Am I the only person in the world who does NOT have a microwave?

[hellschef]

popcorn and to warm the coffee, thats about the only use i have for it technology scares me

 

[purrfectlydevine]

I'll use it for leftovers, popcorn and to precook things like baked potatoes before I put them in the oven to finish.

 

[Zereh]

To each their own. =) I didn't say that microwaves were horrible and should be abolished. I said that *I* didn't care for the taste or texture of things cooked in it. If it works for you, super! Nuke away.

The beauty of cooking is that there is no right or wrong, there is only what makes your tastebuds sing.


Z

 

[HappyAvocado]

gosh, reading a couple of these responses makes me want to clarify that i am not "against" the microwave. ive just never really used one and i guess im not used to the flavor of microwaved food. people that i know seem to think that it is unusual that i dont have one, and i was curious to see how many other people out there dont have a microwave. im sure that it is a very useful kitchen tool for some...

 

[Dina]

I used to have one but it just died on me. It was a good one that lasted over 12 years.

 

[licia]

There isn't much that I cook totally in the microwave. We use it every day for one thing or another, usually reheating. Dh does lots of coffee in it. I don't drink reheated coffee at all. I use it when I bake - to melt butter, heat water, etc. I make tea in it. I've heard rice is great but I haven't done that. I wouldn't be without one tho.

 

[corazon]

I heat up my son's hot chocolate in the microwave. That's about it. I agree with you that it tastes funny. Even heating up leftovers, I do in the oven or on the stove. It takes more time but if I use the microwave I find I don't want to eat it because it's just not right. Sometimes if my tea gets cold I'll stick it in for 20 seconds but even that doesn't seem right. If this makes sense, when I make my tea on the stove it's a deep heat and in the microwave it's like it's only hot on the surface. It's not the same.

 

[kitchenelf]

I'm a heating up and left-over user but never have I actually cooked something in it i.e., chicken, cake, etc.

 

[Vyshtia]

I used to use my microwave ALL the time. I didn't cook - so my source of food was canned foods/frozen dinners, etc..

Now that I'm cooking....and researching all sorts of stuff... I've only used my microwave rarely to heat up leftovers.

...But now I'm doing some extensive research and finding out all sorts of articles about how microwaving foods kills all the nutrients and upsets your physical "balance"...all sorts of bad stuff! I won't go into it here...but reading this stuff has gotten me quite worried...and if I find enough proof that this research is valid...I just may very well toss the microwave for good....

 

[JMediger]

We don't have one ... no room and I really don't miss it. Anything we need to reheat I can do in a pot on the stove or in the oven. We've had one on and off again since leaving home, depending on the place we were renting. Now that it's ours, I'm not willling to give up either a) the cupboard space above my stove or b) any counter space.
Call me crazy ..
Also, I've read that you shouldn't re-heat coffee in the microwave because it can become bad / toxic. Urban legend - probably but thought I'd throw it out there.
: ) JMediger

 

[Andy M.]

...and if I find enough proof that this research is valid...

That's a great attitude! Make sure the information is factual and substantiated before making any judgements. Too often, people read a hint of possible problems and over react.

BTW, I have never seen any substantiated information about negative effects from microwaves on food.

 

[RPCookin]

I feel that the micowave is a great timesaving tool when used in the right way. I have rarely "cooked" in the microwave, but I defrost and reheat pretty much daily. We usually do frozen veggies in it, and with care you can defrost almost anything without cooking it. I often do baked potatoes in it, although the texture is not quite as good as in the oven. I'm not that picky when I'm just doing it for myself and my wife, and 5 minutes in the micro beats the heck out of 1 hour in the oven for us when we both work 8 to 10 hour days, 5 days a week.

When I'm actually cooking something however, I do also know how to use the range too... ... at least, I rarely get complaints

 

[Andy M.]

Rick:

When I want a baked potato in a hurry, I nuke it for 3-4 minutes (maybe 6-7 minutes for two) then bake it for 30. That seems like a compromise I can live with.

 

[Vyshtia]

That's a great attitude! Make sure the information is factual and substantiated before making any judgements. Too often, people read a hint of possible problems and over react.

BTW, I have never seen any substantiated information about negative effects from microwaves on food.

Thank you

So far, I have not found any proof that microwaves are detrimental to your health. The research and cases that are quoted to make that argument are all old...from the 70's and such. Microwave technology has changed a LOT since then. Those same cases are quoted over and over again too - there's nothing new and nothing to substantiate it.

But there's no definite proof otherwise as well. It seems that there are no real, definite, current research on this topic. 90% of American households have a microwave (estimated) - so I guess there is a big reason to not prove that this thing is dangerous.

Bottom line - I can find no definite proof for or against the argument that microwaves are dangerous. Just to be on the safe side though, I wouldn't do any cooking in the microwave. Quick reheats and defrosting will be all I'll be using it for...and only when I can't/don't have the time to do it on the range or other options.

 

[licia]

I don't think I posted this before. I use my microwave to get casseroles started, i.e. lasagna, I cook it in the mw until the oven is preheated. It takes a few minutes less to cook and you can't tell the difference.

 

[Andy M.]

I read a tip somewhere (or saw it on TV). Preheat your stuffing in the microwave prior to stuffing the turkey to speed up the cooking process and keep the turkey from drying out.

If you do this, you must stuff the turkey and immediately cook it. You cannot stuff the hot stuffing into the turkey and let it hang around for a while before roasting.

 

[gwkr36a]

Microwave Tips:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Microwave_ovens_safety_issues

 

[KAYLINDA]

I guess I'm the microwave queen! We have 10 microwaves in our kitchen. (of course it's a restaurant)...and we use all of them constantly.
They are wonderful so many things that I don't have the time to "stand over the stove for".
However, that being said...there's many things I would never cook in a microwave also.
But here's how we use ours.
20 Different candies.
All our cream pie fillings.
Precooking all our fruit pie fillings before putting into crust.
Many sauces...sweet and sour...cherry sauce...white sauce.
Bakers that we precook...for many things like potato salad...au gratin potatoes...potato plates.
We precook our pastas on the stove...refrigerate...then at serving put them on a plate....warm the sauces in the microwave...put over the pastas...and heat.
Many vegetables....casseroles....
I have cooked hamburger in the microwave....(works great if you stir it enough). We cook all our meatloafs...stuffed peppers...cabbage rolls...in it.
And of course for reheating...all the chili's...spaghetti sauces etc...that are preportioned.
I bake all our bread...immediately freeze...then re-warm each day.
So though I wouldn't exactly say we "cook" in it. We use them all daily for a number of purposes....and I'd be lost without them!
I think for many who do not use them much...maybe it's just that you're not quite sure how to? Or maybe you aren't aware that they are so easy to use for things that you normally have to stand over a stove and stir. Just takes a little practice...and "want to" usually.
There's not a darn thing wrong with the "stove" method if you prefer it though!

 

[GB]

KAYLINDA brings up an interesting point, that restaurants use microwaves. I have no way of knowing how often this happens or which restaurants use them and which do not, but this got me thinking. For those of you who said that you can taste a difference in food that has been nuked, have you ever noticed it in a restaurant?

 

[Andy M.]

Microwave Tips:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Microwave_ovens_safety_issues

This is good info.