Microwave-safe plates?

[diane57]

I never know what kind of plate to use to heat up something in the microwave. A few days ago I put one of my discount store dishes, CLEARLY marked "microwave-safe", in the microwave for 75 SECONDS ONLY to heat up a muffin - when I reached in to remove it the plate was so hot I burned my hand. This makes me very worried that my plates are leaching icky things into my food. Sometimes the plates get hot, sometimes they don't. For some reason I don't think I should have to use an oven mitt to get out the plate, but maybe that's what you're supposed to do... is it ok if the plate gets super hot???

What does everyone use to heat things in the microwave? Tupperware is ok I know but I don't have any flat (plate-shaped) Tupperware, I just have bowls. Are paper plates ok?

Also, when the instructions say to "cover" the food, is it true you're not supposed to use plastic wrap for that? I've seen people using a damp paper towel and claiming it's safer than plastic wrap. I'm so clueless and would appreciate any advice.

 

[Nevagal]

Problem with dishware/china is lead. This is one area I have been very careful with and took no chances. My china and everyday is certified lead-free and I swabbed it to make sure. Certain foods like spaghetti sauce can leach out even more lead. Not to mention that most crystal has lead in it.

This is a good website: http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentid=955

In the microwave I would stay away even from using Tupperware because eventually it will wear down, especially if you microwave tomato sauce dishes frequently. I use corningware and glass tops a lot, along with my bombproof everyday stuff, and no it never gets that hot in one minute of microwaving, that's odd. If I have something in the microwave for 3-1/2 minutes and its soup or chilli, the food is hot and steaming, but my everyday dinnerware is not. I use a glove anyway because I don't want to spill the hot stuff on me if I bobble.

I never use any sort of plastic wrap either. Wax paper works, so does paper towels, or the lid off a corningware piece. When I microwave a frozen dinner, I take it out of the plastic container, put it in a corningware with a glass lid and it comes out just fine even if there isn't a tight fit on the glass top. Sometimes I use a pie plate from emil henry's line and cover it with wax paper. Hope this helps!