When microwaving food, should you open the lid or cover the container?

Microwave ovens - devices that use microwaves - are present in almost every modern kitchen. They help defrost food and heat food quickly, so they are used frequently for daily cooking activities.

Should you microwave food with the lid open or closed?

To be safest, when microwaving food, you should cover containers and bowls for two main reasons.

First is the issue of hygiene. According to Tasting Table,We all hate opening the microwave and finding food splattered all over it; plus some ingredients can explode when microwaved. So it’s a good idea to have a food cover or lid on when microwaving food.

Using a food container lid when microwaving food helps prevent food from spilling everywhere, keeps the microwave clean, and saves you time and effort cleaning.

The second issue is the quality of the food. According to Today, microwaving food without a lid will affect the solid-liquid factor, humidity and heat distribution of the dish. On the contrary, if you use a lid, the food will be heated evenly and taste better.

Therefore, when microwaving food, it is best to cover the lid or use plastic wrap to seal the mouth of the container or bowl, then adjust the temperature and time appropriately and operate the oven. It is also important to note that you should use glass containers to heat food or plastic containers that can be used in the microwave, do not use plastic containers of unknown origin and quality.

Notes when cooking food in the microwave

When cooking dry foods with little water, use containers with tight lids. For liquid foods with lots of water, use containers with lids that have vents or open slots.

Alternatively, you can use plastic wrap that is labeled “Microwave Safe” to cover food when using this device. This is a safe and convenient way if your home does not have many glass containers or food containers with lids.

Some mistakes when using microwave oven

• Continuously rotating food and rotating many types of food can easily overload the microwave and cause the food to have mixed odors.
• Using disposable plastic and foam to cook food is extremely dangerous because under the influence of heat, poor quality plastic and foam can cause food poisoning, affecting human health.
• Using the microwave for the wrong purpose such as drying gloves, aprons... can easily cause electrical short circuits, fires, and explosions, which is very dangerous.
• If you do not clean the microwave regularly, it will get moldy and smell bad from food spilled during use. Therefore, you should pay attention to cleaning the microwave about 1-2 times/week.