Why You Should Avoid Aluminum Foil For Acidic Food

Between its heat resistance and ability to be formed into almost any shape, there's no secret why aluminum foil is a staple in professional and home kitchens alike. Whether you need to quickly cover a freshly baked dish, funnel ingredients from one bowl to another, or simply save yourself the trouble of cleaning up your cookware, aluminum foil is there. Aluminum foil also teaches us an important moral lesson: that nobody is perfect. This shiny foil may be incredibly handy, but using it with certain foods can lead to disastrous results. And unless you want to foil your dinner plans, don't use foil with acidic foods.

Acidic foods are a no-go for cast iron, and they're a no-go for aluminum, too. Highly acidic foods include citrus, tomato, vinegar, raw meat, and processed food that contains a lot of sodium. When in close contact with aluminum foil, these foods will eat away at the metal and eventually cause it to contaminate the food. So, skip the foil when you're working with such foods.

If you fail to notice where the aluminum foil has corroded, you run the risk of ingesting more aluminum particles while you chow down on your leftover tomato sandwich. Fortunately, humans consume aluminum all the time since it's present in many foods, and the extra amount that may result from using the foil to hold acidic foods is usually small enough to not be considered dangerous. Still, it's probably a good idea to keep your consumption of corroded metal to a minimum.

Aside from potential health concerns, acidic food that has been wrapped in aluminum foil for a period of time can end up tasting like metal as the aluminum is absorbed into it. Additionally, it's a lot harder to create a perfect seal when using foil to store food, so there's a higher chance that whatever you're saving will go bad. To avoid these pitfalls, the next time you need to keep some orange slices or raw meat fresh, opt for a glass or plastic container with an airtight lid so that you don't end up making a storage mistake that could ruin your food. Don't think there's no use for foil anymore, though. It's still super handy, especially with these aluminum foil hacks for hassle-free cooking.