Foods that are Best Served Cold

Photo credit: Bigstockphoto
Photo credit: Bigstockphoto

When it comes to foods, most people take their meals hot or reheated, rather than cold. But some foods are not meant to be eaten warm or re-heated at all! Reheating these foods could change their texture and the taste! In today’s post, we are listing down foods that are best served cold or at room temperature:

Sushi and Sashimi

Sushi is a traditional Japanese delicacy comprised of fresh slices of fish, seafood, or vegetable on a bed of Japanese rice. This dish is meant to be eaten cold to preserve the freshness of the fish. Of course, since sushi is made from uncooked seafood, it has to be eaten right away. For leftovers, you have to chill the sushi in the fridge to preserve freshness and prevent contamination.

Sashimi is also a traditional Japanese dish. But unlike sushi, which is served with rolled rice, sashimi is just fresh slivers of fish or seafood served with pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi. Again, since sashimi is made from uncooked fish or seafood, it should be eaten right away. Traditional Japanese sushi restaurants serve sushi and sashimi slightly chilled.

Cucumber Soup

Although most soups are best served piping hot, cold soups like cucumber soup must be served cold or slightly chilled. Perfect for hot summer days, cucumber soup is meant to refresh and rehydrate the body. Cucumber is a vegetable with very high water content and fiber. This vegetable works well with other cooling herbs, including mint, to create a delicious and satisfying cold soup.

Cured Meats

While some people enjoy cured meats slightly warm, these products are best served cold. Cured meats are often sliced very thinly and paired with different cheeses and dried fruits. You can also use cured meats to create finger foods and sandwiches. Types of cured meats that should be served cold include prosciutto, cacciatore, salami, and soppressata.


Any type of salad should be served fresh and cold, not cooked or warm. These foods are made with fresh produce, such as lettuce, kale, carrots, and cucumbers, which are best eaten cold. Even potato salad, chicken salad, and egg salads are best eaten cold but for entirely different reasons. The ingredients of these salads are prone to contamination and bacterial growth so they should be kept in the fridge.

Left Over Pizza

Surprisingly, leftover pizza should be left eaten cold or at room temperature rather than warmed up in the microwave. Why? The pizza dough gets too tough when it is exposed to heat. Eating the pizza cold helps preserve the chewiness of the pizza dough!


Just like pizza dough, bagel’s dough gets unbelievably tough when it is reheated. That’s why bagels are often served at room temperature or toasted instead of warmed in a microwave.

Fruit Platters

Essentially, fruit platters are sliced fruits, arranged on a platter for presentation. Fruit platters are best served cold because fruits are best eaten slightly chilled or at room temperature. Exposing fruits to high heat could also destroy certain types of vitamins and antioxidants found in fruits.

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