New kitchen

[rainbowstardrops]

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.

@BarnacleBeasley's set up reminded me we asked our kitchen fitter to leave us with a working washing machine at weekends if poss. They did every weekend, which was v helpful.

Literally just done this for 2 weeks. We had a few takeaways but ready meals were easier because single serving ones can be eaten from the container and the only washing up is the cutlery.
Everyone can choose what they fancy and you'll all survive for a couple or three weeks.
I love my new kitchen and it was worth the inconvenience.

We had our kitchen ripped out for support beams and new units when lockdown happened. Lived with holes in the floor and a two ring electric burner for six months, washed up in the bathroom. Total nightmare. Also had a lot of takeaways.

Ours was always meant to take longer. Tho I would strategically tell yourself it will be 4-5 weeks then you can be pleasantly surprised if it doesn’t.

Been there done that, for about 6 weeks. It was not as bad as I was anticipating? It just takes some planning.

temporary kitchen set up in the corner of the living room, we borrowed a one ring electric hob, and had toastie maker, kettle, air fryer, toaster, microwave, small prep area. We had a small stainless steel industrial type prep station from
amazon.

i also brought in metal shelves from the garage and put all the food stocks and plates, cups, utensils etc on

Stock of bottles water and drinks

We have a small fridge in the garage that we used.
asian pot noodle type meals
cook ready meals stash in the freezer (not all are microwave - do check)
some takeaways of course

washing up in the bath
laundry in the bath/ neighbours did the odd load and service wash at the laundrette

I’m going through this at the moment I’m 2 weeks in and the fitter said he should be finished by Tuesday! It’s been really, really hard. Much harder than I anticipated, washing up in the bath, nowhere to dry things, the kitchen table full of microwave and air fryer so can’t sit at it to eat. I seriously would consider going on holiday for two weeks. The upheaval has made me really anxious and upset, it’s the mess everywhere. Remember you need a room to put your new kitchen when it arrives as it’s in boxes and can’t go in the kitchen…. It’s something I didn’t factor in.

We ripped out our kitchen and then various issues (DC illness, snow impacting supply etc) delayed installation. Managed for several weeks on camping stove, microwave etc but would definitely recommend a plug in induction hob. In the middle of another renovation just now and have the induction hob, microwave and an air fryer and are able to cook as usual - we do have access to the fridge and a sink/dishwasher though. Hello fresh meals maybe if you are stuck for inspiration. And can you put the fridge somewhere you can easily access and keep a sink as long as possible?

I cooked almost a fortnight's worth of Hello Fresh meals in the air fryer, including a curry (with micro rice). None of it was my finest cooking but we managed more than I expected using the silicon liners and a bit of a 'give it a go and if all else fails we'll get a takeaway' attitude.

2 or 3 Washington up bowls. One for dirty, one for washing up in and one for clean, although for clean a laundry basket also works if you have one spare. Tables! Make sure you’ve got at least some prep space or it’ll drive you mad. Check any ready meals carefully. It’s really annoying when you get something and then find its oven cook only.

Cooked chicken and micro chips (salad if you can get away with it) is vaguely reminiscent of actual food. Tinned potatoes in the air fryer are a tasty carb alternative and cous cous is fab.
Do anything you can to reduce washing up, it’s way more of a pita than the cooking!

And don’t feel guilty about take aways. It’s fine for a short time.

Make sure you know exactly where you want plug sockets, light switches and light fittings or you’ll be making snap decisions constantly.

make sure you have a bin and plenty of bin bags and decide where you’re putting recycling

Can I ask why it took weeks and weeks?

That would be really useful, so I shall ask. Thanks.

Yes, they can can't they! See, I haven't thought of things like that. And we could then all just eat when we fancied and not the logistics of getting multiple plates of food ready together in a limited space. Thanks!

It's a pain in the ass but a pretty standard pain in the ass if you're having a new kitchen.

I went through this about 10 years ago and was absolutely dreading it for all the same reasons. Somehow we got through it. There were lots of takeaways, and also lots of uncooked meals. Think fruit, sandwiches, nuts. I tried to go away for a couple of the weekends.

I wonder about threads like this sometimes. This can't be real.

How can you not have thought of "things like that"? What even are things like that? You mean things like slightly changing how you do things to suit your slightly changed circumstances?

Hmm, I need to prepare meals and I only have a microwave.

How about you buy microwave meals?

Great idea. I hadn't thought of that.

How do you people get through life?

Ah, the memories! DH refitted ours,it's open plan at the end of the living room. I was working from nights, with a long commute,he was working 6 days a week with a long commute. It took 4 months, I wanted to kill him! I thought I was the only person who washed up in the bath on my knees.luckily my washing machine is in the conservatory,so that wasn't an issue. I made do with a microwave and slow cooker. I don't have an air fryer,no where to put one. I have 4 DKs and not one now uses a standard oven because of either space considerations or cost.. definitely, DO NOT use camping gas indoors.

This is exactly how I'm feeling at the moment. I just know I won't cope well with the mess and upheaval. Until we'd booked it all, I had no idea either that we'd have to store the boxed units in our house. I thought they'd just bring what they need each day! There's four of us here and I honestly don't think we're going to be able to move! I imagine the kids will spend A LOT of time in their rooms!

This. Its the washing up which is more of a pain than the cooking ! There will be dust everywhere but it will b worth it.

The fridge/freezer is hopefully going into a room downstairs. DD also has a mini fridge in her room, so hopefully we can use that for milk etc while the floor is being levelled and we can't access that room.

It was a pretty big job, a wall removed, re-plastering etc. it took a few days for the plaster to dry then a delay on the appliances of a week.

This is all really useful, thanks! I hadn't given the recycling a thought because we do A LOT. Hmm. Lots to think about!

We lived on microwave meals, sandwiches and toast mainly.
It was 3 years ago and I still could not face a microwave meal now 😂

*I wonder about threads like this sometimes. This can't be real.

How can you not have thought of "things like that"? What even are things like that? You mean things like slightly changing how you do things to suit your slightly changed circumstances?

Hmm, I need to prepare meals and I only have a microwave.

How about you buy microwave meals?

Great idea. I hadn't thought of that.

How do you people get through life?*

I hadn't thought about the logistics because firstly, I more often than not, cook from scratch and don't tend to rely on microwave meals and takeaways as a rule, hence my original question! The kids would no doubt love it because all that shite would be a treat for them because they don't have them often but for me? Not so much.
Secondly, I have all sorts of other things going on in my life that are also taking up space in my head above washing up bowls and the logistics of storing everything etc. It's only now that it's all getting nearer, that I'm asking for ideas and pointers.

I'm not sure why you took time out of your day to post if you had nothing constructive or helpful to add.

We're all different. Thankfully.

I hadn't thought about the logistics because firstly, I more often than not, cook from scratch and don't tend to rely on microwave meals and takeaways as a rule.

Yes, but you will have started to think about logistics when you knew you were having your kitchen done.

And, at that point, you know you will only have a microwave... You know you don't usually rely on microwave meals...

No, you're right, it's impossible to figure out how to cope.

We had a job that went on for a year - induction 2 hob stove from IKEA, microwave and an air fryer kept us going.