The FDA says those chemicals aren't dangerous. But your safest bet is to check labels carefully and use only the plastic wrap and covers that are specifically approved for microwaves. Want an easier solution? Cover your food with a ceramic plate or with a piece of biodegradable wax paper or paper towel.
Covering food in the microwave will help cook it evenly and thoroughly. Leave a small gap so that steam can escape. Cut food into small pieces. Smaller pieces cook more evenly.
When cooking or reheating food in the microwave, you have a quite a few options — like paper towels, a plate, microwave-safe lids, or plastic wrap — for covering it.
Microwave containers include: plastic, paper and glass. Never put metal or foil items in the microwave. Cover containers with plastic wrap, paper towels, wax paper, or a lid. By covering foods in the microwave, it holds in moisture, helps food cook evenly and prevents food from splattering in the microwave.
Food-grade plastic and silicone are safe options, but those concerned about possible chemical leaching from these materials can opt for glass microwave covers. Though heavier, more fragile, and typically pricier, glass microwave covers are less likely to leach.
Most paper towels are microwave-safe. In fact, you can use a paper towel to cover some foods so they don't spit during cooking or reheating. If you do use a paper towel while microwaving, it's best to use shorter intervals so you can check both the food and the paper more frequently.
Our advice: Use ceramic or glass cookware for microwaving, and instead of plastic wrap, cover food with an overturned microwave-safe bowl or plate. In the test kitchen, we have found that this retains moisture just as well as plastic wrap, with zero risk.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland and The United States Department of Agriculture both advise that cling film should not touch food during cooking.
Glad ClingWrap contains no plasticizer, and is BPA free and microwave safe.
It eliminates the splattering of food around the inside of a microwave oven, which is hard to clean, unsightly and unsanitary. It prevents keeps food from drying out by keeping moisture contained. And it eliminates the cost and wastage of using other disposable items such as cling film to act as a cover.
If your microwave has a metal turntable or metal shelving, don't use aluminum foil. Cover only 1/4 of your food with foil to reduce the risk of fire and to thoroughly heat your food. Because aluminum foil will reflect the radio waves, if you cover all of the food, it won't heat up.
Cover material matters
Because heat circulates inside the oven, lightly covering the plate or container helps the food heat more evenly without overcooking. It also creates a moist heat that steams the food, which can kill harmful food bacteria.
3. By covering foods in the microwave, it holds in moisture, helps food cook evenly and prevents food from splattering in the microwave.
Information. Meat can be cooked safely in a microwave oven, but it can cook unevenly and leave cold spots where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to cover the food, rotate or stir it once or twice during cooking, and make sure the meat reaches a safe internal temperature throughout.
Use aluminium foil if you are to consume the food within the next 24 hours. Use cling film if you are going to use food within 48 hours. You will need to double wrap to get a good seal. If microwaving, do use microwavable cling film.
Beeswax wraps are one of the simplest and easiest cling wrap swaps you can make. They come in a range of cute prints and sizes, and all you need to do is rinse them and wipe clean so they're ready to use again. They typically last 12 months if you care for them properly.
Aluminium foil
Aluminum foil can be washed and reused multiple times (just be careful not to tear it when cleaning), before being put into your recycling bin, making it significantly more eco-friendly than plastic wrap. Make sure it's fully clean before being thrown away, otherwise, it can't be recycled.
Using a wet paper towel might be the best choice because it's far less likely to catch fire.
Parchment paper, on the other hand, is specifically designed to withstand great heat. While wax paper is more suited to covering surfaces and storing food than parchment paper — which is more ideal for cooking — both products can go safely into the microwave.
In general, paper products, aluminium, polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), and polystyrene (PS) should never be used in the microwave. On the other hand, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and molded fiber & bagasse are typically safe to be microwaved.
Yes, you can microwave most glass items as long as they are labeled “microwave safe”. Kitchen wares, such as glass items, that have the “microwave safe” label are made of materials that are safe to be used in the microwave.
It's important to understand the role of metal in the microwave. It functions as a shield, blocking the waves emitted by the oven. For that reason, food manufacturers often use in it packaging to help foods cook more evenly by shielding one part of a dish.
Arrange food items evenly in a covered dish and add some liquid if needed. Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap; loosen or vent the lid or wrap to let steam escape. The moist heat that is created will help destroy harmful bacteria and ensure uniform cooking. Cooking bags also provide safe, even cooking.