We moved away from our over-the-range microwave when we sold the house, and I've been deliberately delaying the purchase of a countertop microwave for this house.

Then I read this:
BBC NEWS | Health | Did microwaves 'spark' obesity? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6725775.stm)

I think slow food tends to taste better anyway, but I thought it was particularly interesting since the year my family got a microwave, my afterschool snack of choice went from nothing much or fruit to melted cheese in a custard cup and triscuits to dip in it. Ahem.

That was the year I also figured out a way around using my mom's check to the school for a proper lunch, and starting eating a cookie and buying a coke for lunch several days a week. Oh, and I got my period that year. So I'm not 100% sure the microwave is the culprit here, but I do think that everything we've done to ensure that food is fast and plentiful hasn't exactly helped. That and the fact that we don't have to physically labor to get fed.

I was already a little reluctant to buy one due to other concerns. Now I'm just not going to get one unless someone gives me a darn good reason (or DH gets fed up and buys one himself - so far, he's with me). I think my money would be better invested in a few more cooking pots.

We already make our popcorn on the stove - we just don't like microwave popcorn. And quesadillas and veggies taste better cooked on the stove. I've been enjoying these months of slow food, and I want to continue along this way.

It *is* simpler, however, to microwave. Of that, I'm fairly certain. Thriftier, not so sure. It can be thrifty to steam some frozen veg in the microwave, but it also makes for convenience food temptations, doesn't it?

It's true. My husband wouldn't make nachos at night without a microwave. Interesting.

It can be thrifty to steam some frozen veg in the microwave, but it also makes for convenience food temptations, doesn't it?

Microwaving veggies as a means to cook them concerns me as I've heard its more nutricious at that point to drink the liquid than eat the veggie. I can't offer a link for that as it was a long time ago. I will use the micro for reheating but prefer not to use it for the first go of cooking something. I have a stoneware small round that i use for reheating.

I have a double burner griddle that lives on my stove top so its always ready to turn on one or two burners and heat/grill a quesadilla or sandwich. I think my favorite set up is a toaster oven since you can heat it quicker than a big oven or stovetop (less energy) and still retain much of the convenience of a microwave.

Sarah

i hardly ever use our microwave but i like the idea of having it...but really...all i can think i've used it for in the past month is steaming veggies.

I have lived in a microwave free world (no one owned one) and people found ways to eat too much

but

they had to be WAY more creative!

I have tried to live without one recently, but I got depressed. I missed it a lot!

Microwaving veggies as a means to cook them concerns me as I've heard its more nutricious at that point to drink the liquid than eat the veggie. I can't offer a link for that as it was a long time ago. I will use the micro for reheating but prefer not to use it for the first go of cooking something. I have a stoneware small round that i use for reheating.

I have a double burner griddle that lives on my stove top so its always ready to turn on one or two burners and heat/grill a quesadilla or sandwich. I think my favorite set up is a toaster oven since you can heat it quicker than a big oven or stovetop (less energy) and still retain much of the convenience of a microwave.

Sarah

I've read a few articles on the nutrition of microwaved foods, and there isn't a consensus. Some say it's bad; some say it's fine. As long as I have the time to cook from scratch, I may as well err on the side of caution, too.

I was thinking about toaster ovens while I folded laundry this morning. They are nice for small portions, but I'm usually cooking for 4 or 5. Not sure I can justify it to myself, though it's tempting. I'm going to see if a biggish one turns up at the thrift store. The kids love english muffin pizzas and other little toaster ovenable lunchy foods.

I have lived in a microwave free world (no one owned one) and people found ways to eat too much

but

they had to be WAY more creative!

I have tried to live without one recently, but I got depressed. I missed it a lot!


:D Yeah, I have to make a batch of peanut butter cookies if I want a high calorie snack... Not wanting to bother usually wins out over the midnight snack monster.

I missed mine at first, and the kids still miss it, but I'm having fun without it. I roasted most of our dinner tonight: cabbage, potatoes, and onions, alongside biscuits with veggie sausage gravy. Yum. I probably would have shortcut something if I had a microwave at my disposal. Instead, we ate like kings. Ok, maybe it was more like Southerners with a little Irish blood in our veins and not much food in the fridge (haven't been to the store since we got home the other day). :p

We do use it for defrosting meat occasionally, and heating up leftovers. I don't really cook in it. But we didn't have one for a while and dh insisted on getting one. :P I swear I could do without.

But I definitely see your point about making it easier for convenience foods.

We only have one because it was here when we moved in but I NEVER cook in it, only reheat.

I have to have one to reheat coffee - LOL

We do use it for defrosting meat occasionally, and heating up leftovers. I don't really cook in it.

That's the same for me. I use it most days to heat up leftovers, either for lunch or dinner. And occasionally to defrost meat.

I do cook baked potatoes in mine occasionally because I'm usually too disorganized to remember to stick them in the oven 1 hr before we eat. Other than that we use it to heat up leftovers. That's pretty much it... I'd love to do without it completely, but I really don't know what we'd do about leftovers if we didn't have one.

and to defrost meat.

darnit. you mentioned stove-top grilled quesadillas. blast it all :lol: (now you know what tracey will have for lunch...) crispy tortillas...soft cheese...yummy...

dh uses ours to cook more than i do. i use it to defrost meat and that's about it...the occasional frozen mac and cheese.

That's the same for me. I use it most days to heat up leftovers, either for lunch or dinner. And occasionally to defrost meat.

yep and I cook bacon in mine:o

yep...i do cook bacon in it.

I don't use mine at all and haven't in nearly 2 years. Not after all the nasty stuff I read about them. RIght now the only thing I use mine for is for storage. :)

so talk to me about heating up leftovers not in the microwave-say for instance rice? Or a casserole? Lasagna? I eat leftovers almost everyday for lunch-and that is about all I use the micro for. So teach me to heat up my lunches without it please!

Timely thread. Our micro died a couple of weeks ago, and I am considering not replacing it. These are the things we use it for:

heating leftovers
heating water for hot chocolate (the girls)
grits and oatmeal
and micro popcorn....the kids eat a lot of this.

Well, I just talked myself into getting another one with the grits and oatmeal thing. LOL We eat these a lot, but 3 min in the micro for oats and grits beats 15-20 min. on the stove (includes waiting for water to boil). The other stuff we have been able to do without. It does allow the big girls to take care of some of their meals without me being involved, though. Oh, we have a hot air popper for corn, and it works great, I just hate leaving it out on the counter (not a lot of counter space).

My biggest beef currently is that our last micro only lasted about 2 years. The one we had before that lasted for 10. My parents have had the same experience. They have become disposable appliances and I don't want to pay $100 for something that is only going to last for 2 years or less.

My tea kettle that lives on my stove top saves me from using the micro. Its easy to flip on the burner for a cup of tea or hot chocolate. I can pour boiling water over some rolled oats and cover it on the counter top for breakfasts......used it for the boiling water I needed yesterday for jello. For some reason a tea kettle (which lives out, doesn't steam up the house, alerts me to when it is ready, and doesn't boil over, and heats faster since its closed and pours easily) is easier than grabbing a small sauce pan for many of the same jobs.

Sarah

so talk to me about heating up leftovers not in the microwave-say for instance rice? Or a casserole? Lasagna? I eat leftovers almost everyday for lunch-and that is about all I use the micro for. So teach me to heat up my lunches without it please!

There's where that toaster oven would be handy. :D But, seriously, I just popped some leftover pasta, complete with the sauce into a saucepan, along with a little extra water for my lunch. Casserole and lasagne, I'd probably do in a pyrex in the oven/toaster oven. Rice I'd heat like I did my pasta.

I use mine for holding, too - like, when I make pancakes or sautee mushrooms or cook my veggies for an omelet I'll put them on a plate in the microwave. It keeps it warm without being turned on ;)

But, I have a dual stove now that I use a lot - the top oven has a toasting mode that we use way more than the stove (of course, having a bigger family dictates that we need more than a four slot these days). It works well to hold things, too.

I also use it for the obvious:
frozen entrees (TJ mac & cheese, enchiladas)

steaming veggies when the stovetop steamer basket isn't fast enough and everything else is done (like last night's carrots)

leftovers (I freeze them in portion sizes - for lunch)

tea, coffee, oatmeal

There's where that toaster oven would be handy. :D But, seriously, I just popped some leftover pasta, complete with the sauce into a saucepan, along with a little extra water for my lunch. Casserole and lasagne, I'd probably do in a pyrex in the oven/toaster oven. Rice I'd heat like I did my pasta.


Same here!

I also have a tea kettle on the stove that we use alot!

We pop our popcorn in a Whirly Pop on top of the stove.

We don't have a microwave ...

don't want one.

For defrosting frozen meat QUICKLY (as in its time for dinner NOW ... what are we going to eat?), I put the meat inside a large ziploc bag (minus any wrappings or packaging) and fill the sink up with hot water and set a ceramic plate on top of the ziploc bag to hold the meat down in the sink instead of floating.

I also don't use my dishwasher that is in this house. It just takes up space!

nak

we've never had a microwave. it's a snap to steam up any veggies using a regular pan with a metal steamer insert. I have never once had even a fleeting thought of, "Man this would be easier with a microwave!"

Ours broke and everyone has noticed.....


...noticed how much better things taste cooked without!

We keep our microwave in the pantry and use it only on occasion. I sometimes reheat things in it, I might soften butter in it, etc. I don't actually cook with it. We either stove-pop or air-pop our popcorn (although I do like the taste of microwave popcorn :P it's just not something we buy).

Jeni

I hate the thing and wish we could get rid of it. I only use it for water for tea, but I'd be happy to just do that on the stove. I love whistling tea kettles! But a pan works just fine too.

I am concerned about how the microwave changes the properties of our food - whether there is solid evidence about it or not. I'm paranoid that way :)

DH loves it for leftovers though so for now we keep it around.

I reheat mine on the stove top, in the oven or in the toaster oven. Now the toaster oven, that is an appliance I love! I hope in my next kitchen I have room for a larger one. And if we do move, I think our microwave might get 'lost' ;)

I never cook anything in the microwave but I do warm up my coffee eight billion times each morning cuz I like my coffee to burn my mouth!!! ;)