Countertop Appliances
These are a few appliances I have had experience with. Obviously, this list is nowhere near comprehensive.
Food quality is super important to me. Microwaves just don't deliver on food quality. I have been known to buy "microwave meals" and stick them in a conventional oven to heat (some have instructions for such).
Lesson learned: The right appliances can really empower kids to eat better and be more independent. No, it doesn't have to be microwave.
When I have had toasters in the past, I preferred to buy wide-slot toasters because I eat a lot of weird bread. I like being able to toast bagels and English muffins, but I am not a big fan of most food products designed to be heated in a toaster (Eggo waffles, for example -- though I do eat pop tarts, they don't have to be heated to eat them).
If you have a small one, you can feed up to three people with it, but it will take a bit longer. You will need to cook food in shifts and not all in one go.
Some meal ideas for a George Foreman Grill:
Microwaves
These are really popular. I hate them. I haven't owned one in years and every microwave I ever had was a gift from some relative or other who liked microwaves and thought I "needed" one and just couldn't afford it.Food quality is super important to me. Microwaves just don't deliver on food quality. I have been known to buy "microwave meals" and stick them in a conventional oven to heat (some have instructions for such).
Hot Air Popcorn Popper
The last time I had a microwave and it died, I didn't really want to spend about $150 to replace it. I talked to my kids who said "The only thing we will miss is the popcorn button," so we spent around $15 on a hot air popcorn popper. They used it regularly and it produced excellent quality popcorn without all the additive gunk found in microwave popcorn.Lesson learned: The right appliances can really empower kids to eat better and be more independent. No, it doesn't have to be microwave.
Toasters
I grew up with a toaster. I spent much of my life feeling like a toaster was an essential for any kitchen and you can't live without it, yet it's been a lot of years since I've owned a toaster.When I have had toasters in the past, I preferred to buy wide-slot toasters because I eat a lot of weird bread. I like being able to toast bagels and English muffins, but I am not a big fan of most food products designed to be heated in a toaster (Eggo waffles, for example -- though I do eat pop tarts, they don't have to be heated to eat them).
George Foreman Grill
One of my favorite countertop appliances is a George Foreman Grill. If you have one of the medium or large ones, you can potentially cook an entire meal on it for one to two people in one go with not much time or effort.If you have a small one, you can feed up to three people with it, but it will take a bit longer. You will need to cook food in shifts and not all in one go.
Some meal ideas for a George Foreman Grill:
- Buy thin-cut steaks plus good quality bread and/or deli sides. If you like gravy, you can use the natural gravy from the drip pan to pour over deli sides (mashed potatoes, potato wedges, fried rice) or soak it up with bread.
- Get regular eye-round steaks and cut pineapple slices and yam slices to a similar thickness. Toss some fresh onion on with it.
- Slice up any kind of potato to grill with thin-sliced steaks. You can do the same with carrots.