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Friday, March 29, 2024

Holiday season leftovers: Store and reheat

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Filipinos love to prepare bountiful meals during the Christmas holiday season. At times, this causes leftovers. Give them to your guests as “take-home.” Enclose reheating instructions. This would reduce your leftovers. However, you may still have some food items to store at home.

Store food items in a clean dry plastic or glass container

Here are some tips:

Storage: 

Store food items in a clean dry plastic or glass container.

Food must be tightly covered. 

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Label the containers with the name and the date. 

Benilde Culinary Arts Chairperson Chef Margarita Isabel Marty, ME, CGSP, FSCO

Store it on the top shelf of the chiller or freezer.

Consume food chilled food within three to four days. 

Consume frozen food within a month.

Reheating:

Reheating stored food while maintaining the taste and consistency can be tricky. Many will say it is easiest to microwave. This may be true, but unfortunately, this does not heat the food evenly, unless you mix it every five seconds.

My preferred method is steaming. It heats the food fairly and allows it to retain its natural moisture. This is ideal for those with sauces as well as roasted and steamed dishes.

Make sure the food is evenly heated

I don’t really recommend storing fried food because the quality is never the same when reheated.  Should you still choose to keep it, you can reheat it on a non-stick frying pan with little oil. Cover over low heat and turn it every few minutes until completely heated.  You may also use the toaster oven or the air fryer for about 5 to 10 minutes.

For food stored in the freezer, allow it to defrost in the chiller overnight. It may also quickly defrost in the microwave. Heat it by steaming, roasting, or via stovetop.

Remember: Reheated food should be consumed immediately and should be disposed of otherwise.  

How to store and properly reheat leftovers during the holiday season

About the Author

Chef-educator Margarita Isabel Marty, ME, CGSP, FSCO, is the program chairperson of the Culinary Arts of the De La Salle -College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM) and the faculty culinary co-chair of the Young Hotelier Exposition. Outside of the academe, she renders her expertise as a chef consultant for The Picnic Kitchen Catering & Canteen Service. 

Marty earned her Bachelor of Science in Commerce Major in Business Management from the De La Salle University and Master in Entrepreneurship (Awarded Guru’s Commendation) from the Asian Institute of Management. She likewise finished Hotel Operations and Administration from Glion Hotel School, formerly Hosta Hotel & Tourism School, in Switzerland. 

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