Survey: Putting a cover/lid on for microwaving food?

[Chemicalkinetics]

This question came about after I got sick and was using my microwave extensively.

"Do you usually put a cover/lid over the food and container when you microwave your foods?"

http://www.clearpointdirect.ca/prodimages/1056000000main.jpg

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bell...

Putting a lid on can avoid splattering, and can heat up the food faster.

Putting a lid on means one more thing to wash.

A) Usually put a lid on
B) 50:50
C) Usually do not put a lid on

My answer is a (C). Sometime I use another plate as a cover, but I have to say that I usually don't.

[CindyJ]

A. I often use wax paper, mostly to avoid splattering. But sometimes I use an inverted plate, which then becomes a "tray" for the bowl with the heated food in it.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I have wax paper, but how do you keep the wax paper on the bowl or on the plate?

[CindyJ]

It "floats" on the surface of the bowl.

[jujuthomas]

A - I have a couple dishwasher safe microwave plate covers. if they get splattered they get washed.

[TeRReT]

Don't heat much in my microwave, but would be C, but might slide into the B category just because usually I only heat frozen rice in the microwave and its already wrapped individually so just microwave as is Otherwise I never use a cover.

[Ariadanz]

A

Microwavable coated paper plate. If it gets anything on it, we throw it away. If it doesn't we might just put it on the counter for the next time we need to cut something quickly, or put a plate under something simple.

[trakman]

I just use Saran wrap over stuff I cook in the microwave. Avoids splattering, heats up the stuff faster, and you throw it away after you are done.

[pedalfaster]

I usually make a little "lid" of waxed or parchment paper.

[kengk]

We keep those cheapest variety of paper plates on hand always. That is what I use to cover a bowl of soup and the like to keep the splatter out of the microwave.

[Violatp]

I use those plates for cat food - and even then I have to, at least, triple up. I'm not sure what those plates are meant to hold other than, perhaps, a slice of wonder bread.

[kengk]

We have some little wicker holders for them. Works great for a sandwich and chips at lunch.

[Violatp]

Ah, holders. Yes, that makes more sense. I admit to sometimes putting one on a regular plate if I am feeling too pathetically lazy to wash a dish.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Update. About the same replies:

Chemicalkinetics C
jlhinwa C
FoodPopulist A
KrumTx A
sunshine842 A
cstr A
Veggo A
BIgjim68 A
iluvcookies A
Uncle Bob A
masha A
paulj AC
Violatp A
JoanN A
tcamp A
coll A
masha A
c oliver A
ttommyy A
sueatmo A
DuchessNukem A
rccola A
eepi A
c oliver A

Thank you for your time

[tcamp]

Such a polarizing topic! No B respondents at all.

[Chemicalkinetics]

:) I actually expected that.

[melpy]

I am a B.

My fiancé has one of those vented lid things and I hate it. However if I know something will be messy I use it or if I am too lazy to put it on the counter.

[eepi]

I am an A - I use parchment paper usually. I can often re-use the same piece, as long as the food wasn't tall enough to touch it. It doesn't get soggy & sag into the bowl the way a paper towel can.

[c oliver]

I reuse waxed paper also.

[rccola]

lot easier to wash a dish than a microwave interior. have used paper towels only to find they fell in the soup--dancing around in the steam

[DuchessNukem]

I'm a lidder.

Let me share my shameful, dirty, dirty secret:
http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Touch-Micr...

Has its own lid and can heat 2 reasonable servings (I have 2 bowls for the two of us). It's a happy bowl that enjoys sofa time with you.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Why is it a dirty secret? Seems very normal to me.

[DuchessNukem]

Because it's as-seen-on-the-mind-control-device; and they look low-rent. But I love them.

It's actually a fab re-heater and a handy micro oatmeal bowl. It's a substantial bowl assembly, easy to hold, and easy to clean. Ours get used daily.

[Violatp]

Oh, that's genius! I frequently tuck a bowl fresh from the microwave into another bowl!

And...adding to cart. :-)

[Chemicalkinetics]

Man, am I special or what? I didn't expect this to be a landslide survey. :)

Chemicalkinetics C
jlhinwa C
FoodPopulist A
KrumTx A
sunshine842 A
cstr A
Veggo A
BIgjim68 A
iluvcookies A
Uncle Bob A
masha A
paulj AC
Violatp A
JoanN A
tcamp A
coll A
masha A
c oliver A
ttommyy A
sueatmo A

(cstr answered "C", but the answer description seems more like an "A")

[Chemicalkinetics]

Chart

[sueatmo]

If I steam veggies, I put a piece of clear micro safe wrap over the dish loosely so steam can escape. The wrap ends up tightly sealing to the pan though. I do broccoli and cauliflower this way.

For reheating, or for food on a plate, I rarely cover. And I micro poach an egg every day in a small uncovered bowl with a little water.

If I was attempting to make soup or some such, I'd probably loosely seal. If you don't loosely seal, you will need to poke holes in the wrap. And I'm remembering that I have cooked rice in a round covered casserole. The lid allows steam to escape; but I don't cook rice on high power after the first 5 minutes.

[ttoommyy]

Always. 90% of the time it is a piece of plastic wrap with a couple of knife or fork holes in it for venting steam.

I can't remember the last time I had to clean out my microwave because of a splatter or spill. I do wipe it out once in a while because i feel I have to, but the inside of my microwave pretty much looks exactly like it did 3 years ago when it was installed brand new.

[Violatp]

You know, I'm no clean freak by any means. On the slob scale, 1-10, I'm probably a 6.

But the inside of my microwave is spotless! And when I've seen the insides of other microwaves that are just GROSS, well, I silently judge. Yes, I do. Minus 14 karma points for me.

[c oliver]

Re cleaning, mine's like yours. Usually. We do house exchanges and family comes to visit. Then all bets are off. I periodically wash the glass tray and use window cleaner inside and out but that's it.

[c oliver]

Either wax paper or a paper towel.

[coll]

I thought you had to, for whatever scientific reason. I have a Tupperware plate cover and I just keep it in the microwave, ready for the whatever dish comes along.

[masha]

My understanding is that covering the food will speed the heating process.

[coll]

Either that, or it makes it heat evenly, but why I'm too lazy to look it up is hard to say. This is my habit and I probably wouldn't change despite what I find. It DOES keep the microwave a lot cleaner!

This is the exact one, probably cheaper in the long run than saran or paper towels.

http://order.tupperware.com/coe/app/p...

[tcamp]

Emphatic A

Good lord, you C people! Do you enjoy scrapping crap off the micro ceiling?

My kids are Cs all the way, unless I'm standing there to remind them to cover.

[JoanN]

A. I have a no frills, flat, plastic lid that fits on top of just about anything I’m likely to microwave. It sits in the cabinet below the microwave with the other pot lids so it’s always handy and then I just toss it in the dishwasher. I haven’t been aware that using it heats food more quickly, but it seems to heat food more evenly. And, of course, the splatters. I seem incapable of microwaving anything without splatters. Much easier to toss the lid in the dishwasher than to clean the microwave.

[Violatp]

If it's something that needs to trap steam/heat, then definitely a cover. I always just keep the little lid thing right in the microwave.

If it's something that may spatter, then a paper towel AND the lid thing.

Some things don't need either.

But generally, I'm an A.

[paulj]

Between A&B

If simply heating water, no cover

If cooking vegetables, normally cover with plastic wrap. This traps the steam, and promotes a more even cooking (steam plus the waves).

If reheating stews - I should cover it more often than I do. Meat, especially fatty bits, has a tendency to explode. An inverted plate generally works well.

Warming things like bread or tortillas, I don't usually cover. I want them warm, but not soggy.

I also have a vented plastic cover that fits over a dinner plate. That prevents splatters without trapping steam.

[masha]

A generally. Always when reheating leftovers.

C if using the 'wave for other reasons -- e.g., to melt butter for a recipe, defrost peas to incorporate into a recipe, or take the chill off of a lemon or lime before squeezing.

[CindyJ]

"C if using the 'wave for other reasons -- e.g., to melt butter for a recipe"

Interesting -- some of my biggest microwave messes have come from uncovered butter that's exploded while melting.

[Uncle Bob]

A ~~~ Saucer, paper towel, paper plate etc. ~~ The little brown-eyed girl gets really pissed when something splatters everywhere. ~~~ Only use the Nuke-A-Wave for heating/reheating...not cooking.

[iluvcookies]

A
Either a lid on the container or a damp paper towel over the plate. Especially with anything tomato based. For some reason tomato sauce likes to explode in my microwave LOL!

[Chemicalkinetics]

<For some reason tomato sauce likes to explode in my microwave LOL!>

I know. It is weird. I sometime think it is that the tomato liquid is just more visible.

[Bigjim68]

I sometimes use plastic film. It will not melt at typical temperatures.

[Veggo]

A) It's easier to clean another plate than to chisel the stalactites off the ceiling of my microwave.

[letsindulge]

LOL!

[cstr]

C but, not not tight as it will explod.

[sunshine842]

a -- avoids splattering, heats up food faster, and tends to hold moisture closer to the food, so less mummified remains on the plate.

The cover's a breeze -- if there's a splatter, I toss it in the dishwasher. (more often than not, it's just condensation - a quick swipe with a sponge takes care of it)

[FoodPopulist]

I often use a paper towel.

[KrumTx]

Paper towel here, too.

[DuffyH]

+1 for paper towels. And if the food doesn't splatter all over the towel, it does double duty as my napkin. I loves me a twofer!

[juliejulez]

Same here. I wrap it around the container so it keeps in the steam... helps keep stuff like meat and rice from drying out.

[jlhinwa]

C