Living without a microwave might seem a bit tough in our "heat up and eat"/"fast food" culture, but it's easy! Here's the how and why.
We all lead busy lives and want things to be done as fast as possible, so when it comes to food it may seem as if the microwave is our best friend. However, food, being a major sustainer of our bodies and livelihoods might be something you should consider spending a little time on. Living without a microwave is not as difficult as it may seem.
1. Cutting Down/Eliminating prepackaged foods
- If you do not have a microwave, you might be less inclined to buy pre-packaged foods that are made to be heated up/cooked by the microwave. Fresh food is the way to go! When buying fresh foods, be in tune with nature and buy in season (it's also better on the wallet). A quick internet search and you'll be able to pull up what is in season in your area.
2. Cooking From Scratch
- Others may argue about the price of fresh food, but all it takes to overcome the hurdle of ever-rising food costs is a bit of shopping knowledge. Buy your diet staples (e.g. rice, beans, flour) in bulk and cook from scratch. The stove (or toaster oven if you prefer to use something besides the standard size range stove) will serve for warming up your food just fine.
4. Snacks
- Although it doesn’t hurt to have pre-packaged snack food that you can eat on the run, it will also pay off in the long run to make your own snack foods (e.g. Oatmeal Bars). It will also get you thinking in terms of what you have in your pantry to come up with creative, quick, and easy, snack food.
5. Monetary Investment/ Time Investment
- There is an unavoidable initial investment to supply your kitchen with the basics if you don't already have them (e.g. different types of flour, spices, herbs, pots and pans, utensils); however, many things can be improvised. You may also spend more time making your food, but again, it is a small investment now: the health benefits and life enrichment that fresh food may bring you can be enjoyed over your lifetime.
Don't be scared of your kitchen; find a recipe and go for it! The first time making a meal from scratch might take some time, but the more you do it the faster you become at it and eventually you'll be multi-tasking while making your meals. That microwave will become a thing of the past in no time.
Copyright Zulay Perez
