No cooker for 2.5 weeks - what meals can I do??

[andirobo]

And dont just say salad!

I am going to be without a cooker for 2 and a half weeks while building work / new kitchen is completed, and I need inspiration for what I can feed the family!

Two adults and two kids - 7 and 2.

I will have the use of a microwave, slow cooker, electric steamer and a kettle / toaster! Possibly a George Foreman Grill if can borrow it.

I would like to menu plan, so I can shop for a few days at a time, but so far have come up with quiche and salad, erm slalad and salad and beans on toast!!

I dont want to fall into the takeaway trap - far too expensive and not good for us!!!

Bring me your ideas, please!!!

takeaway

you can do tons of stuff in a slow cooker just search for some of the slow cooker threads on here.

you can cook fish in the microwave, serve with veg from steamer.

When I had my kitchen fitted I found the biggest problem was practical work space. combined with the mess and general chaos. Sometimes I just didn't want to try and organise a meal.

I made and froze some meals - lasagne, cottage pie, curry, fish pie etc and it really made life easier.

Hope the building work goes ok.

I can see I will have to get busy cooking some meals in the freezer.

pasta in microwave
curry and rice
grilled chicken and salad
at least 2 takeaways..lol
soup
lamb steaks and chips?

ermmm
we had no kitchen/cooker for a month when dd2 was little and was nightmare

salads then chipshop (yin/ yang)

pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 cup of bulgur wheat, let stand til ready (or read instructions )

add 1 tin of tuna, finely-sliced spring onions, halved cherry tomatoes, halved green stuffed olives, a generous slurb of olive oil and another of lemon juice.

Technically I guess it's just a salad but it is damn good eating...

Ta all!

there has been a slight reprieve - the ver slow builder reckons that the cooker may be able to stay for another week even when the wall is knocked down - hooray!

Will still need to feed ourselves for 10 days though! My M&D are are away for 5 days of that......I feel a plan coming on! I wonder if it would be rude to raid her freezer....!

We lived for several weeks without a cooker - building work & new kitchen too - we only had a george foreman & microwave & no M&D nearby!

takeaways occasionally
rice/pasta/quinoa/couscous cook fine in microwave - with ready made sauces & veg
salad (sorry)
tuna
fish - great in microwave
burgers in george foreman grill
aunt bessie's mash is nice! & microwaves well
supermarket ready meals - microwave (cheaper than takeaways)

We also found the worst thing was the dust which gets everywhere - I had to clean all the surfaces we had left before I prepared any food. Best of luck - hope it goes well!

I wouldn't bother to be honest, I'd live on:

humous
ham
cold bought chicken
other dip type things from deli
fresh bread
lots of fruit
tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, tinned sweetcorn, microwaved peas
yoghurt
cheese
lots of cake!

if you must cook:

microwaved baked potatoes
tuna mayo on microwaved rice or potatoes

Mmmmm, I wish I was without a kitchen actually, it would make life so much easier to just serve that lot!

Andirobe - we're in the same boat. Moved everything out of kitchen last Sunday but work didn't actually start until Wednesday. We're trying to cope in the dining room but it's hateful. I feel totally out of control without my kitchen.

We've had a couple of meals out, wraps, salads, soup and tonight...we fed the children on boiled burgers and rancid chips at the fair which is currently visiting our local park!

Doodle - I can feel your pain! We are a week behind you as we are shifting all the stuff out tomorrow! Not sure where it will all go, but.....

Hormones and Spotty - some great ideas there - will just need to be more creative!