Have you ever warmed up a bowl ofspaghetti bolognesefor lunch the day after it was cooked and thought, god, this tastes better than yesterday? Well, science hasturned your suspicions into fact: leftovers really DO taste better after spending a night in the fridge.
Why do leftovers taste better the next day?
A report from BBC Science Focus says that when your bolognese, stew or curry is sitting on the shelf inyour fridge, it’s getting more flavoursome by the minute even though it’s no longer on the stove, because the ingredients are still marinating and breaking down like they would in a super slow cook.
The gelatin in meat (the stuff that makes it taste great) also continues to break down for about half an hour after it’s taken off the heat – which means it’s still cooking even after you’ve wolfed your first serving down.
“In the fridge, this will set to a firm jelly and when you reheat it, the gelatine melts to create a silky feel in the mouth,” the study says.
Who knew so many chemical reactions were happening inside the chilled white box to make food taste even tastier?
Our seasoned experts agree
Kim Coverdale, our Super Food Ideas food director, recommends lasagne or a good curry packed with spices as a leftover meal.
“The flavours are so much better the next day! Have you noticed if you cut your lasagne as soon as it comes out of the oven, it can be sloppy, falls apart easilyand the sauce runs to the bottom of the dish? When you have it the next day, the sauce has had time to firm up and create an even richer tomato taste,” she says.
It’s not just spagbol!
Made a soup-y dish that you’d like to store overnight? Go for it. The study also shows that dishes with excess water, like pea and ham soup, taste even better the next day because the water soaks into dish’s starch over time. This means that those bright, little peas become plump and full of deliciousness after a night in the fridge.
Kim Coverdale agrees. “Turn a good pumpkin soup into great pumpkin soup by allowing the soup to rest in the fridge overnight. It results in a thicker, full-bodied soup. Yum!”
As they say, patience makes the heart grow fonder.
Who’s making a double serving tonight?
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