When the weather is hot, cold dishes become the first choice for many people's dinner because they are appetizing and refreshing. But if you make too many, can you save them for the next meal?
Stir-fried dishes left overnight in the refrigerator are safe to eat as long as they are thoroughly reheated. However, leftover cold dishes should be thrown away without hesitation.
This is mainly because unfinished cold dishes are inevitably contaminated by bacteria, even when refrigerated. Since they are generally not reheated before being eaten, consuming them can easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
Stir-fried dishes are different. They are typically reheated after being taken out of the refrigerator, which can kill some of the bacteria that have grown in the leftovers, making them relatively safer.
In addition to cold dishes, green leafy vegetables should not be left overnight. This is because leafy vegetables contain a high amount of nitrates. If left for too long after cooking, bacteria can convert these nitrates into nitrites, which are carcinogenic and cannot be removed by reheating.
Compared to green leafy vegetables, gourds, root vegetables, and flowers have relatively lower nitrate levels, with gourds being the lowest. Therefore, if you buy different types of vegetables at the same time, you should eat the leafy ones first, such as cabbage and spinach. If you plan to cook extra food to reheat the next day, you should try to choose gourds.
Experts believe the safest method is to not have leftovers. However, as Chinese people are known for frugality, many families find this difficult. At the very least, you should avoid keeping cold dishes and try not to leave green leafy vegetables overnight.