Help! New parents only have a microwave to cook with! How can I help em out?

[champagnesupernova]

Posted in chat but no bugger has answered me yet [impatient]

BIL and SIL have new baby
They are also still trying to finish their new kitchen (!)

So I am going to make a vat of pre-cooked pasta with veg and chicken that could be eaten cold or nuked if they fancied soemthing hot.

What else can I take that's minimum prep for them but feels like a proper meal?

I think one of the grannies has covered the soup angle.

TIA

Lots of jacket potatoes as can be served alongside most things. Also packets of microwave rice can be good.

Lots of things can be pre made nad then reheated in microwave - easier to do if already portioned
chilli
lasagne
casseroles/stews
curries

Veg can be cooked in the microwave to go alongside.

Get them a cheap slow cooker (you can get them for around £10 or argos were doing a £5 one recently).

Fish cooks very well in a microwave.

I would buy them a very cheap bbq and cook most things outside.

agree with slow cooker idea, actually, and the rest of the armadillo's post.
would also add ratatouille, though. and consider portioning up some rice for them to freeze. ever so slightly undercook it and cool it immediately with a rinse of cold water, then shake to dry and whack into tubs. or actually i think you can get instant rice nowadays, can't you? [redundant post icon]

I have a slow cooker but I always start meals on the hob e.g. browning the meat and sweating the onions before adding to the slow cooker. Am I just using the wrong recipes? Can you chuck it all in the slow cooker from scratch?

i do onions and garlic in the pan but never ever ever casserole meat. jamie oliver interesting on the subject. tbh i prefer veggie stuff in slow cooker though and meat in low oven.

Thanks Aitch, which Jamie book please?

thanks for these.

I am thinking microwave rice too possibly.
Have just seen you can get a microwavable style risotto -[ imagine it wouldn't be delicious but it would be hassle-free fuel in an otherwise stressful situation.
No washing up, etc?
Will think on.

can't remember, sorry. basically he said that he'd spent years browning meat and then done a test couple of stews and found that the unbrowned one was meltier.

my grandma didn't brown because she was convinced it shrank the meat and during rationing size was important... so no one in our family does it and my casseroles v melty indeed.

actually if you mean the risotto in a box, i LOVE it. totally inauthentic but sooo moreish, i stock up on them when i go to italy. get the asparagus one, or mushroom, and just add more of the veg fresh.

thanks Aitch

Agree rice is nice

you coudl spend £16 and buy them one of these