Can You Microwave Takeaway? (Everything you need to know)
This post may contain affiliate links which means that, if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
In today’s fast-paced world, everyone is super busy with their lives. One of the downsides of our busy life is we don’t have time for cooking food. That’s where takeaway foods come in. We can buy any food we want and take it to our home and eat it. But, one of the questions you might wonder about is, can you microwave takeaways?
The answer is yes, you can put your takeaway food in the microwave. Often, when we buy takeaways, by the time we get to our homes, they get cold. Nobody likes to eat cold foods, especially takeaways. So, the best way to warm them is to put them in your microwave to reheat them. The usual time to reheat foods varies from 5 to 20 minutes maximum.
That being said, there are some things you need to consider before putting your takeaways into the microwave. I’ll talk about these steps in detail. I’ll also explain different kinds of takeaways and how long you have to reheat the food. So, I would recommend you to read through the whole article to get a clear understanding of the takeaway foods.
Can You Freeze Takeaway?
Yes, you can freeze your takeaways if you want. You can store them for longer if you freeze them directly. As freezing doesn’t allow bacteria to grow on the food easily, it can retain its taste and quality for a long time.
However, you can’t freeze all kinds of takeaway foods. Things like vegetables and salads don’t freeze the way you’d expect. So, better not to freeze them anyway. Cooked meat can be frozen for up to 3 months. Eggs, whether raw or cooked, are not suitable for freezing. You can also freeze soups and stews if you want. They can be stored for up to 3 to 4 months.
You can also freeze fast foods like burgers, hot dogs, or pizzas if you want. But they can easily stay good for up to 2 to 3 months. But, I wouldn’t recommend them as they can lose their taste.
How Long Can You Keep Takeaway In The Refrigerator before Reheating?
You can keep your takeaway food in the refrigerator for later consumption. However, make sure to eat them within 3 to 5 days. If it’s more than that there could be a risk of food poisoning. So make sure to eat your leftover food before it turns bad. Though some specific foods can be kept in the refrigerator for longer times.
You can preserve unopened food in better condition for longer by placing it directly in the refrigerator. But mostly we only put the leftovers from our takeaway food in the refrigerator. The advantage of preserving your leftovers in the refrigerator is you can reheat them later and eat them when you want.
Salad or vegetable leftovers stay good for 3 to 4 days if you preserve them in the refrigerator. After that, they lose their moisture as well as there is a chance of food poisoning. Fast foods like hot dogs and pizzas are edible even after 3 to 4 days. But you should be careful about meat items. Cooked meat can go bad after 2-3 days. So make sure to eat them before.
If your leftovers contain poultry meat like turkey and chicken, you can put them in the fridge for one or two days to get the same taste. After that, the meat gets relatively drier and chewy. Various fishes can maintain their flavor and taste even after one to three days in the refrigerator. But you should be careful about seafood as various bacterias can grow on them faster.
If you want you can also store soups and stews in the refrigerator. Vegetables are meat soups and stews that can be stored for up to 4 days without any problem. But before eating any of the refrigerated food you should reheat them in a microwave properly. Reheating them for 5 to 10 minutes in medium heat should be enough for most of the food.
Ways To Thaw Frozen Takeaway
If you freeze your takeaway in the freezer, you can keep it for an extended period of time. But, you need to thaw or defrost the food before eating it again. There are two easy ways to do this. Which are-
Refrigerator Thaw
You can easily thaw your frozen foods and takeaways in your refrigerator. This is an easy and safe way to defrost food. However, this process takes a lot of time. You might have to put the food overnight in the refrigerator to thaw properly. This method also ensures the quality and taste of the food.
Cold Water
This is another effective way to defrost food. This is a relatively quicker method as well. To thaw with water, put the food in a sealed container and then submerge the food in a cold water-filled bucket or a sink. Be sure to sink the food properly. Every 30 minutes, check the food to make sure the water temperature is still low.
Different Kinds Of Takeaway You Can Reheat In The Microwave
Day by day, the appeal of takeaway food is increasing. More and more people are choosing food for them. As a result, a wide variety of takeaway foods are available today. If you are feeling like something specific to eat, chances are you will find it on any street corner in any city in the USA. So you can easily satisfy your taste buds.
Sometimes we happen to order more than you can possibly eat. Especially during a get-together or party. Not all of them are good at reheating. Here are some of the common takeaways that you can reheat.
Chinese food
Chinese foods have become really popular across the USA. They have become an essential part of the American food culture. Today, you can find various Chinese restaurants as well as stalls on every city street and corner. They offer a wide range of Chinese cuisine. Chinese foods are very tasty and they can be quite healthy too. Another great part is that Chinese food is really cheap.
One of the most popular Chinese dishes is chow mein. Chow Mein and noodles have now become a common food for Americans to have. Another popular thing is fried rice with various kinds of meat. Their chicken items are also something you should try. They also serve red meats like beef and pork in their cuisine.
Chinese fast foods are also widely popular here. Things like egg rolls and momos are really tasty. Also, various Chinese soups and stews are considered delicious and quite healthy as well. You can easily go to a Chinese food stall and buy takeaways for you and your family without any worries.
Indian Takeaway
In recent years, Indian foods are also getting popular as takeaway foods. These foods are full of spices and are known for their unique flavors. One of the best things about them is they have both veg and non-veg cuisine. So, even if you are a vegetarian, you’ll still have no problem.
Indian non-veg foods include various biryanis, chicken and mutton curries, kebabs, and many more. They also have a lot of fish items. Veg items include vegetable curry, paneer-curries, veg biryanis to name a few. They also have a lot of snacks and sweets. These foods are delicious to eat and healthy as well.
Fast foods
This is another popular food type. We all know we Americans love our fast foods. You can get a fast food stall everywhere. Hot dogs, burgers, french fries, chicken wings are all part of this cuisine. They are really tasty and flavorful. Local stalls to big chains like KFC, Five Guys, Domino’s- all serve quality fast foods.
Apart from American fast foods, these days Mexican joints are increasing in popularity. Nachos, burritos, tacos are now a crowd pleaser. They are great for takeaways as you can easily reheat them with a microwave.
Pizza

Pizzas are America’s favorite food. We took this Italian food and turned it into American cuisine. That is why pizza stalls and chains are everywhere in America.
You can get any kind of pizza you want for takeaways. Local pizza joints and stalls are sometimes better than big chains. Because they don’t stick to the typical ingredients and provide a unique experience.
Consider The Takeaway Containers Before Reheating In the Microwave
When you are ordering a takeaway, it comes in containers as packaging. The container has several functions. First of all, it keeps the food safe. It prevents the food from spilling over or leaking outside. So, without proper packaging and containers, you can make a big mess. Another important thing it does is keep the food warm and maintain the quality as well.
There are many types of containers used for takeaway food. They come in various sizes, shapes, materials, or even colors to complement the food they contain. But you should also consider the container for reheating as well. Not all containers are good for reheating in the microwave.
Eco-friendly Takeaway Containers
Nowadays, people are more concerned about the environment than ever. You can see this awareness in every aspect of life. People try to be more eco-friendly wherever they can. That is why eco-friendly takeaway containers are now very popular with people. Because these containers are safer than other materials, like plastic-made containers, and all.
The best part about this kind of container is they don’t harm the environment. These containers are often biodegradable and made with recycled materials. You can also use them again and again. So, they are a great option for sustainability as well. They also don’t contaminate the food with any chemical components. So there is no health risk as well.
These are also very much microwavable for reheating the food. So, you can put them in the microwave without a thought.
Foil Takeout Containers
Aluminum containers can be used in the microwave as well. If you are ordering any hot food, it will most often be packaged in a foil container. That is because foil containers work as a great insulator.
These foil containers are often made with aluminum. Aluminum foils don’t transfer heat like other metals. As a result, these containers are ideal for keeping foods warm for an extended period of time. These containers also come in various sizes.
These foil containers ensure that the food will be at the right temperature until it is eaten. They are also great for refrigerating food. As these containers don’t let the heat out of the food, they also don’t let the heat in from the outside. So they help to keep moisture out of the food. As a result, you can also keep the food in the refrigerator without losing its quality.
Plastic Takeout Containers

Plastic containers are also widely used in the food industry. That is because plastic containers provide a lot of advantages for takeaway foods. These containers come in various sizes and colors. The food is frequently visible from the outside. That is why plastic containers are widely used for fresh foods. A wide range of takeaway foods is packaged in plastic containers.
Plastics are also good heat insulators. So, these containers help to maintain the temperature of the food for a long period of time. They also offer better sealing than other containers. There is hardly ever any spilling or leaking of the food. Some food-grade plastic can also be put into the microwave. So there is no additional hassle when you are reheating the food or the leftovers.
But these are in no way microwavable. Microwaving food inside plastics can transfer very harmful chemicals into the food. So, you should take out the food first before microwaving.
Deli Containers
Deli containers are also made of plastic. So, they are also off-limits when it comes to reheating them in the microwave.
They are basically specialized plastic containers with some specific functions. Often we order liquid takeaway food like soups, juices, various curries, and many others. Deli containers are perfect for this kind of food. Because these foods are often carried cold and they are heated before eating. So you don’t have to worry about the food’s temperature.
These containers ensure better protection of the food. They often contain hinged lids or lids that can be removable. So you don’t have to worry about your liquid food spelling out of the container and ruining other things. They also come in various sizes. So you can even carry food for a group with them without any worry. They also keep the quality of the food intact.
Paper Takeaway Containers
Paper containers are also very eco-friendly. They are easily biodegradable. But they are not as good as other containers when it comes to maintaining the right temperature of the food. So the food needs to be eaten quickly.
Paper containers can easily be put inside a microwave. They allow the passive of microwave radiation effortlessly. Almost as if reheating them on a plate. So, you can put your takeaway inside the microwave with the container.
Foam Takeout Containers
These containers are used to keep the food at the right temperature for a long time. That is because foams are a fantastic insulator of heat.
So, they don’t let any kind of heat in or out. For that, putting them in the microwave wouldn’t be a smart move. Also, they contain some plastics which can transfer to the food.