Leftovers are something almost every household has. In hot weather, food spoils easily. So, should you throw away leftover food or save it for the next meal? Some people think leftovers are no big deal and should be thrown away, while others believe it's too wasteful to do so. So, what's the right thing to do?
Family Conflicts Caused by Leftovers
"In my family, we often argue over throwing away leftovers," says Mr. Xu, a resident of Zhengzhou. There are often disagreements between the younger and older generations about this. "When cooking at home, it's impossible to prepare the exact amount every time, so having leftovers is inevitable. My wife thinks that leftover food loses most of its nutrients, spoils easily, and is bad for your health if eaten. She'd rather throw it away, as getting sick from eating leftovers is even more of a loss. But my mother has been frugal her whole life and always reheats the leftovers, eating them for several meals without wanting to throw them away," says Mr. Xu. "Over this very issue, my mother-in-law and wife have had no shortage of arguments and conflicts."
Can You Really Keep Leftovers?
"It's best to control the portions when cooking at home to avoid having leftovers," says Chen Huibin, head dietitian at the Nutrition Department of Henan Cancer Hospital. "However, leftovers are sometimes inevitable, and you need to know when to eat them and when to throw them away. If you can't finish leafy green vegetables in one meal, don't be afraid of waste—you have to throw them away, even if it hurts," Chen says. The main contribution of leafy greens to the body is vitamins, and these vitamins are easily destroyed by repeated heating. Therefore, leftover leafy greens are indeed not very nutritious. Moreover, all vegetables contain varying amounts of nitrates, which can be reduced by bacteria into nitrites, harmful to the human body, during their picking, transportation, and storage. After being left overnight, the nitrite content in leftover leafy greens will be even higher after being soaked in salt, making it easy to cause poisoning after eating them. "Cold dishes should also be finished in the same meal, because they are not heated during preparation and can easily be infected with bacteria, leading to food poisoning if stored improperly," Chen says.
Fu Sanxian, deputy chief physician of the Nutrition Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, explains that starchy foods (main courses) are best eaten within 4 hours because they are easily parasitized by staphylococci, and the toxins from these bacteria are not broken down by high heat, so reheating doesn't solve the spoilage problem. Starchy foods that are not eaten within a short time should not be eaten, even if they don't appear spoiled on the outside. "Other leftovers should not be left for the next meal, meaning leftovers from breakfast should be finished at lunch, and leftovers from lunch should be finished in the afternoon," Chen says.
How to Eat Leftovers?
Now that summer is here, some people, seeking both a cool meal and convenience, just put leftovers in the fridge and eat them directly the next time, which can easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort or dysentery. "Leftovers must be thoroughly reheated before eating," says Fu Sanxian. Food spoilage is caused by the large number of bacteria it contains. The rapid multiplication of bacteria can destroy the food's texture, causing it to produce strange odors and become sticky. After eating it, one can suffer from food poisoning or trigger illnesses. "Therefore, high temperatures are needed to destroy the bacteria and toxins," Fu says. This way, the food can still be safe to eat. Some meat dishes require longer reheating times, and it's best to add some vinegar when reheating meat from livestock and poultry. This is because these foods contain relatively rich minerals, which can leach out along with moisture during heating. When reheating shellfish and seafood, it's best to add seasonings like wine, scallions, and ginger. This not only enhances the flavor but also kills the latent *Vibrio parahaemolyticus*, which has a certain bactericidal effect and prevents gastrointestinal discomfort. "Additionally, leftovers should be cooled and then placed in clean, sealed containers before being put in the refrigerator to prevent cross-contamination between foods," Chen says. "If there is a large amount of food to be saved, try to separate the food for the current meal from the leftovers before the meal ends. The more the food is handled, the more thoroughly it mixes with bacteria, making it more prone to spoilage and nutrient loss."