Yes, Factor meals are fully microwavable and come in BPA-free plastic trays designed to heat your food safely in about two minutes.
You just received your first box of Factor meals. The branding looks sleek, the food looks fresh through the film, and you want to eat right now. The biggest question on your mind is whether you can toss that black plastic tray straight into the microwave without melting it or ruining the steak inside.
The short answer is yes. Factor specifically engineers their meals for microwave heating. Unlike frozen TV dinners that often require venting, stirring, and re-heating, these fresh meals are designed for speed. However, simply hitting the “start” button isn’t always enough if you want the best texture. Since these meals are never frozen, the water content inside the vegetables and proteins reacts differently to microwave radiation than ice crystals do. Following the right steps prevents rubbery chicken and soggy broccoli.
Are Factor Meals Microwavable?
Factor meals are completely microwavable. The company uses CPET (Crystallized Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic for their single-serve containers. This material is the industry standard for dual-ovenable trays, meaning it can withstand high temperatures in both the microwave and a standard oven without warping or leaching chemicals.
When you look at the bottom of a Factor tray, you will likely see a recycling symbol and specific heat tolerances. This plastic is BPA-free, addressing a common concern for health-conscious eaters who worry about plastic additives migrating into hot food. Because Factor delivers fresh, non-frozen meals, the microwave time is significantly shorter than what you might be used to with grocery store frozen aisles. Most meals reach the perfect temperature in just two minutes.
The film seal on top is also safe for heating, though you usually need to pierce it to allow steam to escape. If you skip this step, the pressure build-up can pop the seal aggressively, splattering sauce all over the interior of your appliance. A simple fork prick prevents this mess while keeping enough steam inside to keep the meat moist.
Understanding The Factor Tray Design
The black tray holding your Keto Jalapeño Lime Cheddar Chicken isn’t just a holder; it is a cooking vessel. The thickness of the plastic helps insulate the food slightly, allowing for more even heat distribution compared to thinner, clear takeout containers. This is why transferring the food to a ceramic plate before heating often yields worse results. The ceramic plate heats up faster than the food, potentially drying out the edges of your meal before the center is hot.
You might notice the trays feel rigid even when hot. This rigidity prevents the tray from buckling when you pull it out of the microwave. Cheaper plastics often become pliable under heat, leading to burns if the tray collapses in your hand. Factor’s packaging holds its shape, making it safe to handle immediately after the timer beeps, provided you hold it by the edges.
Detailed Heating Matrix By Meal Type
Not all Factor meals behave the same way under heat. A shrimp dish requires a delicate touch compared to a hardy beef chili. Following the package instructions is a good start, but tweaking the time based on the protein type yields better results. This table breaks down optimal times and methods for different categories found on the Factor menu.
| Meal Category | Microwave Time (High) | Special Handling Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry (Chicken/Turkey) | 2 minutes | Let rest for 1 minute to finish cooking; prevents rubbery texture. |
| Red Meat (Steak/Burger) | 1 min 45 sec – 2 mins | Stop halfway to stir sauces if applicable; check center temp early. |
| Seafood (Shrimp/Salmon) | 1 min 30 sec – 1 min 45 sec | Overcooking happens fast; heat in 45-second intervals. |
| Vegetarian/Pasta | 2 minutes | Stir halfway through to distribute sauce and heat evenly. |
| Breakfast (Pancakes/Waffles) | 1 min – 1 min 15 sec | Remove syrup cups first; heat these gently to avoid tough edges. |
| Keto Casseroles | 2 min 15 sec | Dense cheese toppings need extra time to melt fully. |
| Soups/Stews | 2 min 30 sec | Cover with a paper towel to catch splatters; stir vigorously halfway. |
How To Microwave Factor Meals Correctly
Getting the texture right requires a specific process. Microwaves work by exciting water molecules, creating heat through friction. Since Factor meals are dense and packed with sauce, heating them incorrectly leads to cold spots in the middle and lava-hot edges. Here is the reliable method to get it right every time.
Step 1: Inspect And Pierce
Before putting the tray in, check the plastic film. It should be sealed tight. Take a fork or a knife and poke two to three small holes in opposite corners of the film. This venting strategy is better than peeling back a corner, which often falls back down and re-seals itself during heating. The holes create a consistent steam vent.
Step 2: Remove Cold Items
Some Factor meals come with small containers of cold sauces, sour cream, or garnish cups sitting inside the main tray. You must remove these before heating. Microwaving a plastic cup of sour cream results in a separated, oily mess and potentially melted thin plastic. If the sauce is meant to be warm, pour it over the food before heating. If it is meant to be cold, set it aside.
Step 3: The Center Placement
Place the tray in the center of the microwave plate. If your microwave has a turntable, this ensures the meal passes through the standing waves of energy evenly. If you put it off-center, you risk one side getting blasted with more energy than the other. For microwaves without turntables, exact center placement is even more necessary.
Step 4: Heat And Rest
Set the timer for two minutes on high. Once the timer goes off, do not open the door immediately. Let the meal sit inside for 60 seconds. This “carryover cooking” allows the heat from the outer edges to travel to the center without drying out the protein. This pause is the secret to keeping chicken breast tender.
Microwaving Factor Meals – Best Practices
While the standard instructions say two minutes, your specific appliance might vary. Microwaves range from 700 watts to 1200 watts. If you have a powerful 1200-watt unit, two minutes might nuke a delicate piece of salmon. Check your wattage on the sticker inside the door. If you have a high-powered unit, reduce the power level to 80% or cut the time by 30 seconds.
Stirring is another tactic often overlooked. For meals like “Shredded Chicken with BBQ Sauce” or “Fusilli with Bolognese,” pause the microwave at the one-minute mark. Peel back the film, stir the contents thoroughly, replace the film, and finish heating. This manual circulation brings the cold center food to the edges where it can absorb heat effectively.
Food safety agencies emphasize reaching the right internal temperature. According to the USDA guidelines on leftovers, reheated food should reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. While Factor meals are pre-cooked, hitting this temperature guarantees that any bacteria introduced after opening are eliminated.
Can You Use An Oven Instead?
You might prefer an oven for texture reasons. While the microwave is fast, it sometimes leaves roasted vegetables feeling soft or steamed rather than crisp. Factor trays are oven-safe, but you need to follow different rules to avoid melting the film or burning the food.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Remove the plastic film entirely. Do not put the tray in with the film on, as the broiler element or ambient heat can cause the film to shrink and adhere to your food. Place the tray on a baking sheet. This makes it easier to remove and catches any sauce that might bubble over. Heat for roughly seven minutes. The goal is to warm it through, not to cook it from raw.
The oven method works exceptionally well for red meat dishes. It warms the fat slowly, rendering it slightly and keeping the steak juicy. The microwave tends to heat fat rapidly, which can cause it to burst or separate from the meat fibers, leaving you with a dry cut of beef.
Plastic Safety And BPA Concerns
A major hesitation people have with microwavable meals involves plastic safety. You might worry about chemicals leaching into your food when the tray gets hot. Factor addresses this by using BPA-free CPET trays. This material is specifically formulated to remain stable at high temperatures.
The FDA regulations on microwave ovens and microwave-safe containers are strict. Containers labeled “microwave safe” must undergo testing to prove that they do not release harmful levels of plasticizers at cooking temperatures. Factor’s compliance with these standards means the tray will not degrade during the two-minute heat cycle.
However, you should never reuse these trays for reheating other foods. They are designed for a single use. Washing and reheating them repeatedly can cause micro-cracks in the plastic structure, which creates places for bacteria to hide and reduces the thermal stability of the container.
Troubleshooting Heating Issues
Even with instructions, things go wrong. Maybe the mashed potatoes are cold, or the green beans turned into rubber. Knowing how to fix these common issues saves your lunch. This table identifies what usually goes wrong and how to correct it immediately.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Center | Density of food prevents heat penetration. | Create a hole in the center of the food (donut shape) before heating. |
| Exploding Sauce | Steam pressure build-up under film. | Poke more holes in the film; use a lower power setting (70%). |
| Dry/Tough Meat | Overheating or skipping rest time. | Add a teaspoon of water before heating; let sit for 2 mins after. |
| Soggy Vegetables | Steaming inside the sealed tray. | Peel back a corner instead of poking holes to release more steam. |
| Melted Cheese Mess | Cheese heats faster than meat. | Heat in 45-second bursts; stir cheese back onto meat if it slides off. |
Storage Impacts On Microwavability
How you store your Factor meals affects how they microwave. These meals arrive fresh and should go straight into the refrigerator. They typically have a shelf life of about seven days. As the week progresses, the meals might lose a tiny amount of moisture, making the later meals slightly more prone to drying out.
If you cannot eat them all within the week, you can freeze them. Freezing changes the game. You should not microwave a frozen Factor meal straight from the freezer for two minutes. It will remain a block of ice in the middle. If you freeze a meal, move it to the refrigerator 24 hours before you plan to eat it. This allows it to thaw safely. Once thawed, you can follow the standard two-minute heating instruction.
If you absolutely must heat from frozen, you need to use the defrost setting on your microwave for about five to seven minutes first. Once the meal is pliable, switch to high power for two minutes. Be warned: the texture of creamy sauces and zucchini-based sides often degrades after freezing and reheating.
Comparison: Factor vs. Grocery Store Meals
Comparing Factor to a standard Lean Cuisine or Stouffer’s meal highlights why the heating instructions differ. Grocery store meals are flash-frozen. They contain preservatives and stabilizers designed to survive months in a freezer and a long microwave cycle. They often require 5-6 minutes of heating.
Factor meals are fresh. They do not have the ice crystal structure that requires high energy to break down. This is why if you auto-pilot and set your microwave for five minutes like a TV dinner, you will ruin a Factor meal completely. The proteins are already cooked sous-vide (a method of cooking in water baths at precise temperatures) to retain moisture. Your goal with the microwave is reheating, not cooking.
The sauce consistency in Factor meals is also different. Frozen meal sauces usually rely on cornstarch or gums to stabilize them during the freeze-thaw cycle. Factor sauces are often butter or cream-based (especially the Keto options). These natural fats heat up very quickly and can separate if overheated. Short, gentle heating preserves the emulsion of the sauce better than a long blast.
The Verdict on Convenience
The entire selling point of Factor is the combination of health and speed. Being able to take a keto-friendly steak dish from fridge to fork in under three minutes is a massive advantage for busy professionals. The microwave allows this to happen. While the oven yields a marginally better texture for roasted items, the 10-15 minute preheat and cook time defeats the purpose of a “ready-to-eat” meal for many people.
Stick to the microwave for 90% of your meals. Reserve the oven for the nights when you have extra time or strictly for meals where crispness matters, like the roasted chicken with skin. For everything else—pastas, stews, chili, and sliced meats—the microwave is not just capable; it is the intended tool for the job.
Remember to remove the ramekins, poke the holes, and let it rest. These three small actions separate a decent lunch from a great one. The trays are safe, the process is fast, and the result is a hot, nutritious meal without a single pot to scrub.