Reheating food in a microwave is one of the most convenient options. However, if you intend to microwave something but it has napkins wrapped around it, it’s obvious to think if you can put napkins in the microwave or not. In case you have the same point in mind, this article will help you make the right decision.
Can You Put Napkins In The Microwave?
Yes, you can put napkins in the microwave. This means that you can place the napkin on your food to make sure it doesn’t splatter inside the microwave. However, it is suggested that you don’t put napkins directly on the food because these napkins can stick to the food. All in all, using napkins will help clean the microwave clean, and it’s a convenient way of covering the food. It is suggested to use a napkin if you are heating food in the bowl to make sure it doesn’t touch the food. To help you reheat the food in the microwave with napkins, you can check out the following instructions;
- First of all, you should take out the leftovers from the refrigerator and put them on the microwave-safe dish or plate
- Place a few napkins all over the dish or plate (you have to open the napkins)
- Place this plate/dish in the microwave and set the temperature. You can heat the food for as long as you want without worrying about the napkins. However, you might have to rearrange or stir the leftovers after a few seconds to make sure the food is heated evenly
- Once the food is heated, remove your plate/dish from the microwave but don’t forget to wear the oven mitts as the plate could be hot
- Take off the napkins from the top and dump them
- Enjoy the food without worrying about cleaning the microwave
As far as the napkins are concerned, you can use disposable napkins as well as cloth napkins to cover the food as they work the same. However, you will need to clean the cloth napkins for reusing them
Using Paper In Microwave
There are different types of paper used in the food industry, and most of them can be used in microwaves. To name a few, you use wax paper, paper plates, parchment paper, and paper towels in the microwave. On the other hand, you should not use newspaper in the microwave because heating it will result in ink leakage into the food, which results in harmful outcomes (ink should not be consumed).
Secondly, if you have to reheat the leftover McDonald’s food, you can reheat it in the same wrapper, but the timer should be set to thirty seconds only. However, the wrappers shouldn’t be microwaved on their own because they have PFCs, which release toxic chemicals into the microwave, which can be harmful to your health (this is the same reason the time duration should be no more than thirty seconds).
Using Paper Towels In Microwave
Yes, you can use paper towels in the microwave for covering the food and preventing the spitting of food during reheating and cooking process. However, when you put paper towels in the microwave, you should set the low timer because the paper towels cannot withstand the high temperatures, which can have adverse impacts on food as well.
On the other hand, if you are thinking about paper plates, they can be used in the microwave but not for more than two minutes. While using it in the microwave, the paper plate must be covered with paper towels, and make sure that you use the reheat setting of the microwave to be on the safer side.
The Materials To Avoid In The Microwave
As we are talking about using napkins and paper towels in the microwave, you also need to remember which materials should be avoided. Having said that, you cannot use take-out containers and Styrofoam cups in the microwave. This is because these containers are made from a special form of plastic that cannot withstand the microwave’s temperature and heating process.
On a concluding note, napkins can be used in the microwave, but it’s better to use cloth napkins as they are reusable, making them an eco-friendly choice. However, if you have time constraints, you can always use disposable napkins.