Safe reheating temperature

Safe reheating temperature refers to the internal temperature that previously cooked, refrigerated food should reach when reheated, which USDA guidance sets at 165 degrees F, the same benchmark used for cooking poultry from raw. Reaching this temperature throughout the food, not just on the surface, addresses any bacteria that may have grown during storage.

The most reliable way to check is with a digital food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the food, since visual cues like steam or a hot container do not confirm the center has actually reached temperature, especially in a dense casserole or a thick portion of rice reheated straight from the fridge. Stirring food partway through microwave reheating also helps even out cold spots that a rotating turntable alone does not fix.

A common mistake is reheating just until the food feels warm to the touch or the microwave timer runs out, rather than checking an actual temperature, which can leave a cold center in dense or thickly packed meals. Breaking a large portion into a thinner layer before reheating, the same idea behind shallow cooling, helps heat reach the center more evenly.