煮雞蛋
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.
2. Meat
肉
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.
3. Breast milk
母乳
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.
4. Chinese takeout containers
外賣中餐盒
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.
5. Plastic containers
塑料容器
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 inEnvironmental 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.
6. Styrofoam containers
泡沫塑料盒
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.
7. Certain plates
特殊的盤子
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.
8. Travel mugs
旅行杯
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.