DEAR HELOISE: Can you tell me if heating up leftover foods in the microwave in those insulated foam containers is dangerous to one's health?
-- Shirley G., Mount Vernon, Mo.
DEAR READER: Yes, it just might be harmful to one's health, so why take a chance? All of the government agencies and experts I checked with say no, don't reheat foods in a takeout foam container. The container is really meant only to carry food home, not to be used to reheat it in. There are too many unknowns. Think about the science: When heated (or reheated) in a microwave, all of the microwaves are bouncing around like pinballs! If the food is liquidy, it's even more of a question. Who knows what may leach out of the foam and be transferred to the food? Put the food on a paper plate to reheat -- still no cleanup.
DEAR HELOISE: I use half a dryer sheet and a squirt of dishwashing soap to clean cooked, barbecued or baked-on food. Run some hot water into the container, wait three to five minutes and use the dryer sheet as a dishcloth.
-- Marg S. in North Dakota
DEAR READER: Marg, glad this worked for you. I've tested it and really did not see much difference. I guess the theory is that the "fabric softener" will soften the gunk!
Readers? Has this hint worked for you? Let me know, and I'll print the results of this unofficial Heloise survey.
DEAR HELOISE: I recently solved a problem with the tips of sharp knives and steak knives extending through the holes of the silverware basket in my dishwasher.
I found the interior perforated lid (about 2 inches across) from a large spice bottle and inserted it into one section of the silverware basket. I trimmed one side to fit.
I put sharp knives in that section and insert the points into the small holes in the lid. This keeps the knives in place, and water still can drain through the silverware basket.
-- Barb S. in Pittsburgh
DEAR HELOISE: I use lots of spices, and storage has always been a challenge. Although there are ways to install spice drawers inside a drawer, they don't hold enough. I converted a kitchen drawer for spices and have a new, convenient way to locate and store them.
I store them upright and label the lids. I easily can store all of my spices in one drawer, and can find them without any trouble. Long gone are my days of searching through my cabinet and then buying a spice that I already had. I wish I had done this before!
-- Elaine D., Mission Viejo, Calif.
DEAR HELOISE: My daughter taught me this hint when she came home from college. We were watching a movie and eating chips. She opened the bag, rolled the top down and pushed underneath to make a "bowl." We could both reach into the "bowl bag" without making a mess.
-- Mom of Smart College Student, via email
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Food on 08/26/2015