Help! Microwave cooking for a starving student!

chika

Hello People!

I've just left home to go to uni. I've moved into catered halls and the mealtimes are quite strict and I keep missing them due to work etc.

My big problem is there is no cooker for me to make meals when I get home and I keep having to buy expensive microwave meals

Can anyone help with some suggestions for nice food that I can do in the microwave and how to do it. I'm fed up of beans and scrambled eggs! If you cook anything at all in the microwave then let me know - all suggestions will be gratefully received.

Just to let you know there is a fridge, a toaster & a microwave and I have some plates and dishes but no plastic ones. Should I go and buy some microwave dishes?

Thanks!

Chika x

recovering_spendaholic

Can you get to a Woolworths? They sell JML toastie bags which are re-usable silicone bags which you put a sandwich into and then put the bag into the toaster and it makes a lovely toastie. They only cost £3.95 and are well worth it I think. The plates and dishes in your kitchen may not be microwaveable so you may need to get a couple of microwave dishes - the cheapest I have seen are in home and bargain, but woolies also do them quite cheaply.

In terms of actual cooking in the microwave, you can do quite nice jacket potatoes and then top them with tuna, cheese, beans etc. You can also make scrambled eggs, and you can cook rice in the microwave too - but you could always buy some of those pouches with rice in that you just micro in 2 minutes and have them with cold meat. Another good micro dish is corned beef hash - just bake a potato and then when it is cooked after about 7 mins take it out and scoop out the insides and mash them with some corned beef and chopped spring onions, salt and pepper and then put this back into the two halves and top with a bit of grated cheese and micro for another couple of minutes.

However if you are in catered halls aren't you missing out on meals you have paid for in your rent?

I see you are in Manchester - I went to university there and lived in Grosvenor Place and Whitworth Park halls. Do they still have those strict halls like St Gabriels and the like?

culpepper

you can use plastic/glass /china in the micro no stoneware.
Look for a 'suitable for microwave' sticker on new dsihes.
When we first married,I used a picnic plate set in my microwave as we were so skint we couldnt afford plates.
You can make plate pizza using a plain scone dough and just add topping then microwave.Look in the library for a micro recipe book or charity shops have them a lot and also seem to have microwave dishes too.
You can do puddings and poached eggs in a mug or cup

squeaky

Some threads from the MEGA Index sticky, full of good stuff


Microwave:
- Cooking challenge
- Meringues?
- Nutritious and filling meals?
- Sponge puds

anguk

I've got a Farmhouse Kitchen microwave cookbook and use that quite often for quick & tasty meals, it's got some really good basic instructions including type of utensils etc to use. There's a couple quite cheap on Ebay at the moment:

Microwave Cookbook

purpleimp

You can pick up tiny wee slow cookers really cheapy, enough for 1 or 2 portions and they're on ebay quite often, the outlay would soon pay for itself that way you can leave it on in your room (not in the kitchen because people will always peek and let the heat out) and have dinner ready when you get back in from work, would save on time and you can make loads in the sc that you wouldn't dream of doing in the micro, off topic but it might be of use, HTH.xxx

lynzpower

What about a veggie curry? You could get a tin of lentils, tin of chopped toms, veg, curry powder & heath through - would that work anyone??

What about soya mince? I use the holland & barrett ones which you are meant to heat on hob with water, but I normally just pour a bit of boiling water on it. in a mug, maybe some herbs & passata & that would make an impromptu bolognese sauce & you can get microwave pasta & rice pouches

Erm.....

melancholly

where are you doing your food shopping manchester? there may be some really cheap supermarkets close to you (e.g. aldi in fallowfield, the huge asda in hulme), rather than the standard sainsburys in fallowfield.

tr3mor

melancholly wrote:

where are you doing your food shopping manchester? there may be some really cheap supermarkets close to you (e.g. aldi in fallowfield, the huge asda in hulme), rather than the standard sainsburys in fallowfield.

If you are in manchester, like your info says:

Lidl on oxford road right by the university. Melancholly is right, Sainsbury's is rubbish!

If you're at university there are two sandwich shops in the precinct above "The Phoenix" (scream pub). These sell off all their sandwiches/baguettes for £1 each come 3pm. They're fantastic.

For any other students:

Also, if you've only just moved into halls you can't be working that hard surely? Hasn't anyone told you that the first year is just about getting the 40%? Don't need to aim any higher than that!

PS Melancholly, I didn't realise you were a Manchester person, are you a uni here too?

carolt

Fresh fish cooks beautifully and quickly in the microwave - I almost always cook it that way as dries out less than grilling, healthier than frying, quicker than baking etc. Just top with butter and/or herbs, tomato sauce, pesto, marinade in olive oil/lemon juice/soy sauce etc etc to taste and cook on high ie full power for about 1-2 mins depending on number of pieces cooked.

Works with any fish - cover fish if you don't want to have to clean the microwave too much.

For a quick, balanced and nutritious meal, microwave a portion of new potatoes - no need to peel in a bowl with a little water for about 5-6 minutes on full, and add some fresh or frozen veg, eg peas, brocolli etc microwaved in same bowl with enough fresh water to cover for 3-5 minutes depending on how well done you like your veg. Serve potatoes and veg on the china plate you cooked fish on, with a little of the cooking juices from the fish spooned over the potatoes or some (more) buttter. Presto! one healthy (esp if use oily fish like salmon, trout, or (cheaper but v yummy) mackerel fillets) and balanced dinner, only 1 plate and one bowl to wash up - total cooking time about 10 minutes.

A favourite of my 2 dd's and a good one when I'm too tired to cook 'properly'.:D

chika

Wow thanks for all the suggestions, I may not starve now!

I do pay for my meals in the rent but when I'm out on placement or at work then I miss them. I get a card with £48 on it each week so I tend to spend what I dont spend on meals on sweets and drinks from the canteen which I give to my siblings when I go home.

I live in Didsbury and tend to go shopping in the Tesco here although I've been to sainsburys at Fallowfield a couple of times (and nearly spent my entire student loan!)

Has anyone been to that large asian supermarket called Worldwide in Rusholme?

Also do slow cookers let out a lot of steam / heat? I'm a bit paranoid about setting the heat sensing alarm off in my room and just a bit wary of leaving something electical on all day. Reasurrance please?!