The Hidden Danger Of Storing Leftovers In Aluminum Foil

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After a big meal, it's pretty customary to wrap the leftovers in aluminum foil and toss it in the fridge until you're ready to heat it up again. If you're lucky, you won't have to cook again for the rest of the week, or at least for the next night or two. Your thought process probably tells you that wrapping the food in aluminum foil protects it from the elements — something you've seen countless generations do in the kitchen. But the most harmful elements are so tiny that we can't even see them with the naked eye.

Aluminum foil is not a fail-safe method of storing leftovers because it runs the possibility of harboring harmful bacteria. That's right, there are at least 20 clever aluminum foil hacks to use around the kitchen, but storing your food probably shouldn't be one of them. Wrapping that leftover pizza or extra chicken parmesan in a layer of aluminum foil is doing nothing to provide an airtight seal, which means those pesky, near-invisible strands of bacteria have the opportunity to multiply. Bacteria can lead to food poisoning and foodborne illnesses, which means that affordable meal you just wrapped in cheap aluminum foil could end up costing you an expensive doctor's bill.

Bacteria thrives in moist environments with access to oxygen, which is why storing foods with aluminum foil is basically like creating a miniature motel for the little fiends to party, even when stored in the refrigerator. The foil has no suction, no way to adhere to itself or to another surface, so it's impossible to get a fully airtight seal, no matter how many ways you wrap it. These tiny air leaks can potentially lead to the growth of staphylococcus (staph), Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, or Listeria monocytogenes on your food. When you store foods properly, the risk of bacteria decreases significantly.

Although aluminum foil will always have a special place in our hearts (and in the kitchen), it's time to retire it as the preferred method of storing leftovers. Instead, try opting for airtight storage containers (better for the environment too), such as the glass and BPA-free plastic kinds from Rubbermaid or Oxo Good Grips – although you should never freeze your food in glass jars. Ziploc or other plastic bags will work too, so long as there's a seal. You could always invest in a vacuum sealer to truly eliminate the risk of excess oxygen, since every home cook should have a vacuum sealer. At the end of the day, your leftovers deserve better than a flimsy sheet of aluminum foil, anyway.