I dreaded the day that I would suddenly switch from homemade meals in a real home kitchen to dining hall food and to-go snacks. Like most first year college students, my entire cooking area is a microwave and a mini-fridge.
However, I have managed to find a few microwavable tools that produce practically legitimate meals. This list will provide you with everything you need if you still want to cook and "adult," even with only a microwave.
1. Lékué Omelette Cooker
Let's start with breakfast. While cereal may be a super easy kitchen-free option, it can get old pretty fast, and doesn't always provide you with the energy needed to get through 8 am classes.
The Lékué Omelette Cooker is fast, easy to use, and makes you feel like the fancy chef you know you are. All you have to do is crack two eggs, mix 'em up, add some frozen veggies or cheese, and let the microwave work its magic. This is a definite morning must if you are a savory breakfast kind of person.
2. The Joseph Joseph Microwave Cool Touch Bowl
This simple gadget is perfect for steaming veggies, reheating leftovers, or cooking frozen meals. The cool touch layer makes it possible for you to dig in as soon as the timer goes off, and the bowl is ridiculously easy to clean. Everything in the bowl will cook evenly the first time around thanks to the steam-freeing lid, making this the perfect tool for the chef with no time.
3. Sistema Microwave Noodle Bowl
This microwave necessity is perfect for cooking dry grains or pasta, heating soup, or taking your meal to go. The splatter-free vent lid and handle make it the most convenient bowl you will ever own. You might forget you don't have a real kitchen when you are enjoying a hardy bowl of perfectly-cooked quinoa or veggie pasta that didn't come in a microwavable pouch.
4. The GreenSaver Produce Keeper
You proudly buy a box of perfectly ripe strawberries, forgetting you are now the only one who will be eating them, and within days, they are mush. This is the story of my first week in college. The GreenSaver Produce Keeper has been saving me from this experience ever since.
It comes with a removable strainer basket to keep your fruits and veggies dry, as well as carbon filters that trap ethylene gas. If you like to keep fresh produce around but don't have time to replace it every single week, this is the kitchen essential of your dreams.
For me, these four are the basics, but there is a whole world out there of other clever microwave tools that are worth looking into if you are serious about making your microwave into a kitchen. There are even egg poachers and rice cookers specifically made for the microwave.
So, if your sick of ramen and dining hall food, consider putting some of these gadgets on your Christmas list so you can take on the role of head chef in your tiny dorm room kitchen.