This Super-Easy Hack Promises to Solve the Leftover Chipotle Bowl “Soggy Bottom” Problem

Dai Poole
Dai Poole
Dai Poole is a graduate of Virginia Tech with degrees in Psychology and Music. He is a self-proclaimed dessert connoisseur and a lover of all things seafood. When he is not thinking about food, Dai enjoys live music, engaging in political debates, and watching sci-fi movies. In his spare time, he can be found writing reviews on current and classic R&B music.
published Jul 11, 2022
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Have you ever seen a food hack that’s so simple you get annoyed by the fact that you didn’t figure it out on your own? Well, that was me when Brooke McGee (@brookemcgee_ on TikTok) shared how to store your leftovers in a Chipotle bowl properly so that you can avoid the “soggy bottom” issue associated with their takeout packaging.

As a bit of background, Chipotle uses beige bowls referred to as molded fibers to be more eco-friendly. The bowls are a staple at many popular fast-casual restaurants with the material being a bit thinner than cardboard but thicker than traditional paper plates. While these molded fiber bowls aim to be better for the environment, unfortunately, food from Chipotle can leak through the bottom and cause the bowls to become soggy. Enter: this super simple hack guaranteed to make you question your own level of common sense.

If you’re anything like me, it can be challenging to finish a Chipotle bowl in one sitting, so it usually finds itself in the fridge for later consumption. Unfortunately, the issue mentioned above of the bowl becoming soggy usually leaves the refrigerator messy and requires me to put the food in a new container. In Brooke’s TikTok video, however, she suggests placing the bowl in the refrigerator with the aluminum top side facing down. Unlike its molded fiber counterpart, the aluminum tops don’t cause leaks. Blown away by the simplicity of it all? Don’t worry, I was too!

Though this hack is so simple that it may be hard to believe we weren’t doing it sooner, I’m excited that I can finally add my favorite store-bought salsa to my vegan Chipotle bowl without having to clean it off of my refrigerator shelves later. And trust me, you’ll be too.

Looking for a way to use up those leftover tortilla chips from Chipotle before they end up becoming stale? I recently used them to make a meatless version of the Tortilla Chip Chile Pie and loved it. I highly recommend you give it a try. 

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