A Life Without a Microwave

My thoughts and experiences on living without a microwave for almost 2 years...

A couple of years ago I read an article online about the harms of using microwaves, it was a long in depth article using words I didn't know to explain what happens to your food, your home, your environment when you use your microwave.  (I've tried to relocate this specific article, but I forget where I read it from and there are so many similar pieces out there, just google something like harm and microwave and you will have your pick of articles to read!)

I read through most of the article, very skeptical about what I was reading, tucked it in my mental library and went on with life. I feel like the idea of not microwaving plastic is pretty prevalent, because the plastic particles can leak into your food and contaminate it.  (Why does every single tv dinner come in plastic?!) Nonetheless, I went on with my life trying to use my microwave less, and stand further away from it when it was running, (as apposed to smashing my face right against the door to see what was going on inside.... common I know you do that too!) but it was hard, microwaves are just so convenient!  

About a year later I came across the same article (coincidence?) referenced from one of the blogs I follow. This time I did read the whole thing and for some reason my opinions changed or I was much less skeptical than before. This was also right before we moved into the house we are at now. Since the farmhouse we were moving to had previously been occupied by an amish family they did not have a microwave there, and our city house had the microwave built into the cabinets. We were renting out our city house so it seemed like a good idea to just keep it there as an extra incentive to get it rented out quickly. It was kind of a conscious decision but a lot easier than grabbing our already used microwave and getting rid of it! Our new place was not going to have a microwave so we would just get used to it! I couldn't decide if I was crazy or not... having a small child with the second on the way any convenience you can get at that stage in life is gold. 

Then we moved, and I started questioning my decision instantly.  The first couple weeks were rough, I was in a new house, couldn't find anything, and throwing something in the microwave would have been so nice sometimes, but it's like any habit that you want to break, it takes time to adjust. This went on for about a month, and then something awesome happened, I forgot about it! We bought a toaster oven shortly after we moved in and we use it all the time.  Sure it takes a little longer to heat things up but the food comes out evenly cooked and doesn't turn into mush! Leftover pizza is awesome when warmed up in the toaster oven, instead of the gummy chewy crust that happens when you microwave it. I love it.  We also have this thing called a stove! It works really well to reheat things as well :)  To be honest the only time I really think about not having a microwave is when people come over and ask where our microwave is, and then I have to tell them we don't have one!  They probably think we are crazy, but at this point I don't mind. 

I don't know if every single thing I read in the article about microwaves is true.  Actually I have read other articles that try and debunk those ideas, and claim the author is using scare tactics.  I'm not a scientist and I don't plan on doing in depth research about it.  I just decided, if there was even a remote part of it that was true, I didn't want my family exposed to the results.  Do I worry about it when we go to other peoples houses and they use their microwaves? Nope.  Do I judge other people who have microwaves? Not at all.  There are plenty of things in our environment that we are exposed to every day, I can't control all of them, and I don't want to spend the time trying. What I can control is what I use in my house. You can read the articles yourself if you want to and make your own decision, I just wanted to let you all know there is a life without a microwave, and I would even say its a better one!  If you've ever thought about it, or have the same concerns, why not make 2016 the year to make the move? 

-Here's to ditching TV dinners, and other microwavable junk food because you don't have a microwave!

-Here's to more nutritious food because you aren't zapping out all of its nutrients!

-Here's to better tasting leftovers!

-Here's to keeping our kids, ourselves, and our environments under exposed to microwaves.

-Here's to actually using our expensive kitchen appliances, our ovens and stoves!

-Here's to slowing down and hopefully spending a little more time with family and enjoying our food!

Do you have a microwave, have you thought about ditching it before? Tell me what you think, am I crazy?

<3

Monica