Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

New kitchen

113 replies

rainbowstardrops · 20/02/2025 18:11

This isn't really an AIBU but it kind of is at the same time.

The situation is, we're having a new kitchen very soon. Our old kitchen is being ripped out completely and being replaced (except for the white goods/fridge freezer etc)
What with levelling the floor, plastering the walls, new fuse boxes and then the whole refitting etc and it therefore means we're not going to have any sort of functioning kitchen for about three weeks (that's if there are no hiccups along the way). I'm dreading it.

We are lucky that we have two downstairs rooms but we obviously can't use the larger room when the floor is being levelled etc because we have to access it through the kitchen. But this room is where the fridge/freezer and all of the kitchen will be boxed up, plus the new kitchen units etc will have to be stored. I honestly don't know where we're going to put it all!
Anyway, I will have a slow cooker, an air fryer and a microwave in the larger room (somehow).
My AIBU is, how awful would it be to order a shit load of takeaways, or more importantly, what can I cook with my very limited cooking options?
It's me and two DC and an H that comes home at about 10pm
We usually rely on pasta etc but I won't have a hob.

I just need ideas for some meals please, or a thumbs up that we can all just eat shit for three weeks!
Joking. Obviously. Kind of.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
rainbowstardrops · 15/03/2025 19:57

@grumpygrape the kitchen isn't finished yet but really hoping by Friday 🤞🏻 I can't see it because there's still so much to do but we shall see!
He hasn't really given me any clues and also his son is probably only about 17 or so. I just want to give them something to show our thanks!

OP posts:
grumpygrape · 15/03/2025 18:43

Ours (one man band) mentioned in conversation a seasonal beer he and my husband both liked so we bought him some.

Are you pleased with your new kitchen ? A photo or two would be good 😊

rainbowstardrops · 15/03/2025 13:53

Just following on from my original question, (we ended up going with ready meals/takeaways and eating out!), can I now please ask if you bought the kitchen fitters anything at the end to say thank you? They're a couple of great guys (father and son) but is this the done thing? I literally have no idea! So if anyone can tell me what they did or didn't do, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 27/02/2025 22:21

Atta girl ! Your life will be so much smoother. It's not as if you're never going to cook again. With your lovely new kitchen you will revel in being in there concocting wonderful meals for everyone 😊

Thanks @grumpygrape! And thank you to everyone who posted with great advice re what to expect. It's much appreciated 🙂

OP posts:
grumpygrape · 27/02/2025 21:15

rainbowstardrops · 27/02/2025 13:50

Well the other evening I'd had a really full on, stressful day with various things and my health issues and just couldn't be arsed to make a spaghetti bolognaise from scratch, so just cobbled together a complete shit show of odds and sods from the freezer. (I'm trying to run it down). Think a few Turkey Dinos, Hash Browns, mini chicken Kiev balls, that type of thing.
Felt so awful that I didn't even open a tin of beans, let alone shove some peas on a plate.
Well, the kids thought all their Christmas' had come at once and said it was awesome! 🙈
So decision made. It will be a combination of ready meals, takeaways and eating out. At least we can go to the carvery once or twice to get some veggies in them 😁

Atta girl ! Your life will be so much smoother. It's not as if you're never going to cook again. With your lovely new kitchen you will revel in being in there concocting wonderful meals for everyone 😊

rainbowstardrops · 27/02/2025 13:50

Well the other evening I'd had a really full on, stressful day with various things and my health issues and just couldn't be arsed to make a spaghetti bolognaise from scratch, so just cobbled together a complete shit show of odds and sods from the freezer. (I'm trying to run it down). Think a few Turkey Dinos, Hash Browns, mini chicken Kiev balls, that type of thing.
Felt so awful that I didn't even open a tin of beans, let alone shove some peas on a plate.
Well, the kids thought all their Christmas' had come at once and said it was awesome! 🙈
So decision made. It will be a combination of ready meals, takeaways and eating out. At least we can go to the carvery once or twice to get some veggies in them 😁

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 24/02/2025 18:38

HurdyGurdy19 · 23/02/2025 14:26

You could always hire a mobile kitchen pod. If I'd known about them earlier, I think I'd have hired one, as being without a kitchen for 10 months nearly broke me!

Temporary Kitchen Pod - Kitchen Hire While Renovating

Edited to add - I've no idea what the cost is, so it may be prohibitively expensive!

Edited

I've only had a quick look but I'd imagine that would be good costly for a short term fix. Thank you though!

OP posts:
HurdyGurdy19 · 23/02/2025 14:26

You could always hire a mobile kitchen pod. If I'd known about them earlier, I think I'd have hired one, as being without a kitchen for 10 months nearly broke me!

Temporary Kitchen Pod - Kitchen Hire While Renovating

Edited to add - I've no idea what the cost is, so it may be prohibitively expensive!

rainbowstardrops · 23/02/2025 10:51

Tumbleweed101 · 23/02/2025 07:58

We had this a few years ago - although they did more extensive work as well as the kitchen. We had rewiring, new boiler and heating system and the kitchen and dining room opened into one including removal of a chimney and the chimney breast up stairs and downstairs. Whole thing took about 6 weeks. The kitchen being put in took about two weeks. The floor levelling stuff was dry by next morning although we were recommended to stay off it the rest of the following day.

I cheated and decamped to my mums house though (in same village) so that they could just get on with it. I had primary age children and teens. It was worth the chaos though.

Hahaha decamping to your mum's! I have a family member who has offered to put me up if I want a couple of days break but I'd feel really bad buggering off and leaving the kids here in the thick of it! Very tempting though!

OP posts:
Tumbleweed101 · 23/02/2025 07:58

We had this a few years ago - although they did more extensive work as well as the kitchen. We had rewiring, new boiler and heating system and the kitchen and dining room opened into one including removal of a chimney and the chimney breast up stairs and downstairs. Whole thing took about 6 weeks. The kitchen being put in took about two weeks. The floor levelling stuff was dry by next morning although we were recommended to stay off it the rest of the following day.

I cheated and decamped to my mums house though (in same village) so that they could just get on with it. I had primary age children and teens. It was worth the chaos though.

rainbowstardrops · 23/02/2025 07:48

Forgot to mention in my previous post, but one thing that we found really valuable the thing was having a surface at the right height to put a washing up bowl on in the bathroom. I bought a cheap camping kitchen online for this. Saved our backs, and was well worth the £40 or so it cost.

That's a good idea @CasperGutman. There's no way I'd be able to bend over the bath (was going to allocate that job to the kids!)

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 23/02/2025 07:46

TeenLifeMum · 22/02/2025 16:16

We had bbq 3-4 times a week and honestly, it took about 6 weeks in reality (I was told 3)! It was 8 weeks but 2 weeks were covid isolating so not relevant now.

I'm banking on it taking longer than the three weeks they've told us, so if it does get completed on time, I'll be happy!

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 23/02/2025 07:44

Cunningfungus · 22/02/2025 16:16

@rainbowstardrops cooked pasta can be frozen then defrosted/warmed up in the microwave- I do this all the time. If you are going to have your freezer though, can you not just batch cook a lot before the upheaval? Curries, chilli, pasta etc then just steam veg/add salad.

I'm currently trying to run the freezer down so that I can batch cook and shove it all in there. We have a nice American fridge/freezer but the freezer part is annoyingly smaller than I'd like.

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 23/02/2025 07:42

Breadcat24 · 22/02/2025 16:12

@rainbowstardrops If it is dry weather do not discount using the barbeque! Kids might find that fun

We were going to buy a new one last year because our old one packed up but we didn't get around to it. Might have to invest in one soon! Mind you, it's been bloody wet and miserable here so the garden's a bit of a swamp!

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 23/02/2025 07:35

Biy a two place induction hob ... plug in. My sister has just bought one, said ut was great!

You have to have certain pans for induction don't you? @ByQuaintAzureWasp

As you are having plastering done you do realise everything will smell and taste of plaster for at least a week or two....?
And you'll probably be too busy trying to keep the plaster dust from invading the rest of the house to worry about cooking 😉

Jeez!!! 😩 I'd factored in mess but not smell throughout the house as well! @grumpygrape! Takeaways are sounding more and more appealing!

OP posts:
CasperGutman · 22/02/2025 17:06

rainbowstardrops · 21/02/2025 12:29

a plug in hob (ours is IKEA) makes everything easy planning wise, or you could get a multi cooker or rice cooker, but like PP we found the washing up the biggest pain. We had multiple washing up bowls so we had one for dirty, one for clean, maybe one for dry as well.

Multiple washing up bowls is a good shout and I wouldn't have thought of that! We have a 'sick bowl' but don't fancy using that! 🤣🤢 Thanks!

Forgot to mention in my previous post, but one thing that we found really valuable the thing was having a surface at the right height to put a washing up bowl on in the bathroom. I bought a cheap camping kitchen online for this. Saved our backs, and was well worth the £40 or so it cost.

TeenLifeMum · 22/02/2025 16:16

We had bbq 3-4 times a week and honestly, it took about 6 weeks in reality (I was told 3)! It was 8 weeks but 2 weeks were covid isolating so not relevant now.

Cunningfungus · 22/02/2025 16:16

@rainbowstardrops cooked pasta can be frozen then defrosted/warmed up in the microwave- I do this all the time. If you are going to have your freezer though, can you not just batch cook a lot before the upheaval? Curries, chilli, pasta etc then just steam veg/add salad.

Breadcat24 · 22/02/2025 16:12

@rainbowstardrops If it is dry weather do not discount using the barbeque! Kids might find that fun

Hitchinkitchen · 22/02/2025 16:08

rainbowstardrops · 21/02/2025 06:17

That's what I'm thinking @Thewholeplaceglitters!!! I'm trying to think of creative meals but then another part of me thinks 'sod it'!
Please don't tell me it takes longer than three weeks 😩

My kitchen renovation took 3 and a half weeks in August 2023. It’s a small kitchen but it doesn’t necessarily mean a larger one would take longer. We had use of the fridge freezer still. We washed up in the bathroom basin and took the laundry to my dad’s house. The place was a midden but it’s all worth it.

HurdyGurdy19 · 22/02/2025 15:59

rainbowstardrops · 22/02/2025 14:14

I thought this but people have said that it should be used outside? Have been advised to maybe buy a plug in hob type thing instead 🤷🏻‍♀️

This is the one I bought. I have kept it as a stand-by, just in case my hob stops working, or as additional cooking space at Christmas etc.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tillreda-portable-induction-hob-2-zones-white-30593123/

grumpygrape · 22/02/2025 14:23

As you are having plastering done you do realise everything will smell and taste of plaster for at least a week or two....?
And you'll probably be too busy trying to keep the plaster dust from invading the rest of the house to worry about cooking 😉

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 22/02/2025 14:23

Biy a two place induction hob ... plug in. My sister has just bought one, said ut was great!

rainbowstardrops · 22/02/2025 14:14

LovelySunnyDayToday · 22/02/2025 13:01

Buy a camping hob.

I thought this but people have said that it should be used outside? Have been advised to maybe buy a plug in hob type thing instead 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 22/02/2025 14:13

*Lugging a bowl of dirty plates upstairs to wash them is a pain, but lugging bowls full of dirty washing up water around the house is worse. It made sense for us to wash up where the tap and plughole was. You'll figure out what works for you.

Thinking out loud, I wonder if a B&Q bucket might be better than a washing up bowl. Easier to carry for a start.

It will be worth it.*

Yep, that makes sense. Again, hadn't bloody thought of that! Upstairs it is then!

OP posts: