Covering a tray or a plate of leftover food with aluminum foil is pretty common, but it’s not an ideal solution. Perhaps you didn’t know that you shouldn’t use aluminum foil for this purpose, but it’s true. It’s also not a good idea to wrap the food in the foil and just toss it in the fridge. Here’s why.
Understanding Aluminum
Leftovers quickly develop bacteria, especially when left out of the fridge. Some bacteria produce toxins that can mess up your health, and this all happens when food has contact with air. When you cover the leftovers with aluminum foil, you’re still allowing air to get in contact with it. It may look sealed, but it’s definitely not unless you’re using the right containers. So what should you use instead?
Shallow, air-tight containers are your best choice. They allow food to cool down quickly once it’s in the fridge. Always remember to store it within two hours of making it so you can avoid the bacteria reproducing. This is especially important for dairy and meat.
If you forgot about the food and left it outside the fridge for longer than two hours, throw it out. If you made more food than you can safely store in the fridge, portion it in the same air-tight containers and keep in the freezer.
