Are week-old hamburger buns ok to use if I microzap them first?

Sure.

Better to stick the buns in a warm oven. The microwave will dry them and ruin the texture.

IF you’re going to use the microwave, I strongly suggest that you use half power so the buns don’t turn into a brick. Even the freshest buns will harden when warmed on full power!!!

Yes, they are safe. They may not be tasty as they are likely starting to get stale, but they are safe.

The question is: have they begun to create the little green fungus yet? If not, go ahead.

They’re good until the first hint of mold in my book. Then nothing makes them edible, a quick zap won’t fix that.

I guess they’re good, especially if you’ve been keeping them in the fridge.

Yes. It’s when the green mold breaks out that you want to forgo the buns.

Safe, but heat just before using. The softness will only last as a bit longer than the heat, and will be staler than you started with pretty quickly.

Thanks, @all! I don’t see a single spot of green. Would it be better and just as effective to stick them on the grill for a little toasting??

^^ Yes…much better idea!!!

While I do not like throwing food out, I send it to the compost pile If it looks anything or smells anything suspect. The bears can have it.

Thanks for all comments. I did microwave two of them. I thought mine was fine, but my son said it gave it a bad texture. I left one unnuked, and it still seems fine today. Amazing.

Since this was posted I went to lunch with a friend & I ordered a Buffalo Burger. It was delicious, but way too much to eat in one sitting. Took half of it home with me. Next day…didn’t want to ruin it by zapping it. My convection oven has a low of 140°F. That puppy along with the extra fries were warmed at 140° for about 45 minutes & it tasted better than it did when it was fresh off the grill!!! The french fries stayed moist & they too survived the reheat without tasting leftover!!! I’ll be doing that again next time. ONLY drawback is how long it took to go from refrigerated to good & warm; so, it’s NOT something to do when in a hurry!!!

I would toast them in my toaster oven. If you don’t have one, you could broil each side quickly or slice them thin enough to go in the toaster. Microwaving bread changes the consistency if they are cooked in the microwave too long.

My new favorite technique is: toaster oven, 350 F, 5 min. This works for leftover – pizza, fries, even fried chicken.

By now, the buns are bad. (A week later)