven fully preheats, the meal is usually warm enough to eat!

REHEATING FOOD IN THE TOASTER OVEN

Best for: any meal that needs to retain its crispiness will do well in the toaster oven. Pizza, quesadillas, sandwiches, roasted veggies, breakfast burritos etc

This method is pretty straightforward! To avoid moisture gathering underneath meals that involve bread or tortillas, don’t use the little tray that comes with the toaster oven. Instead, place the meal directly on the grate inside. Otherwise, some condensation will collect under the sandwich, quesadilla or pizza causing some sogginess.

SAFELY REHEATING FROZEN MEALS

The best practice for reheating frozen meals is to let them thaw out in the fridge first. Take the meal out ahead of time and place it in the fridge until it’s not frozen, but simply cold. It depends on the meal and its size, but this could take anywhere from 12-36 hours.

After thawing in the fridge, reheat it normally with any of the methods listed above. I usually do the microwave or the stove, where the heat is more controllable.

If you’re really worried about the safety of reheated meals, buy a food thermometer and make sure that you can eat your cooked meals within a few days.

If you need help choosing meal prep friendly dishes that you can definitely eat within this window AND learn how to cook properly, I highly recommend trying out the Workweek Lunch Meal Prep Program. It’s $7.99/month for weekly meal plans (and more) and you can cancel any time if it’s not for you.

Part of learning how to keep foods safe for reheating is learning how to COOK foods safely.

For example, It’s NOT safe to cook with meat that was frozen, thawed and re-frozen.

And if you buy raw chicken breast and leave it in your fridge for 5-7 days, it’s probably not a good idea to cook with it in the first place.

Wash your hands before cooking and wash your produce too. You don’t need to wash meats! In fact, washing meat (raw chicken, fish) before cooking might seem like a good idea, but it actually spreads bacteria even more.

You’ll see another post on cooking safety soon, friends!

And if you want your reheated meals to taste delicious, here are some other cooking practices to be aware of:

  • Very slightly undercook eggs, shrimp and beef (because they might cook slightly more when reheated and they’re less likely to dry out)
  • Slightly undercooking certain veggies (for the same reason above, but in this case, they’re less likely to get soggy if you undercook them slightly)
  • Knowing that pasta and rice might stick together after cooking, so you’ll need to add water or broth before reheating no matter what
  • Making sure to let meat rest after cooking and before slicing into it to make sure it’s not dry
  • Knowing that certain roasted veggies will not, for the most part, remain crispy in meal preps (like sweet potato fries). Consider avoiding meals that rely on that crispy texture for meal prep.

These are just a few hacks for meal prep-specific cooking. Obviously, you don’t need to worry about some of the above tips when cooking a meal to be eaten immediately.

Have any more questions about reheating meals safely? Drop them in the comments below!

Filed Under: Blog, Meal Prep Pro Tips Tagged With: cooking tips, meal prep, microwave, reheating

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Workweek Lunch | Talia Koren
Reminder: self care and preparation come in a lot Reminder: self care and preparation come in a lot of different forms. ✏️
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🌯Meal prep is one of them, but it’s not realistic or best for every person. If it’s not for you or you don’t have time, here are some other ways to set yourself up for enduring LESS STRESS every week. Don’t try to do them all - just pick one or two.
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❓What did I miss on this list? Share below!
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👉🏼And if you DO want to batch cook, but get overwhelmed with planning and finding good recipes, we got you! Sign up in my bio link to get pre-made meal plans, grocery lists and tons of meal prep tested recipes. You can customize everything (this is not about restriction or weight loss - it’s about being practical and eating yummy food!). We offer a free 7 day trial when you sign up!
Have you ever tried a produce box subscription? Sh Have you ever tried a produce box subscription? Share your experience with us in the comments! Here’s mine 👇🏼
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I started using @pacificcoastharvest a month ago after randomly seeing the boxes sitting in a local coffee shop!
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The cost is $30 per box (I know it doesn’t look like a lot) BUT you can control what’s in your box and how much you want to spend. That’s one thing I really like about this box. I can choose the produce I want every week and I’ve been using this to supplement weekend cooking and some meal prep. I’m able to stretch some of the ingredients for weeks (root veggies, apples).
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If I couldn’t choose what’s in the box, it would be pretty tough for me. But so far I’ve used and loved all the produce (and some other items like coffee, hot sauce and cheese) and am excited to keep branching out!
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Since using this box I’ve had purple Brussels, watermelon radish, gold beets, local apples, satsumas, purple yams, turnips and more. I can’t wait to try lemongrass from this week’s box. For me, someone who cooks a lot and can spend a little extra on this stuff, it’s worth it. With this weekly box, our regular grocery costs have decreased too. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts below!
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This isn’t an ad btw! Just really enjoying Pacific Coast Harvest and happy I stumbled upon their boxes recently.
Pancake pros! What are your BEST tips for making p Pancake pros! What are your BEST tips for making perfect pancakes? Share below! 🥞
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❓And if you absolutely wouldn’t describe yourself as a pancake pro, what are your pancake struggles?
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🤔I’ve been getting a lot of pancake questions lately in DMs and in our private WWL Program Facebook group (the most incredible food community on FB!) and I want to make a video with the best tried and true tips for expert level pancakes.
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🥞Pancakes are one of our favorite breakfasts for meal prep! They reheat great in the microwave, toaster or on the stove and there are SO MANY flavor combinations to try.
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🙌🏼We have several pancake recipes in the WWL Program - matcha, lemon blueberry, chocolate chip cherry and pumpkin to name a few. In this photo we have our favorite banana pancake recipe. Sign up for the WWL Program in my bio link to get access to all our breakfast meal prep recipes and more!
You’re not a doughnut or a piece of zucchini bre You’re not a doughnut or a piece of zucchini bread. You’re a human who needs food and nourishment to show up at their best in this world. 💕
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MEALS:
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Zucchini carrot “confetti” bread - coming to WWL soon
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Chickpea Greek salad wraps - dropped in the WWL Program yesterday
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Mongolian-inspired beef - coming to WWL soon
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Sprinkled doughnut from @mightyodonuts 🍩
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Grab our recipes, non-diet meal plans and grocery lists  when you sign up for the WWL Program in my bio link!
QUICK MEAL PREP TIPS . 👉🏼Choose meals you ca QUICK MEAL PREP TIPS
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👉🏼Choose meals you can easily multitask - like cooking one meal on the stove while you cook something else in the oven or another appliance (slow cooker, Instant Pot)
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👉🏼Opt for rotisserie chicken or low maintenance proteins like hard boiled eggs to cut down time in the kitchen
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👉🏼Pre-cut veggies can also save you tons of time, but they’re more expensive! If that’s out of your budget, consider doing all your chopping 1 day before you prep and assemble meals
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👉🏼Never meal plan, shop and cook on the same day. I like to meal plan on Friday, shop on Saturday and cook on Sunday.
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👉🏼Meals like overnight oats, smoothies, skillets, one-pot pastas and salad wraps are reliably fast!
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🙌🏼All the meals pictured (except the parfaits) are featured in this week’s new WWL meal plan for members of the WWL Program! Grab this plan + all our recipes and custom meal planning tools when you sign up in my bio link! We offer a 7-day free trial, then it’s just $9.99/mo (or less when you sign up for 6-12 months) to keep meal prepping with our plans, recipes and community.
I like to say all good things start with a spreads I like to say all good things start with a spreadsheet 🤓including affordable, delicious meal preps!
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Save this post for next time you need a quick reminder of how to make simple meal plans you’ll actually stick to!
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👩🏻‍🍳There’s no way I could pull off these meal preps week after week (for years and years) without solid planning. It’s something I do every Friday, the day before I shop and 2 days before I prep.
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😅Do you have to make your meal plan on a spreadsheet? No! You can do it in your notes app, on paper, on a white board, with apps or services like WWL Program - however works for you. I use excel because everything I plan isn’t in the WWL Program yet 😜
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👈🏼Swipe to the last slide for my simple 3 steps to making a meal plan.
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💕Of course there’s an intuitive eating approach to this: I don’t follow the plan exactly during the week. Meaning I might it eat my chickpea wraps for dinner instead of lunch one day. The point of filling in the grid is to make sure I have the meals I want to plan for covered. When life gets randomly crazy, it’s ok if the plan goes out the window.  Of course these days, it’s pretty slow and steady 😂
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If you need help@with meal planning or just hate sitting down to do it, we can help. The WWL Program has some awesome planning tools that help you feel organized AND it automatically makes a grocery list for you based on the meals you choose for the week.  Sign up for a free trial in my bio link! After your free week, it’s $9.99/mo.
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👇🏼What’s your meal planning medium these days? Excel? Pen and paper? Our Program? Share in the comments!!
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RECIPES: “confetti” bread, chickpea Greek salad wraps and Mongolian-inspired ground beef and broccoli are all coming to the WWL Program for members soon!
Chopped Greek salad, a love story💕 . 🥬I used Chopped Greek salad, a love story💕
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🥬I used to buy a big chopped Greek salad at a takeout place called Così a few times per week. I’ll be honest, it’s mostly because the bread they served with the salad was amazing and it was a $7.50 lunch for me. When I started meal prepping, OBVIOUSLY Greek salad was something I tried to make often, but always failed. It was just soooo soggy and sad.
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🍅Eventually, with practice, I figured it out. The key is using fresh herbs, a good dressing and ditching lettuce altogether or keeping it on the side to add before eating. And bundling the salad up in a wrap makes it easier to eat and take on the go.
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🌯This salad (with a chicken version) and wrap is dropping on Wednesday in the WWL Program in our brand new MINIMAL COOKING meal plan! That’s right. The veg version of this requires no heat/appliances. And the omnivore version only has you quickly cooking chicken!
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👉🏼To get this recipe and plan when it drops, head over to my bio link to sign up for the WWL Program! We share a new plan and recipes every week so you never get bored.
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Chicken wrap photo credit: @pinkleme and credit to my partner for holding the spoon in the action shots 😂
Since I have a bunch of new folks here - welcome! Since I have a bunch of new folks here - welcome! I’m Talia and here’s what you need to know about Workweek Lunch👇🏼
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👉🏼WWL is a meal plan subscription with thousands of members all over the world and resource for all things meal prep, meal planning and practical cooking *without* a side of diet culture. We don’t share calorie/nutrition info, we don’t talk about weight loss tips or restriction of any kind (see my intuitive eating story highlight for more info). I’m not here to tell you what to eat, how much or how often. 🤗 I’m here to help make it *easier* for you to eat however makes you feel your best.
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👩🏻‍🍳I don’t have a formal background in cooking or dietetics. I’m just really organized and have a lot of cooking experience! Meal planning and prepping has always come easily to me and I love helping others.
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💸I started meal prepping right after graduating college to save money living in NYC! And because I wanted to restrict food to be the smallest version of myself. 😣 My first kitchen was tiny, had no working oven and had a bug issue (that’s NYC for you) but I still got meal prep done and managed to save enough for an emergency fund and some snowboarding trips!
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🤘🏼Now I meal prep because it’s the only way for me to work as much as I want to during the week and helps me have more mental energy for important decisions. Can’t say we are saving money at this point because our cost of living has been pretty low for years thanks to our meal prep routine. And I no longer use meal prep as a tool to force my body to be a size it wasn’t meant to be.
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👩🏻‍💻Workweek Lunch is my full time job. We have an amazing team of 5 (3 of us are full time) and I LOVE what I do.
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🏔Other basics: I’m 28, I live with my partner in Seattle and I love hiking, snowboarding, camping and solo travel.
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❓how can I help? Tell me what you’re looking forward to seeing here on my feed! And stay tuned in stories for today’s #mealprepsunday sesh.
I used to have so many food rules that made me fee I used to have so many food rules that made me feel tired, irritable and constantly guilty for breaking them. 😪
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🤦🏻‍♀️One of them involved not eating after a certain time (and ignoring hunger). Another involved avoiding anything made with flour, sugar, butter etc. I had so many of them... and for what?
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🤷🏻‍♀️They didn’t make me “healthier” (read: thinner) they just made me stressed out and distracted from what’s REALLY important.
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👀Some people will look at this photo and only see the foods they don’t allow themselves to eat, or foods they deem “unhealthy” and that’s ok.
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👁And some people will see what I see - variety. And that’s what makes me feel my best!
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😍This is pretty much what I eat as an intuitive eater although it changes every day. I always have the option to eat snacks. I almost always eat food after dinner (when I’m hungry!). And every day I eat something home cooked because that’s just my lifestyle (and that’s where meal prep fits in). I eat packaged foods every day too... and feel physically way better than when I tried to avoid them.
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🤘🏼If you’re new to intuitive eating and want to learn more, check out my story highlights! I have a whole highlight about it. 
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👩🏻‍🍳RECIPES for the blender muffins, sheet pan salmon meal and green rice burrito bowl are in the WWL Program! Learn more and hop on a free trial in my bio link!
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