The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Why certain foods taste better the next day

By Aaron Hutcherson

03 Mar 2023 · 4 min read

Editor's Note

After we stop actively cooking our food, it continues changing and evolving. The Post explains why some of our favorite dishes taste so much better a day or two after they were cooked.

"Leftovers" is a dirty word to some. Which is unfortunate, because there are some things that actually taste better in the days after they're made. And that's before we even talk about their ability to save us time and money.

Some people are averse to leftovers because they attach a stigma to them, associating them with a lower socioeconomic status. Others are guided by the notion that freshly prepared is always superior in taste and texture to anything refrigerated and reheated. For the first group, it's up to the individual - and maybe their therapist - to work through their preconceptions. But perhaps I can persuade the latter segment with a bit of information.

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