1. Avoid the Center of the Microwave

Positioning is one of the ways to make microwave food taste better. Make sure you are putting your bowl or plate near the edge of the microwave glass plate. Why? Because the way microwaves work is that the actual waves have high points and low points, which simply aren’t reached as well in the middle of the microwave. This way your food will always be piping hot, and you won’t have to worry about cold spots.

2. Add Moisture with a Glass of Water

To avoid having dry, tasteless food when you use the microwave, stick a glass of water in with your bowl of yesterday’s leftovers. Not only will it improve the texture of your food by adding moisture, but it will stop the microwave from overheating your meal.

3. Use a Small Amount of Aluminum Foil

Despite what your mom told you when you were growing up, you can use small amounts of aluminum foil in the microwave. If you have a piece of meat with an irregular thickness, wrap the thinnest part in a bit of foil. It will stop the meat from overcooking at the thin edges, while making sure that the thicker center is still cooked through. Be sure to wrap the food tightly, as stray aluminum foil can be a fire hazard.

4. Steam Your Vegetables

Have you ever used the microwave to steam your veggies? Just cut them up into uniformly-sized pieces, pop them into a microwave-safe bowl or container, and cover the top with some plastic wrap. Then you just need to cook the vegetables as normal, pricking some holes in the top once they have finished cooking to safely release the steam. If you want to make sure the veggies aren’t overcooked, you could add a splash of water to the bowl before steaming.

5. Perfect Your Popcorn

Popcorn is a quintessential microwave food, but lots of people struggle to get it cooked to perfection. The best way is to put a glass of water in the microwave for a minute, then remove it and immediately cook your popcorn according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. The added humidity will prevent the popcorn from burning, while not making it soggy.

6. Use round Containers Where Possible

Another of the simple ways to make microwave food taste better is to use circular containers to heat food wherever possible. If you have a choice between a bowl and a square glass tray, always use the bowl. It will give you a more even heat distribution, which means you will be able to cook food without it drying out from too much exposure.

7. Shape Food into a Ring

The best way to cook microwave food is to arrange your food into a ring shape. As with the previous tip, round shapes cook better and more evenly than if you just pile your food into a bowl and leave it to cook. By shaping your leftovers into a ring, you will get the center of the food cooked without burning the outsides.

Don’t just use your microwave for reheating and defrosting. Learn the tricks to making microwave food taste better and never look back. Do you make good use of your microwave?