I've lost my kitchen for the next few weeks because we are doing an update. (This is the before picture.) For me, this is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I get a break from the planning, shopping, prepping and cooking, and we get to try out some new restaurants. A curse because, well, eating at restaurants or take out for every meal is a bit scary for supporting healthy eating.
No stove, no oven, no microwave, but I do have an extra refrigerator in the basement. I must say though it’s going pretty well so far. That said, it’s only day 3. Here are a few things I am doing, and did in advance to “survive.”
Before demo day:
- Prepped four overnight oatmeal jars. These are little breakfasts right out of the fridge that require no cooking and I can eat them cold or room temperature.
- Prepped two chia puddings with fruit; again, raw ingredients requiring no cooking and no heating up.
- Prepped a pot of quinoa that I can use cold in green salad, or mix with blueberries and pumpkin seeds for breakfast, or with beans and greens for lunch or dinner.
- Hard-boiled eggs to have as a snack, or for breakfast, or to add to my green salad.
- Prepped a pot of beans that can be added to a green salad or mixed into quinoa.
- Stocked up on water from my refrigerator filter, but have also been relying on bottled mineral water.
- Have whole fruit like apples, bananas and oranges on hand for snacks.
- Have jars of nuts on hand for snacks.
During renovation:
- I am making sure that I have at least one big green salad each day either at a restaurant or making it at home (in the dining room).
- I am making sure to keep filling up my water bottle, and have a case of mineral water in the car.
- When we order out, I order a salad with a protein, and can always eat the left overs cold the next day for lunch. Those restaurant portions are usually too big for one sitting.
- The last thing I want to do for the next few weeks is to a) be hungry, and b) order heavy take out food. So with a few rules and preparation, I’m feeling pretty good about this challenge.
Have you been in this situation with no kitchen before? How did you survive?