17 Things you should Never Put in Microwave Oven

Most of the people prefer cooking in microwave ovens nowadays. It is a quick and convenient way of preparing a variety of dishes in it. Although it made our lives easy, there are certain foodstuffs and other items that you should never put in your microwave oven. They are not designed to handle everything.

We have made a list of foods and other items to let you know which items are off-limits to the microwave oven.

Nothing:

Let’s start with the interesting one. Yes, you should never heat your microwave without anything in it. The waves that the microwave emits are meant for the uniform heating of food. If there is nothing inside and you work the microwave, then the waves will be observed in the microwave. Since it is not engineered that way, it won’t be able to handle those waves and may start a fire, or the microwave can get damaged.

Eggs:

Boiling eggs in the microwave is prevalent because it cooks the egg faster than the stove. The radio waves that we talked about earlier may cause the egg to explode due to extreme temperatures that the egg cannot handle. It will create a mess inside your microwave that will take hours to clean. You can conveniently boil eggs in an egg boiler instead.

Plastic containers:

Very few utensils are microwave-safe. Check for a label on your container, which will say whether it is microwave-ready or not. If not, then do not put that plastic container into your microwave oven. It will melt and ruin your food as well as the microwave. Brands like Tupperware and Borosil have introduced microwave oven utensils.

Paper bags:

Paper bags are potentially dangerous if you put them into your microwave. They do not come with susceptors, which can absorb the radio waves produced by the microwave. Hence, paper bags will readily catch fire in extreme temperatures, releasing toxins and fumes.  It may be hazardous for you.

Aluminum foil:

Aluminum foils can also be referred to as metal. When your microwave oven heats a metal, it will reflect the heat instead of absorbing it. Throughout the process, the aluminum foil is very likely to catch on fire. So try not to put any food which is covered with aluminum foil inside the microwave oven.

Breast milk:

Never heat the breast milk in a microwave. The heatwaves do not harm the baby, but due to its extreme temperature, the milk could start boiling, and that may harm the baby. It is better to warm the milk in a stove on low steam.

Water:

Everybody makes tea or coffee in the microwave but never put a regular glass of water without any tea or coffee in it. The heatwaves will prevent it from boiling. It will be extremely hot. If there’s a sudden change in the temperature after taking the water out from the microwave or if you try to mix something in it, then it might explode.

Yogurt containers:

Yogurt or butter containers are usually made of plastic. And we all know what happens when you heat anything made of plastic. It releases various harmful chemicals, and also they cannot stand the extreme temperature of a microwave oven. As a result, the plastic cups will melt, and the released chemical will be mixed with yogurt or butter. Use a microwave oven utensil if you wish to do this.

Oil:

Heating cooking oil in your microwave makes no difference at all. It will not be heated as per your requirement. They are not 100% liquids; they are fat. It’s not dangerous to try and heat your cooking oil into the microwave but rather a waste of electricity consumption.

Take out containers:

The take out containers are usually made of plastic, or some have a small amount of metal as well. In both cases, you cannot put them into your microwave. If it has metal, then it has the potential to start a fire inside your microwave, which you certainly do not want. And on the other hand, plastic take out containers will melt as well as release harmful chemicals too.

Fruits:

No one likes their fruit warm, but it is proven that if you heat grapes and raisins in your microwave oven, they will explode. It may lead to a fire and cause damage to your microwave oven.

Sauce without a cover:

Make sure that you cover the sauce before putting it in your microwave oven. If you do not, they tend to explode, creating a mess. Covering it with a lid will prevent this from happening.

Uncooked rice:

It is not trendy to cook rice in the microwave. Also, it is not recommended either. Uncooked rice contains bacteria that will not go away, no matter how much you wash them. Cook rice in the microwave may lead to food poisoning due to the presence of bacteria. Hence, you must boil your rice to get rid of the bacteria.

Stainless steel mugs:

It is a widespread misconception of people to think that stainless steel products are sturdy so that they can withstand the heat of a microwave. It is not compatible with a microwave oven. The stainless steel blocks all the heat from going inside of it and absorbs all the heat. As a result, it harms the microwave, and you do not get the desired temperature. It is better to use a thermos to heat water or coffee.

Frozen meat:

Tossing out a slice of frozen meat directly from the refrigerator to a microwave oven is very harmful and is not recommended at all. Most of us are doing it because the process is quicker. It leads to the formation of bacteria in the meat. Also, if the meat is thick, then the heating will be uneven.

Chilly peppers:

Putting chilly papers in the microwave is safe. However, the chemical that it releases when it’s being heated can cause your eyes to burn or choke when you take them out. Wear glasses to be prepared before you take them out.

Preheated food:

Sometimes we eat leftover foods for days. According to the FDA, it is not wise to reheat food, which has been heated too many times already. The taste goes away, and it starts becoming poisonous. Throw the food away after a couple of days. It will be better for your health.

A microwave oven is indeed a much safer cooking appliance than the regular stove, but sometimes it can be the opposite. There is always something that you cannot put into a microwave oven. The list mentioned above includes all of them. Make sure to go through the article to prevent hazards.