Materials to be avoided in microwave oven

Materials you can use in microwave oven

Utensils	Remarks
Aluminum foil	Shielding only. Small smooth pieces can be usedto
	cover thin parts of meat or poultry to prevent overcook-
	ing. Arcingcanoccurif foil is too closeto oven wells.-rhe
	foil should be at least 1 inch away from oven walls,
Browningdish	Follow manufacturer'sinstructions.The bottom of
	browning dish must be at least3/16inchabove the turnta-
	ble. Incorrectusage may causethe turntable to break.
Dinnerware	Microwave-safe only. Follow manufacturer'sinstruc-
	tions. Do not use crackedor chipped dishes.
Glass jars	Always remove lid. Use only to heat food until just
	warm. Most glass jars are not heat resistant and may
	break.
Glassware	Heat-resistant oven glassware only. Make sure there is
	no metallic trim. Do not use cracked or chipped dishes.

Oven cooking bags Follow manufacturer's instructions. Do not close with metal tie. Make slits to allow steam to escape.

Paper plates and	Use for short-term cooking/warming only. Do not leave
cups	oven unattended while cooking.
Papertowels	Use to cover food for reheating and absorbing fat. Use
	with supervision for short-term cooking/warming only.
Parchment paper	Use as a cover to prevent spattering or a wrap for
	steaming.
Plastic	Microwave-safe only. Follow the manufacturer's
	instructions. Should be labeled "Microwave Safe."
	Some plastic containers soften as the food inside gets
	hot. If this happens, discard the food. "Boiling bags"
	and tightly closed plastic bags should be slit, pierced or
	vented as directed by package.
Plastic wrap	Microwave-safe only. Use to cover food during cooking
	to retain moisture. Do not allow plastic wrap to touch
	food.
Thermometers	Microwave-safe only (meat and candy thermometers).
Wax paper	Use as a cover to prevent splattering and to retain
	moisture.
Materials to be avoided in microwave oven
Utensils	Remarks
Aluminum tray	May cause arcing. Transfer food into microwave-safe
	dish.
Food carton with	May cause arcing. Transfer food into microwave-safe
metal handle	dish.'
Metal or metal-	Metal shields the food from microwave energy. Metal
trimmed utensils	trim may cause arcing.
Metal twist ties	May cause arcing and could cause a fire in the oven.
Paperbags	May cause a fire in the oven.
Plastic foam cups	Plastic foam may melt or contaminate the liquid inside
	when exposed to high temperature.
Wood	Wood will dry out when used in the microwave oven
	and may split or crack.

Shielding only. Small smooth pieces can be usedto