Can you reheat leftovers, then refrigerate and reheat again?

[Maggimus]

Okay I have a question that I've never known the answer to...

Once you cook something, you may generally have leftovers and decide to refrigerate. Once you reheat all the leftovers (not just a portion)-- does that make them bad? Or can you re-refrigerate and heat them up again?

I hope that made sense! LOL

 

[Imzadi]

I was always taught that as long as when you reheat it, you heat it properly to the correct temperature and long enough to kill any bad bacteria, and also re-refrigerate it correctly, (not let it sit around) so again, bacteria doesn't form, it shoud be fine.

My parents and grandparents lived in small villages, at a time without modern day refrigerators or even proper ice boxes. They learned it's all about making sure you kill the bacteria growth. That doesn't mean cooking a thing to death, but properly re-heating thoroughly.

Also, microwave ovens might NOT heat to the correct temperature or long enough to kill bactera. Zapping something for a couple minutes is not long enough. When I say, heat it enough, I mean on the stove for at least 15 minutes or in an oven to proper temp.

ETA: It has to be foods that do NOT contain seafood or eggs, which simply spoil way too quickly.

 

[Kathi OD]

I've done it more than once or twice and no one in my family has died yet.

Just make sure that you reheat it thoroughly.

 

[Micca]

Not sure about killing the bacteria, but for most stuff the quality begins to deteriorate with repeated re-heatings.

 

[Michelle67]

My experience has been the same as everyone else's: as long as you refrigerate it soon enough in the first place, and reheat properly, you'll be okay. You're just going to lose quality every time, as the meal dries out/overcooks/loses nutrients.