I DO NOT own a microwave!
I told you it was shocking, lol. In most kitchens, microwaves are pretty standard. Sometimes they come built-in. Some folks do not have one because maybe theirs has recently gone on the fritz (like my friend Rose). Not me. I choose to live microwaveless. Wasn’t always so. In fact, I’ve gone microwaveless a couple times. Both times a well-meaning family member put an end to my freedom buy gifting me with one. They must have felt sorry for me. Please don’t. Really, I am fine without one. Currently I have been without one since 2007 and I plan for it to stay that way.
Most people want to know WHY when they realize that my kitchen is sans microwave. Well, there are a few reasons. I know there are those who fear microwaves. While I like the fact that I don’t have to be concerned about these concerns, that has little weight in my decision to be microwaveless. Basically, I have a small kitchen. Counter space is at a premium. I can’t see making room for a microwave. Also, food taste SO MUCH better when it is conventionally cooked/baked. Count me a member of the SLOW FOOD movement. That is it in a nutshell. That said though, there are a few things that make it easier to be microwaveless.
A Tea Kettle
This is priceless. You can spend a small fortune on a tea kettle or you can spend very little. That all is up to you. Did you know that water tastes better boiled in a kettle than heated in a microwave? It has to do with the oxygenation of the boiling process. There was a day that every kitchen had a least 1 big kettle for making hot drinks, cooking, cleaning and bathing. I only recommend heating water in a kettle though since they can be difficult to clean. Want to heat up milk or this morning’s coffee, use a small saucepan. My only tea kettle recommendation is that you pick one with a whistling feature. I once totally burned up a tea kettle…long story, lol. My tea kettle has a place of honor on my stove top ALL the time.
Avoid Microwave Products
Some products are just designed for microwaves. Microwave popcorn, for one. There are brands that are popped on the stove rather than the microwave. We enjoy air-popped corn. Or maybe there’s a non-microwave snack food that you’d enjoy just as much. At any rate, find foods you like that don’t need microwaving, like baby carrots or some nifty recipe. Great bonus here, microwave products tend to be more expensive.
Invest in a few individual-sized dishes that go from fridge (or freezer) to oven
This will make reheating leftovers in the oven easier. If you have to prepare lunches for the workers in the family, most office lunchrooms have a microwave handy and you can just package them for reheating there.
Plan Ahead
Know what you need to pull out of the freezer the night before and always have a Plan B backup plan for meals. I keep a (homemade) frozen lasagne in my freezer at all times that can go right into the oven if and when needed.
Really, it is possible to live a full and fulfilling life without the assistance of a microwave. I do and so did countless generations before me.
