Takeaway containers are essential for everyday cooking. These have made our cooking much easier and are helping us in our everyday life to cook and warm pre-made meals whenever we need to.
You may find yourself asking if you can put takeaway containers in the oven. Let us provide you with the answer you are looking for and give you some additional information about it as well.
Can you put takeaway containers in the oven?
Depending on the type of takeaway container you are using, some of them can be put in the oven and some of them cannot be put in the oven. The ones that cannot be put in the oven may cause harm to your oven. They may melt or start a fire which may cause injuries and damages to you and the oven.
Takeaway containers are a type of box that is made to take food from one place to another. It is made small and handy so that people can use it as a compact medium for transporting food.
Some of them are made in such a way so that you can put them in the oven so that you can warm your food.
But not all are made for oven use. Therefore, you may ask which takeaway containers can be put in the oven. Here are some popular takeaway containers that are common in the market and the reason behind why or why not you put them in the oven:
Foil/tin foil takeaway containers:
Foil/tin foil takeaway containers can be put in the oven. Most foil/tin foil takeaway containers are made of aluminum.
Aluminum is safe to use in the oven. Also, it is a good conductor. So, it can easily distribute the heat inside the container and warm the food inside efficiently.
Silver takeaway containers:
Silver takeaway containers can be put in the oven. Silver is a good conductor of heat as well.
They can be used to warm and cook food in the oven. But you have to keep in mind that you cannot use silver or any other metal type takeaway containers in microwave ovens. But you can use them in conventional baking ovens.
Plastic takeaway containers:
No, you cannot put plastic takeaway containers in the oven. Plastics have an ignition temperature that is lower than the temperature of an oven. So, you cannot put plastic takeaway containers in the oven. It will melt and may even catch fire.
Aluminum takeaway containers:
Aluminum takeaway containers can be put in the oven. Foil/tin foil takeaway containers are known as aluminum takeaway containers.
As foil/tin foil takeaway containers can be put in the oven, so the aluminum takeaway container can be used in the oven as well.
Metal takeaway containers:
Metal takeaway containers cannot be put in the oven. Metal is considered to be electrically conductive. It causes electrical sparks inside the oven.
Therefore, it may cause serious harm to the oven and people who are using the oven. It may cause permanent damage to the oven.
Styrofoam takeaway containers:
No, you cannot put styrofoam takeaway containers in the oven. Styrofoam takeaway containers are made of expanded polystyrene. This starts to melt at around 464 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whereas the temperature inside gets around 400 degrees Fahrenheit when operational. So, you cannot use this takeaway container because it will start to melt.
Can you put Chinese foil containers in the oven?
Yes, you can put Chinese foil containers in the oven. Chinese foil containers are almost like normal foil containers.
They have an additional metal handle for better handling. These handles can help one hold the container properly when the container itself is hot.
These containers are often found used in Chinese restaurants for cooking and serving meals. But it can be found in the market for general use also. But its availability is rare in comparison with other takeaway containers.
Before you put the Chinese foil containers in the oven, you must keep in mind that you will have to remove the metal handles. Metal is bad for ovens. They cause electrocution inside the oven which can cause serious damage to the oven and the user.
Therefore, you can put Chinese foil containers in the oven after you remove the metal handles of the containers.
Can you heat takeout containers?
Based on the type of takeout container, you can heat some containers whereas you cannot heat the others.
There are various kinds of takeout containers available in the market currently. Takeout containers made of tin foil, aluminum and many more are popular. These can be used in the oven safely.
But you cannot heat a metal takeout container in the oven. Metal is bad for ovens. It creates electrical risks in the oven. These risks can cause damages to the oven. Therefore, the oven can be unusable and even can cause harm to its users.
You cannot heat plastic takeout containers. These containers have a lower melting point compared to the temperature inside the oven. Thus, the containers will melt whenever you put them inside the oven which may ruin your food.
No matter which takeover container you use, you must keep in mind that you cannot heat any takeover container in a microwave oven.
No takeover oven can be put inside the microwave oven. This oven can melt some takeaway containers and cause electrical risks by most metal-based takeaway containers.
So, you have to use takeaway containers in conventional ovens like a toaster oven.
What happens when you put takeaway containers in the oven?
There are certain things that happen when you put takeaway containers in the oven. Here are the most important things that we think you should know that happen when you put a takeaway container in the oven:
The takeaway containers start to get heated:
The temperature in the oven always stays between 450 – 500 degrees Fahrenheit. So, when you put a takeaway container in the oven it will start to get heated.
This heat is generated due to the conversion of electricity taken by the oven from an electric source. Thus, heat is generated which heats the takeaway oven.
The takeaway container transfers the heat to the food:
As the takeaway container starts to heat, it needs to transfer the heat that is generated to something.
Therefore, it transfers it to the food that is in the container. But when there is nothing in the container, it may cause dangerous problems in the oven.
That’s why manufacturers warn in the oven manual not to put empty containers in the oven while operating it
It holds the temperature after operation:
A special feature of takeaway containers is that they can hold the heat that is absorbed for a long period. Therefore, the meal in the takeaway container stays warm for a long period of time.
Takeaway containers that are not suitable cause problems:
Not all takeaway containers are suitable to put in the oven. Like plastic takeaway containers are not suitable for any oven as they can melt easily in the oven.
Moreover, metal takeaway containers can cause electrical damages to the oven which can harm the oven and the user as well.
What container can be used in an oven?
There are many containers currently available in the market. Some of them can be used in the oven. People are often found in the market looking for a container that can be used in the oven.
Here are some containers that know you can use in the oven in your everyday life:
Pyrex container:
Pyrex containers are known as glass containers. It can be used in the oven without any problem. They can be used at a very high temperature. Even after that, it will not create any cracks or will not get damaged in any way.
Ceramic container:
Ceramic containers are currently famous in the market. They look beautiful as some of them may have an artistic look.
You can use them in the oven without any fear of damages. They are made by burning them at a very high temperature. Thus, they become heat resistant.
PET container:
PET containers are oven-safe plastic containers. These are currently trending in the market. These have a melting temperature of around 510 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, it is safe to use in the oven without any doubt.
Aluminum container:
Aluminum containers are called traditional takeaway containers. Almost all restaurants use them to cook and bake various kinds of food.
It is also used for packing food for parcels. Aluminum is a good conductor. So it is favored by many chefs for its productivity.
Final Thoughts
Takeaway containers can be used in the oven. They are favored by many oven users for reliability. But not all takeaway containers can be used in the oven. Takeaway containers that are made with plastic, metal and many more cannot be used in the oven as they can melt and cause harm to the oven.