# Reheating Mac & Cheese in the microwave **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570 "2013-07-03T17:57:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/1 "2013-07-03T17:57:57Z")
What’s the secret to making microwaved mac & cheese palatable? I’d like to occasionally take some to work, but every time I zap it the stuff just comes out rubbery. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/2 "2013-07-03T17:58:49Z")
If it’s leftovers I usually add some water to leftover pasta before reheating it. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/3 "2013-07-03T18:02:31Z")
Are you talking about microwaved mac n cheese, like the kind that comes in a kit and you prepare in the microwave, or whipping up a batch of stove-top or baked mac n cheese at home and bringing leftovers in to work the next day to be reheated in the microwave? If it’s the latter, I usually out it in a microwave save plastic container that has a lid, and a touch of milk, and cover the container with the lid but don’t seal it. Zap it in increments, stirring in between zaps. Seems to work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/4 "2013-07-03T18:05:39Z")
> [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > Are you talking about microwaved mac n cheese, like the kind that comes in a kit and you prepare in the microwave, or whipping up a batch of stove-top or baked mac n cheese at home and bringing leftovers in to work the next day to be reheated in the microwave? > > If it’s the latter, I usually out it in a microwave save plastic container that has a lid, and a touch of milk, and cover the container with the lid but don’t seal it. Zap it in increments, stirring in between zaps. Seems to work for me. Definitely the latter. I’ll try your procedure. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/5 "2013-07-03T18:07:16Z")
I have the same problem with Kraft macaroni & cheese. Adding water helps a little bit, but it’s still never nearly as good as when it was fresh. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/6 "2013-07-03T19:58:34Z")
I do the same thing as **Shark Sandwich**. It works well. ---
**Author:** ![the\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/7 "2013-07-03T20:02:25Z")
Low power is the way to go with most leftovers. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/8 "2013-07-03T21:17:23Z")
Most mac & cheese is too dry on reheat. Water or milk helps, but I usually put a a slice of cheese on top before reheating, or better yet put a slice inside the middle of it before you seal the container of leftovers (as in, bottom layer of mac - cheese - top layer of mac). But I rarely have that much foresight. That plus frequent stop-and-stir while nuking. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/9 "2013-07-03T21:33:07Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Most mac & cheese is too dry on reheat. Water or milk helps, but I usually put a a slice of cheese on top before reheating, or better yet put a slice inside the middle of it before you seal the container of leftovers (as in, bottom layer of mac - cheese - top layer of mac). But I rarely have that much foresight. That plus frequent stop-and-stir while nuking. Yep, Add a tablespoon of milk and a slice of cheese ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/10 "2013-07-03T23:20:07Z")
Haven’t had a problem with “rubbery,” but perhaps some varieties of pasta/macaroni are more prone to this, with microwave preparation…? ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/11 "2013-07-04T03:00:56Z")
Use a lower setting. Reheating should be done at half power or less. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/12 "2013-07-04T03:13:09Z")
In the unlikely event that I have leftover Kraft Mac & Cheese, I always add a bunch of hot sauce to it and mix it up good before I nuke it. I prefer Cholula or Tapatio hot sauce. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/13 "2013-07-04T03:27:16Z")
since cheese is always good and extra cheese better. grate, shred, slice some new cheese to put on top to add moisture and fresh cheesy goodness. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/14 "2013-07-04T13:31:35Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Yep, Add a tablespoon of milk and a slice of cheese I actually like this idea. But why even bother with the mac & cheese? Just use cooked macaroni. OK now I want to try this. I love M&C, but left over M&C sucks. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/15 "2013-07-04T18:06:05Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I actually like this idea. But why even bother with the mac & cheese? Just use cooked macaroni. > > OK now I want to try this. > > I love M&C, but left over M&C sucks. If you have cooked plain pasta I’d go with butter and parmesan. It’s unbelievable how good the simple combination of pasta, butter, and parmesan is. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reheating-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/662570/16 "2013-07-04T18:29:47Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > If you have cooked plain pasta I’d go with butter and parmesan. It’s unbelievable how good the simple combination of pasta, butter, and parmesan is. Seconded! But in my house we add tons of garlic.