Don't put leftover cold dishes from dinner in the refrigerator
When the temperature is high, cold dishes become the first choice for many people's dinner because they are appetizing and refreshing. But if you make too much, can you save it for the next meal? Stir-fried dishes left overnight in the refrigerator are still edible as long as they are thoroughly reheated. Only overnight cold dishes should be mercilessly thrown away entirely.
This is mainly because unfinished cold dishes are inevitably contaminated by bacteria even if put in the refrigerator. And when taken out to be eaten again, they are generally not reheated. Therefore, eating such cold dishes can easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
Stir-fried dishes are different. They are usually reheated after being taken out of the refrigerator, which can kill some of the bacteria that have grown in the leftovers to a certain extent, making them relatively safer.
In addition to cold dishes, green leafy vegetables should not be left overnight either. Because leafy vegetables contain a relatively high amount of nitrates, if they are cooked and then left for too long, the nitrates will be converted into nitrites by bacterial decomposition. Nitrites are carcinogenic and cannot be removed by heating.
Compared to green leafy vegetables, the nitrate content in gourds, root vegetables, and flower vegetables is relatively lower, with gourds having the lowest. Therefore, if you have bought different kinds of vegetables at the same time, you should eat the stem and leafy varieties first, such as Chinese cabbage and spinach. If you plan to cook more food to reheat the next day, you should try to choose gourd vegetables.
Experts believe that the safest method is not to have leftovers. However, as Chinese people are frugal and many households find it difficult to do so, at the very least, do not save cold dishes and try not to leave green leafy vegetables overnight.