# No doggy bag, please. Foods that don't make good leftovers. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784 "2006-11-09T23:42:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/1 "2006-11-09T23:42:47Z")
I usually take leftovers home from restaurants, but I never take home food from Mexican restaurants, and here is why: First: I always glop sour cream and guacamole and so on onto it, plus pile on the lettuce and tomato, etc… things that you don’t want to reheat, and scraping it all off will also remove the sauce, and then what’s the point? And eating it cold? Nooooo thanks. Second: tortilla-based foods get soggy and that’s bleah. Third: it just looks unappetizing as hell the next day in the styrofoam box. So what foods do you like, but will say “no thanks” to the idea of saving the leftovers? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/2 "2006-11-09T23:45:13Z")
Fish. Shellfish. ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/3 "2006-11-09T23:46:47Z")
French fries…once they’re cold, they’re pretty much done. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/4 "2006-11-09T23:48:41Z")
Pasta. They always ask if I want that half-plate of linguini boxed up, and I shudder. Cold spaghetti can be a good thing, but not leftovers. In fact, seeing as how we don’t have a dog, I can’t think of anything I’m willing to take home, except maybe the remains of a bottle of wine, which is both illegal and rare (that any would remain, not the bottle). ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/5 "2006-11-10T00:21:32Z")
Alfredo sauce is horrible to reheat - nearly always the cheese separates out and congeals, and you get blobs of cheese sitting in melted butter. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/6 "2006-11-10T00:25:24Z")
Salad, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/7 "2006-11-10T00:25:49Z")
My favorite resturant used to have a dish they called “Shanghai Trout” which was a flilet of fish (breaded in almonds) on a bed of spinach and rice with a delicious sauce. I absolutely _loved_ it, but every time I ordered it, I knew I’d be throwing out half of it. I tell you, I tried every way I could think of to reheat it and it just couldn’t be done. the spinach always became brown and goopy. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/8 "2006-11-10T00:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=beergeek279] French fries…once they’re cold, they’re pretty much done. [/QUOTE] That’s why the universe has given us toaster ovens. Perfect for reheating fries. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/9 "2006-11-10T00:28:05Z")
Steak. I like mine blood-rare (burgers too) and it does not reheat well. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/10 "2006-11-10T00:28:18Z")
I know almost everyone disagrees with this, but for me its pizza. I can’t stand cold or reheated pizza. After the first time, I’m done. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/11 "2006-11-10T00:31:22Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] I know almost everyone disagrees with this, but for me its pizza. I can’t stand cold or reheated pizza. After the first time, I’m done. [/QUOTE] Reheated pizza cooked in a microwave tastes like ass. I use a toaster oven and this makes reheated pizza far more palatable. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/12 "2006-11-10T00:36:53Z")
[QUOTE=Ferret Herder] Alfredo sauce is horrible to reheat - nearly always the cheese separates out and congeals, and you get blobs of cheese sitting in melted butter. [/QUOTE] You got something against blobs of cheese in melted butter? Anything breaded makes horrible leftovers, because it gets soggy in the microwave. I know a toaster oven does a better job, but I can’t be bothered. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/13 "2006-11-10T00:47:56Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] That’s why the universe has given us toaster ovens. Perfect for reheating fries. [/QUOTE] Not to mention anything fried–egg rolls, chicken fingers, onion rings–all very reheatable in a toaster oven. Agree with burgers (or anything with bread). Steak, however, is pretty OK reheated. And may I remind **Antinor** that without cold pizza, generations of college students would have gone without breakfast! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/14 "2006-11-10T00:52:22Z")
I agree. And I’d say fish, but specifically the whole fish with head you get at the Thai restuarant - it’s amazingly good when you get it, but when you take it home you throw it out without even opening the box because you know it’s going to be in there, looking back at you. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/15 "2006-11-10T00:57:52Z")
sushi - it just doesn’t last well ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/16 "2006-11-10T01:15:50Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] Salad, of course. [/QUOTE] Actually, I like this – my mom used to call it “marinated salad.” Cukes are especially good the next day. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/17 "2006-11-10T01:32:17Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Pasta. They always ask if I want that half-plate of linguini boxed up, and I shudder. Cold spaghetti can be a good thing, but not leftovers. [/QUOTE] Depending on the sauce, it can taste fine re-heated. Tomato based suaces are good for that, but most pastas of this type are pretty cheap, so you might as well have it fresh. Something like lasagna, though, can sometimes taste even better then next day. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/18 "2006-11-10T01:33:38Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] I know almost everyone disagrees with this, but for me its pizza. I can’t stand cold or reheated pizza. After the first time, I’m done. [/QUOTE] My mom has one of those vacuum sealers for food, and she says that she vacuum seals her leftover pizza, and when she reheats it it is exactly like when it was fresh (not all dry and weird like it is if you try any other way.) ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/19 "2006-11-10T02:17:11Z")
What are these “leftover french fries” of which you speak? I would add Asian soups, like egg drop or pho, to the thread. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784/20 "2006-11-10T02:35:09Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] In fact, seeing as how we don’t have a dog, I can’t think of anything I’m willing to take home, except maybe the remains of a bottle of wine, which is both illegal and rare (that any would remain, not the bottle). [/QUOTE] Acctually, some places (I think my state is one of them, but I could be wrong,) have laws that let you take home wine bought at a restaurant, under the theory that you bought it, so God damn it, you’re intitled to all of it. Basically, the restaurant " re-corks" it, though it’s not a real cork. I think it’s almost like they put a champagne cork on it, with a twisty wire thing so that it isn’t considered an ‘open container’ if you have it in the car with you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-doggy-bag-please-foods-that-dont-make-good-leftovers/379784.md?page=2)