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Post Info TOPIC: 12 Things You Should Really Never Microwave
Did you already know all of this? [11 vote(s)]

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ed11563


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12 Things You Should Really Never Microwave
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12 Things You Should Really Never Microwave

Popping the wrong foods, containers, or mugs in the microwave could make you sick, expose you to harmful chemicals, or even (yikes!) start a fire. Follow these tips to avoid dangerous microwave mistakes.

By Katie Askew

eggs stockcam/iStock

Hard boiled eggs

Don't let Pinterest fool you: If you try to hard boil eggs in your microwave you're likely to either end up with a big mess or burned fingers! The rapid heat from the microwaves creates a lot of steam in the egg, which has nowhere to escape. Exploded egg is hard to clean up—trust us.

frozen meat herreid/iStock

Meat

Frozen cuts of meat are tricky to defrost in a microwave: Thinner edges start cooking while the thicker middle remains frozen. And if your microwave doesn't rotate food while cooking it, this too can lead to uneven distribution of heat, which can can allow bacteria to grow. The safest way to thaw meat is to defrost it overnight in your refrigerator, according to food safety experts at Pennsylvania State University's department of food science.

breast milk Floortje/iStock

Breast milk

Not only does microwaving frozen breast milk warm it unevenly, which can create scalding hot spots for sensitive little mouths, other research has found that this heating method may destroy some of breast milk's immune-boosting proteins, particularly on high power. A better bet: Nuke a mug of water, then place a bottle of breast milk in the mug to come to room temperature.

take out RBOZUK/iStock

Chinese takeout containers

Metal (even small amounts of metal, like the handles on those white containers) and microwaves don't mix. Or, more accurately, when they mix, they can start fires. Put the rice in a bowl to warm it up.

plastic container Spauln/iStock

Plastic containers

You know you shouldn't pop plastic leftover containers in there, but you still do. Here's why that's bad: Many plastics contain estrogen-like chemicals (BPA is a well-known one) that can leach into your food when the plastic is heated. In a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, 95 percent of 450 plastic products (such as baby bottles, zipper-top bags and containers) tested released chemicals that acted like estrogen after they were microwaved, washed in a dishwasher, or soaked in water. Even products labeled "BPA-free" released estrogen-like chemicals. Better to be safe and warm up your dinner directly on a plate.

styrofoam container Winai_Tepsuttinun/iStock

Styrofoam containers

As a type of plastic, styrofoam can release harmful chemicals into your food when heated. Dump the leftovers onto a glass dish covered with a paper towel instead.

china plates unalozmen/iStock

Certain plates

Do you have a lot of fancy China or metallic-trimmed bowls? Keep them far from the microwave. Even if the metallic trimming is miniscule, it may still react in the microwave, according to the USDA. If you use the microwave a lot, it’s best to invest in a plain colored glass plate for microwave use only.

travel mug tadphoto/iStock

Travel mugs

Stainless steel mugs block the heat from warming your coffee or tea and can damage your microwave instead. If it's plastic, check the bottom of the mug to see if it's marked as microwave safe—but even if it is, you may want to reconsider.

microwave mphillips007/iStock

Nothing

With no food or liquid to absorb the microwaves, the magnetron (which is what makes the microwave function) ends up absorbing the microwaves instead, which can damage your microwave and even start a fire, according to the USDA. Make sure you don't accidentally press "start" without food or drink inside.

water Goldfinch4ever/iStock

Cups of water

When plain water is heated in a microwave in a ceramic or glass container for too long, it can prevent bubbles from forming, which usually help cool the liquid down. The water becomes superheated; when you move the cup, the heat releases violently and erupts boiling water. To avoid this scalding risk, heat water only the minimum amount of time needed or heat it for longer in small cycles.

mug SimonDGCrinks/iStock

That mug you’ve had for years and years

Certain mugs made before the 1960s, like old versions of Fiestaware, were glazed with materials that could give off radiation and may contain lead and other harmful heavy metals, according to Smithsonian.com. That mug you found at your neighbor's garage sale may look cute, but consider adding it to your shelf collection instead of drinking from it.

ceramic bowls Mantonature/iStock

Beware of “Microwave Safe” labels

The only thing a “microwave safe” label tells you is that you can microwave the container without damaging it or damaging the microwave. In fact, manufacturers aren’t even required to test their ceramics to ensure safety after heating, according to the FDA (that’s probably why you’ve burned yourself on too-hot ceramic mugs). Even though something may say it’s safe to nuke, if you've never used it before, consider heating your liquid or food on the stove and then transfer it to a bowl, plate, or mug


Read more: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/things-to-never-microwave/#ixzz3ahAuG6rE

 

 



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Lexxy


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I knew most of them. I defrost meat in the microwave when necessary. It seems to work fine for me.

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lilyofcourse


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So. Can't use anything in there. Why have the thing.

And the bottle, shake it. Duh.

Of course no metal.

Eggs. Now those are just gross in the microwave.

As for water, if it is in the microwave, I want it hot.

Most have defrost settings.



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FNW


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Is it bad that my first thought when reading the topic was, "Is this a spin-off of the thread about grandma killing the cats"?

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lilyofcourse


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FNW wrote:

Is it bad that my first thought when reading the topic was, "Is this a spin-off of the thread about grandma killing the cats"?

 Bwahahahaha. ...probably! But I'm right there with you!



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ed11563


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Thank you, now we add #13:

Never microwave a live animal.

 

Does anyone know the first recorded instance of microwave cooking?

Hint: it was accidental, and there were injuries.

 

Hint #2: It was in 1941.



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Lindley


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ed11563 wrote:

Thank you, now we add #13:

Never microwave a live animal.

 

Does anyone know the first recorded instance of microwave cooking?

Hint: it was accidental, and there were injuries.

 

Hint #2: It was in 1941.

  I really hope this is just a urban legend but when microwaves first came out I heard of a woman putting her poodle in the microwave to dry faster after his bath.



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ed11563


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Lindley wrote:
ed11563 wrote:

Thank you, now we add #13:

Never microwave a live animal.

 

Does anyone know the first recorded instance of microwave cooking?

Hint: it was accidental, and there were injuries.

 

Hint #2: It was in 1941.

  I really hope this is just a urban legend but when microwaves first came out I heard of a woman putting her poodle in the microwave to dry faster after his bath.

Hint #3: It was in Hawaii



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Lexxy


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I just googled it & found an article on it. There was also a shout out in that article to a guy named Ed!

I had no idea they went back that far. I associate them with 1980s.

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Southern_Belle


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Don't microwave money. It will catch on fire due to tiny metal fibers in it.

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Lawyerlady


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Children. You should never microwave children.

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FNW


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I associated them with the 1980s too. My first one was HUGE.

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Momala


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Didn't it have to do with some melted chocolate in a pocket?



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ed11563


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Lexxy wrote:

I just googled it & found an article on it. There was also a shout out in that article to a guy named Ed!

I had no idea they went back that far. I associate them with 1980s.

Could you give us a link? 



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Frozen Sucks!

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Working second shift as a computer operator and having some down time, yeah we experimented with various food items. Grapes will just disappear.

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ed11563


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Hint #4:

 

The first microwave cooking was done, not with a microwave oven, but with a military device the size of a small house.

 



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Honeys_Mom


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Lawyerlady wrote:

Children. You should never microwave children.

Darn.

biggrin



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ed11563


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No one is guessing about this? Should I give more hints?

Maybe just tell the story?

 

Does anyone want to know???

 



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lilyofcourse


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Fairies don't do well in microwaves either.

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Honeys_Mom


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Do tell, Ed.



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ed11563


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In 1941, radar was new, and looked like it could be a useful tool for the military.

One of the radar stations set up to test it was in Hawaii, and the plan was to use it to track the movement of ships and planes in the area.

(More on this in a minute.*)

 

A couple of technicians discovered that when they left their lunches near the antenna, they got hot. So...

One chilly morning, chilly for Hawaii, that is,

they decided to warm of their cold hands by holding them in front of the antenna.

 

It worked, their hands warmed up.

BUT

there was a side effect ...

The next morning they both found that the joints in their hands didn't work anymore.

Their joints had been cooked and were permanently fused.

 

*In the early morning hours of December 7th, 1941, the radar technicians (not the same guys) called their superior officer and reported a large number of what looked like aircraft approaching Pearl Harbor.

Radar was unproven, it was a Sunday and the officer was annoyed at being disturbed, and ...

that's as far as the report went. No alarm was raised.

It was assumed that either they'd seen a group of 12 B-17 bombers flying in from California that were expected,

or it was birds or rain clouds.

And now we all know what it really was.

 

 

 



-- Edited by ed11563 on Thursday 21st of May 2015 01:25:14 PM

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Lexxy


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ed11563 wrote:
Lexxy wrote:

I just googled it & found an article on it. There was also a shout out in that article to a guy named Ed!

I had no idea they went back that far. I associate them with 1980s.

Could you give us a link? 

 http://www.smecc.org/microwave_oven.htm

 

It appears to have more to do with Raytheon & their invention of microwaves. 

I just thought it was funny they were giving special thanks to a guy named Ed!



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TrudyML


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#14. Dirty sweat socks.


Just sayin'

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TrudyML wrote:

#14. Dirty sweat socks.


Just sayin'

 Unless they're for dinner...lol



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TrudyML


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With a bit of sauce?

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Tinydancer


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No, with a little toe jam...

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TrudyML


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Mmm, toe jam.

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ed11563


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Lexxy wrote:

I just thought it was funny they were giving special thanks to a guy named Ed!

After the fiasco in Hawaii, I'm not sure I want to take credit for this. Unless someone wants to pay me wink

 

 



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WYSIWYG


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I have heard of all of them, but I defrost ground beef in microwaves all the time.

Defrost for a while, scrape off the defrosted outer layer, defrost some more, scrape off the outer defrosted layer, continue to repeat as necessary.

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Lady Gaga Snerd


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I don't know about the microwave, but you should never just toss a pound of bacon on the grill. It catches the grill on fire! LOL!

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Marshmallow Peeps are fun to microwave. But finding that out resulting in me having to buy my sister a new microwave

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lilyofcourse


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Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

I don't know about the microwave, but you should never just toss a pound of bacon on the grill. It catches the grill on fire! LOL!

 Tell you another thing you don't do, ice in a hot fry vat. 

A little makes it pop all over the place.

But you put enough in it, it'll blow it apart.

Think ice water in a hot coffee pot. 



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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.

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ed11563


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lilyofcourse wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

I don't know about the microwave, but you should never just toss a pound of bacon on the grill. It catches the grill on fire! LOL!

 Tell you another thing you don't do, ice in a hot fry vat. 

A little makes it pop all over the place.

But you put enough in it, it'll blow it apart.

Think ice water in a hot coffee pot. 

You have to have a story to go along with this. TELL US all about it?smile



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lilyofcourse


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I didn't witness it, thank God.

I was at another store, cross training, and one of the fry vats had crack from one side to the other and several spider Web cracks from that.

An employee was goofing off and poured a bucket of ice in it.

The things are 450 degrees. It immediately broke. Hot oil hit the ceilling, flooded the floor.

The guy who did it had some pretty serious burns on his arms and face. Thankfully no one else was really hurt.

No. He did not get to keep his job.

People are stupid.

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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.

Charley Harper
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