Do you cook , or just microwave?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
I'm a disabled, crotchety, old geezer. So, it's not hard to understand why I live alone. I'm not a great cook, either. I'm not spending time finding, and preparing 63 ingredients, so I can spend even more time over a hot stove, cooking all that stuff. Give me "Marie Calender'" and a microwave and I'm happy.Yea, yea, I know cooked food tastes better, etc. etc. I have a gas stove, which has pilot lights (It's over 30 years old.) Since I never use it, I turned the gas off. Years ago, I cooked, but now, it's just so much easier to zap it. We're all getting old and more crotchety, so maybe we're zapping more and more?I was wondering how much do you actually cook or are you like me, a microwave aficionado?
 

I did only microwave meals for a decade, more or less. Lately, I've tried cooking again... mixed results and increased dangers: Since I wear bell sleeved nightgowns day and night, I've dipped the sleeves into beaten eggs - but, could have easily had the sleeves catch fire. I have melted utensils. Microwaving was much safer!
 
I haven't used the oven on my stove in over a year but I still use a burner or two for making stovetop meals, soup, eggs, etc...

I also use the toaster oven and the microwave.

For me, it's a split between commercially produced foods and home-cooked foods that I can freeze and reheat. I also use many single-serving foods that allow me to have more variety and better portion control.

I'm becoming more forgetful and less focused so I have to set the timer on the microwave to remind me something is on the stove or use appliances like the microwave and the toaster oven that shut off automatically when the time is up.

IMO you can use commercially prepared foods and still maintain a healthy diet if you limit portions, carbs, added sugar, fats, and add some fresh fruits and vegetables.

Finally the closer I get to the finish line the less I'm willing to worry about what I eat. If I have a slice of pizza for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and a bowl of ice cream for supper I'm satisfied.
 
I used to "cook"...But I no longer makes meals. I cook stove top quickies....pan seared fish , chicken, the occasional burger....Don't feel like standing at the counter to prep a meal.....don't want the extra dishes/pots & pans either.

Someone noted the Marie Calender dishes, I haven't tried those yet....perhaps i will.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I'm a disabled, crotchety, old geezer. So, it's not hard to understand why I live alone. I'm not a great cook, either. I'm not spending time finding, and preparing 63 ingredients, so I can spend even more time over a hot stove, cooking all that stuff. Give me "Marie Calender'" and a microwave and I'm happy.Yea, yea, I know cooked food tastes better, etc. etc. I have a gas stove, which has pilot lights (It's over 30 years old.) Since I never use it, I turned the gas off. Years ago, I cooked, but now, it's just so much easier to zap it. We're all getting old and more crotchety, so maybe we're zapping more and more?I was wondering how much do you actually cook or are you like me, a microwave aficionado?
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i cook all day at work. when we are not in the middle of a pandemic we are usually so busy that i struggle to keep pace with my younger and faster co-workers. by the end of the day i'm wiped out. i live alone & it's a pain trying to cook for one. and i can't do leftovers for a week. so, i sometimes i will dr up a package of ramen noodles or eat stuff out of a can or box. i don't like the frozen individual dinners because they are so expensive and so chintzy on the food and the food quality of those things disgusts me. not saying you are bad or anything for your meal choices. if i'm gonna get microwave stuff i look for those bulk entrees that i can pair with veggies and stuff. i just don't have the time and energy at 7:30 or 8 at night to start a meal.
 
In this order, I use mine to:
-reheat coffee
-reheat side dishes I've bulk-cooked and frozen
-reheat burgers and hot dogs I've bulk-grilled and frozen
-cook corn on the cob
-"bake" potatoes
-melt butter
-make popcorn
-heat water for yeast breads
-cook the occasional convenience TV dinner

It's funny, for the main dishes I bulk-cook/vacuum seal/freeze, I defrost them in a bowl of water and reheat on the stove top and not the microwave. I guess it gives me better control to not over-cook, while making certain they get heated all the way through.

Like most everyone else here, I survived without one for a good number of years. But for the way I cook, these aren't so much a time saver (and they are) as they are a pot & pan saver. I could survive again without it, but I would constantly be washing out pots & pans every time I reheated a side dish rather than tossing that small glass microwave container I used in the dishwasher.

Before microwaves came along, I had a "Seal-a-Meal," which were the predecessor to the vacuum bag sealers, except they did not vacuum. You could reheat the food in the bag in boiling water...and I did that a lot for main courses, especially when going to night classes. If I got rid of my microwave, I could go back to doing that with the vacuum sealed bags and not dirty a single pot or pan (and satisfy 80% of the need for my microwave), but I'm not as trusting of the safety of the plastic bags as I was when I was younger. Plus with the microwave, I can make a couple of side dishes and not crowd my stove top.
 
Cooking is something we enjoy together, to that end having a variety of ways works for us.

Starting outside
Wood burning BBQ pit
Outdoor 4 burner BBQ with rotisseri
Outdoor 1 burner for wok cooking
free standing BBQ rotisseri capable of holding a 135lb. whole pig
Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker

In doors
Gas oven
Microwave
under cabinet toaster oven
Breville free standing convection oven
Zenchef air fryer
slow cooker
roaster oven capable of holding a 28 lb. turkey

And for sure all the pots, pans, & utensils that are needed.

Maybe someday pre made will be the choice. But taking time to make great tasting food is our passion.

Today being Mother's Day buying at Sam's Club
1 & 3/4" thick Prime filet & 12 ounce lobster tails will be how we celebrate.
 
I use the microwave for reheating leftovers, melting butter, and boiling water. Occasionally I'll buy "steam in the bag" veggies like broccoli and cauliflower which are steamed in the microwave. That's it.

I don't typically buy prepackaged foods. I prefer to cook what I make from scratch, and use the microwave to re-heat what's left for lunch over the next day or two. If I'm in a hurry or just don't feel like cooking, I'll sometimes open a can of meat,...tuna or canned chicken, occasionally salmon or sardines, and have that with a salad.

I can't remember the last time I've had a frozen TV dinner or Marie Callender type meal.
 
MarciKS said:
i like those steamer bags of veggies.
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They're really handy. Not as good as fresh of course, but much better imho than canned. Sometimes I just don't have the oomph to clean, prep, and then prepare fresh veggies and then put them in the steamer to cook (that's a bunch of cleanup...knife and cutting board, and then pot, steamer insert and lid) It's so much easier sometimes to just toss the bag in the microwave and then throw away the used bag when done. No mess and no cleanup.
 
i have issues with fresh items because i have dentures and it's difficult to chew that stuff. frozen is ok as long as i cook it enough.
 
Knight said:
Cooking is something we enjoy together, to that end having a variety of ways works for us.

Starting outside
Wood burning BBQ pit
Outdoor 4 burner BBQ with rotisseri
Outdoor 1 burner for wok cooking
free standing BBQ rotisseri capable of holding a 135lb. whole pig
Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker

In doors
Gas oven
Microwave
under cabinet toaster oven
Breville free standing convection oven
Zenchef air fryer
slow cooker
roaster oven capable of holding a 28 lb. turkey

And for sure all the pots, pans, & utensils that are needed.

Maybe someday pre made will be the choice. But taking time to make great tasting food is our passion.

Today being Mother's Day buying at Sam's Club
1 & 3/4" thick Prime filet & 12 ounce lobster tails will be how we celebrate.
Click to expand...
I want your set-up!!!

I've often said that I could pitch a tent in the yard to live out of and convert my entire house to a kitchen and pantry, and I'd STILL not have enough room for everything I would want in it.

My version of "pre-made" is to cook in quantity. portion out and freeze. I can't ever see deviating from that. I like to cook as much as I like to eat, and I like quality.
 
Ronni said:
They're really handy. Not as good as fresh of course, but much better imho than canned. Sometimes I just don't have the oomph to clean, prep, and then prepare fresh veggies and then put them in the steamer to cook (that's a bunch of cleanup...knife and cutting board, and then pot, steamer insert and lid) It's so much easier sometimes to just toss the bag in the microwave and then throw away the used bag when done. No mess and no cleanup.
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It's interesting that in many cases, frozen retains more nutrients that "fresh."

I like brussel sprouts, but fresh is not only expensive, you get so darned many. So I always have a bag of frozen on hand.

On the flip side, I won't eat asparagus unless it's fresh. No way I'll eat canned or frozen. I've even blanched and frozen my own, and it loses too much texture. Broccoli is a close second in the "gotta be fresh" list.
 
PopsnTuff said:
I use the stove top, oven and micro as needed.
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I use my cheap toaster oven a whole lot as well.

I cook chicken parts, veggies and fish in it all the time. Studies on which is more efficient--stove or toaster oven--are all over the place and full of "it depends." It just feels like the smaller one has to be more efficient for small servings.
 

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