How much do you use the microwave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am really confused by the lack of microwave usage here! I cook every night but I still use the microwave constantly -- to reheat leftovers (often for lunch), to "bake" potatoes, soften butter, cook veggies quickly.

What do people do to reheat leftovers if not using the microwave? Do you do everything on the stove? wait for the oven? Or do you just throw away all leftovers so you never have them?

The stove or oven or toaster oven. It usually tastes better.

+1 Super easy, fast, and tastes better.

[Anonymous]

Fascinating. I consider myself to be somewhat of a health nut and microwaving (in glass or ceramic) doesn't bother me at all. I make big batches of steel cut oatmeal and reheat daily servings in the microwave. I reheat leftovers for lunch pretty much daily. I'm shocked by how many people don't use it regularly. Do you all eat out for lunch every day or just eat salads/sandwiches? Do you cook a fresh dinner every night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am really confused by the lack of microwave usage here! I cook every night but I still use the microwave constantly -- to reheat leftovers (often for lunch), to "bake" potatoes, soften butter, cook veggies quickly.

What do people do to reheat leftovers if not using the microwave? Do you do everything on the stove? wait for the oven? Or do you just throw away all leftovers so you never have them?

The stove or oven or toaster oven. It usually tastes better.

+1 Super easy, fast, and tastes better.

I can give you tastes better, and easy enough, but the whole point of the microwave is speed. Unless you have a fancy oven, baking potatoes takes forever in the oven.

[Anonymous]

I love my microwave, and my toaster oven, regular ovens, and range. All are great tools. The microwave is especially great for teen athletes, who always seem to be starving. Mine are perfectly willing to serve themselves healthy soups and leftovers if I've left them in containers suitable for microwaving, and they have become experts at turning out oatmeal and pasta and rice using a microwave cooker. For potatoes, you can par-cook them in the microwave for 5 or 6 minutes, then finish them for 10 or 15 minutes in a 450 degree oven without sacrificing much taste or texture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating. I consider myself to be somewhat of a health nut and microwaving (in glass or ceramic) doesn't bother me at all. I make big batches of steel cut oatmeal and reheat daily servings in the microwave. I reheat leftovers for lunch pretty much daily. I'm shocked by how many people don't use it regularly. Do you all eat out for lunch every day or just eat salads/sandwiches? Do you cook a fresh dinner every night?

I either get take-out or bring a sandwich (but often than not, get take-out). We rarely have leftovers. I do cook from scratch (but easy meals) most nights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Daily. Use it to defrost things. Cook frozen veggies. Make baked potatoes. Reheat leftovers. Heat up water for tea.

+1

Melt/soften butter for the kids toast/waffles every morning.

[Anonymous]

[quote=

Only use glass containers in the microwave. My concern is not about using microwave, but using plastic containers in it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I can give you tastes better, and easy enough, but the whole point of the microwave is speed. Unless you have a fancy oven, baking potatoes takes forever in the oven.

I don't think the "tastes better" is true for a lot of things -- soup, lots of casseroles, pretty much anything liquidy -- are as good or better reheated in a microwave. Something bready -- pizza, pot pie -- yes, those are better heated in an oven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious -- those who avoid the microwave, do you do this because you worry that microwaving isn't healthy?

No. I don't generally use it for reheating because most re-heating tastes better in a toaster oven or on the stove. I think some people who use a microwave to reheat everything are imagining that other forms of reheating takes longer than it does. Reheating pizza under the broiler, for example, takes under two minutes and tastes massively better than microwaved pizza. Even some things I would think would re-heat much faster in the microwave than on the stove don't. For example, I would think a microwave would be great at heating soup, but it heats so unevenly that if you're re-heating a larger amount i find it easier to use a pot than to open the microwave and stir a bowl five times.

As others have said, I'm more likely to use it to reheat now that i have kids, because the portion sizes are so tiny it takes 12 seconds to reheat, and a lot of toddler food still tastes ok reheated in a microwave.