The microwave is the bane of healthy eating. It encourages bad habits and frankly makes shitty food. About 4 years ago we got rid of our microwave and I’ve never regretted it. In all honesty it wasn’t a big change. The first year we lived together we didn’t have one and the year we had the microwave we hardly used it (it was a gift). Microwaved food tastes like crap. Soups and Chili’s don’t heat evenly and reheated pizza feels like rubber. It creates a subpar eating experience. Why anyone WANTS to eat food cooked or heated in a microwave is beyond me yet I frequently get stunned looks when I mention we don’t have one!
Pictured above is a common dish at our house. I chop up store bought Italian sausage cook in one pan with a sliced garlic clove. Chop an onion and a red bell pepper and cook in another pan. Combine once done. I serve it over rice, with rolls or french fries made in coconut oil and a vegetable side. Doesn't take long at all if you pre slice everything. (You can even prepare the fries as long as you store in water in the fridge!)
Besides cooking terrible food it encourages poor eating habits. Most Americans feel like they are pressed for time. They work all day, come home to chores and still want to do fun things. We want to play our video games, watch movies etc. but there simply isn’t enough time in a day for all 3 so usually our food gets sacrificed. Pop a microwave dinner in and it’s done in 5 mins. These foods are ridiculously unhealthy. It makes me gag calling them food at all. GMOs, preservatives, dyes NONE of these are healthy for you and having a microwave allows you to slip. It gives you an out when you’ve had a long day and don’t feel like cooking. We’ve all chosen something convenient over something healthy day and having that microwave makes it easier. They also take up a ridiculous amount of counter space in houses without the built in fan versions. Counter space that who be better used for preparing homemade foods!
We frequently eat chili. I make so much it lasts us for FOUR meals!! The day after grocery day I cook up the meat (we use chicken but you can use anything you want) and freeze it. The day I make the chili I pull out the thawed meat; put it in the pot with tomato juice, kidney beans, a chopped jalapeno (pre chopped and frozen-usually 4 slices) and spices. It only takes about 20 minutes to heat up which is roughly the time needed to make noodles or rice. Serve separately or put the chili over the carb and dinner is served. If you want to get super fancy you can make bread! It takes a similar amount of time for the other three nights of left overs. The only real negative is more dishes but I’m happy to deal with that knowing we are eating real food.
The point is that with the right planning you can eat convenient HEALTHY foods and you can do it all without a microwave!!
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