AIBU?
To ask what you use you microwave for?
Afternooninthepark · 20/09/2020 18:51
At 47 and having lived together for 23 years, dh and I have never had or felt the need for a microwave.
However, ds (15) is badgering me to get one, he says he can make things quicker in it and in the future when we are away or out he and his sister can make quick and easy meals for themselves.
I remember having one when we lived at home and it was only used for heating beans and defrosting stuff.
They are obviously still popular as they are for sale everywhere.
So what do you use yours for?
Does anyone actually make proper meals in there microwave?
Lalanbaba · 20/09/2020 19:12
My parents got one when I, aged 10, was alone for breakfast and needed to heat up my milk. Didn't want me to use the hob on my own understandably.
Now age 37 only had one to heat up baby bottles in the middle of the night. Now she is 2 still is the only use we give it. Very rarely will be used for heat up beans or leftovers.
VirginiaWolverine · 20/09/2020 19:15
Reheating meals
Proving dough
Defrosting
Making single mugs of hot chocolate
Heating tinned food
Defrosting things, esp frozen mash
Cooking porridge
I'm ashamed to admit this, but reheating cold cups of tea
Melting chocolate
Making ganache without it splitting
Melting butter
Softening straight-from-the freezer ice cream
Softening butter for baking
Easy popcorn.
I tend to do a big batch cook once a week, so having a container of stew or soup or curry etc which just needs to be reheated when I come home from work is great. Also, the children can use it.
Babdoc · 20/09/2020 19:16
I do a lot of batch cooking, so I use the microwave to heat up portions. I also make my own soups and heat them in the microwave. It does my bowl of porridge, with bilberries and brambles every morning, in a couple of minutes, with no sticky pan to clean. I heat up forgotten half drunk mugs of tea and coffee. I used to make popcorn in it when the kids lived at home. And it’s great for defrosting stuff Ive forgotten to get out of the freezer in time.
AppleCrumbleCake · 20/09/2020 19:16
We'd not had one for 12 years but the other day my DH returned from a friends house with one. So far we've only used it to cook packet rice but I've read this thread with interest as i kind of feel I've forgotten how to make best use of one!
Definitely want to try the mug cakes!
pimble · 20/09/2020 19:18
Porridge every morning
Beans spaghetti hoops soups peas sweet corn etc
Reheating bolognaise left overs to make lasagne
And reheating batch cooked meals
Sponge puddings
Reheating leftovers / tea
Cooking emergency food such as frozen paella
Heating milk for hot choc or béchamel sauce
Starting jacket potatoes
Melting butter to make pancakes
Melting chocolate
I could definitely do with out one but it is handy you can do decent eggs but I prefer the stove or mug cakes
tabulahrasa · 20/09/2020 19:20
Defrosting, heating tinned stuff like beans or soup, cooking frozen veg, Making porridge, heating milk for coffee, reheating leftovers, putting cheese between toast - 30 seconds in the microwave and the cheese is all melty but the toast is still crisp, quorn sausages... says nowhere you can, but you can um... oh parboiling, I parboil nothing, do it in the microwave instead and Christmas pudding, seconds instead of however many hours to steam them...
And a bit niche, bringing dog or cat food to body temperature if they’re not well and refusing food.
And the odd ready meal
HollyGoLoudly1 · 20/09/2020 19:21
I use ours endlessly, it's so convenient. Here's a short list:
Heating leftovers
Defrosting
Cooking anything from a tin (beans, soup)
Microwave steamer for veg
Porridge
Popcorn
Noodles
Baking - melting/softening butter/chocolate
Warming milk for DS or hot chocolate
Warming though dessert (fudge cake, brownie, cookie dough)
Reheating dinner when DH or I have been late home from work
Starting off baked potatoes
There are definitely more things, that's just off the top of my head!
mamaduckbone · 20/09/2020 19:32
We have just bought one after our last one died probably at least 5 years ago.
So far we've used it for reheating dinners when one of us is late home or reheating leftovers, heating tinned things up (beans, rice pudding, soup etc), stewing apples, porridge, heating up coffee when I've left it to go cold, and ds2 has made mug cakes a couple of times.
I haven't really missed one when we haven't had it, but must admit it's useful.
Whatthebloodyell · 20/09/2020 19:33
I coped for years without one. And now I have it I often consider getting rid. But it does get used regularly, but not for anything exciting. I batch cook pasta sauce/curry sauce/cheese sauce for the kids dinners and
Freeze portions that I then defrost and cook in the microwave. So that’s at least 3 times a week. And then for occasional jacket potatoes and the accompanying baked beans. It’s basically good for quick dinners for hangry kids. It’s commendable that your son is thinking about cooking for himself, but he’d be better off learning some simple recipes than relying on microwave meals!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.