Help me come up with cheap meals

[Anonymous]

PP, I have tried to cook with sterno -- it just doesn't work that great.

I mean, sure, you can eventually boil a few cups of water for tea or something. But I'm thinking of a mom trying to boil water for spaghetti or mac and cheese for her kid. It would take a VERY long time over a can of sterno.

Anyhow if you have a microwave that's a more efficient way to boil water.

[Anonymous]

OP check out this blog -- the no kitchen cook!

cooking pasta in a microwave:

http://no-kitchen-cook.livejournal.com/626.html

[Anonymous]

OP if you do share an anon email address - i have kitchen items i would love to share with you. I think you could get whatever appliances you need and want from the group here. Thanks for sharing the most positive story on DCUM i have seen.

Congrats on your new place!

[Anonymous]

more tips on cooking pasta in a microwave:

http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/3361/cooking-pasta-in-the-microwave

I'd say you can definitely do this OP. As long as you have a way to cook pasta, and a fridge for leftovers.

[Anonymous]

Electric griddle and a microwave got me through a long period without a stove. I still pull out that griddle all the time!!

[Anonymous]

I used a hot pot in college to boil water for pasta and ravioli.

You can cook a lot of things with a toaster oven, microwave, hot pot, and crock pot.

[Anonymous]

thanks for all the ideas im going to try and cook pasta in the microwave for dinner.

[e-mail]

loving all the ideas.

healthy and cheap can be hard even with a kitchen

there is a local aldi here so thanks for the suggestion

[Anonymous]

Buying a Rotisserie chicken and using it for several meals would be good. The first day, eat the wings and drumsticks with a side and take the rest off the bone. Add it to microwaved seasoned rice, serve it with steamed broccoli or salad, shred it and add it to ramen noodles with some cilantro and lime.

Kielbasa is also a good go-to protein. I stock up when it's on sale and add it to mac and cheese or serve it with a baked potato (6 minutes in the microwave).

Fish is actually good steamed in the microwave. Cheaper fillets like basa or catfish can be dressed with soy sauce, garlic powder, and cilantro and steamed under plastic wrap for 2 minutes.

Korean grocery stores will be your best bet for good, cheap produce. I can often walk out of there with a week's worth of fruits and veggies for 2 for about $20.