No Microwave Challenge

I know I have posted a lot about our new house lately. Can you blame me though, we went through a lot to get here! Anyways, one thing our new house did not come with is a microwave. We lived on microwaves during the day (kids lunches and leftovers). Right before we moved into the house one of my friends who recently started blogging posted about how she does not have a microwave in her house. Check that post out here Morganza Blog. It got me thinking, do I really need to spend $300 on a microwave?

Her post left me feeling eager for the challenge. After all, microwaves have not always been around. People survived without them before. Plus, with the lack of counter space and room above our stove, I didn’t want to add in another appliance.

Of course, things would have to change. Things that use to take seconds in the microwave, take several minutes in the oven or on the stove. For instance, chicken nuggets. I use to be able to make the kids lunch in 10 minutes or less by using the microwave. Now, it takes me about 25 minutes to make their chicken nugget lunches. However, it hasn’t made me loathe the oven. Actually, chicken nuggets come out much nicer in the oven than the microwave- no more soggy nuggets or still cold on the inside.

I use to live off of microwave steamed vegetables. 5 minutes in the microwave was so simple; especially when I was doing my Profile plan and eating steamed cauliflower all day. Now, I steam or boil them on the stove. It takes a little longer, but it really isn’t that bad.

I truly do not miss having a microwave for cooking. The only downfall is trying to reheat certain types of leftovers. It simply just doesn’t always work to reheat them in the oven or stove. Knowing that we don’t have the “simplicity” of a microwave, means we do not keep many leftovers. Which, lets be honest, most of them went to waste anyways. So really, I think we are saving food and money by not throwing so much away; everything is getting eaten.

The only breakdown I have had is not being able to have popcorn. Popcorn is one of my favorite things on the planet. We tried the jiffy pop thing, but it didn’t work (nor is it to be used on open flames, ceramic stoves, or uneven heat). I have tried several different kinds of the pre-popped popcorn bags that you can buy in the chip isle, but none of them sufficed the hankering for the real buttery deal. We were at Nebraska Furniture Mart the other day, mainly for the cardio, and I found popcorn makers. I thought it was funny because I had actually been thinking about buying one that entire week. Of course, I could not pass up the opportunity to buy one- so we did. We bought this little butter and spices kit to go with it, too. I am happy.

I think it is funny how people think some of the conveniences of today are necessary to survive. For the most part, there is always another way for something to be done (especially when it comes to cooking). I always think about how my ancestors lived. The things we take for granted now, were not even an option then. Granted I won’t lie, in the busy-ness of life, it is nice to have that convenience, but that doesn’t mean it is necessary.

Do you have a microwave? Could you go 30 days without using it? What other conveniences of today do we take for granted? Let me know down below!

Until next time,

Jenn