This genius hack lets you microwave two bowls at once

As a girl who loves to eat but hates to cook (much to my mother's dismay), my microwave is my best friend when it's time for dinner. Or lunch. Or breakfast. Or snacks.

I can make—and have made—almost everything in my microwave. But what I haven't done is successfully heat up two dishes at once. After all, in most standard microwaves, you can really only fit one plate or bowl inside... until now.

According to one Reddit thread, there's a simple hack to microwaving two bowls at the same time. Skeptical—but equally intrigued and hopeful—I tried it for myself. Here's what happened, plus our expert's top microwaving tips.

How to fit two bowls in your microwave at the same time

It's easy. Put your first bowl in the microwave, then put a coffee mug upside down next to it. Next, place your second bowl on top of the coffee mug and voila—a multi-level microwaving system. Now just heat until your heart's content (no more struggling to keep one bowl warm while you wait for the other one to finish).

Does the microwave hack work?

Yes—as long as you're smart about it. First, to be fair, my microwave is large and I only have small bowls (I am a 20-something single girl who lives alone, after all) so mine would've fit side by side. But I still tested it, because in theory, it should still work the same.

I heated up two bowls of leftover chicken noodle soup and while it worked (a.k.a they did in fact get warm), I did have to up the cooking time. That makes sense since you're microwaving twice the food but still, be aware that you'll have to adjust accordingly.

Also, you'll have to do a little trial and error with your bowl to mug ratios. You want a mug that's sturdy and wide enough so that the bowl sits securely on top of it. However, it will also have to be tall enough that it doesn't knock into the bowl that's sitting directly on the turntable.

And speaking of turntables, I'd 10/10 recommend turning yours off so that it's static instead of moving around (many microwaves have this function that you can turn off and on). This will ensure your top bowl doesn't accidentally tip over and spill. If you follow those tips, though, like I did, this hack is definitely a game-changer.

How to make sure your food is heating evenly in the microwave

Cue the other biggest problem I have when it comes to my microwave (and one that I had when I tried this hack, too): Your food ends up overcooked on the outside but frozen—or worse, raw—on the inside. To prevent this, our kitchen and cooking editor, Cassidy Olsen, recommends using what she calls the "stop and stir" method. It's exactly what it sounds like: "A big casserole or bowl is unlikely to reheat evenly in the microwave, so it's best to plug it in for a few minutes, stop, ventilate and stir the food, and then pop it back in for a few more minutes until it's heated evenly."

If even that isn't working—or if you're trying to heat up a lot of food—Olsen says, "I truly recommend using the oven over the microwave, because food will stay hotter longer and you can achieve more at once." But don't worry, microwave: You'll always be number one in my house.