That time I tried meal prepping with just a rice cooker and a microwave for a whole month

Last January I moved into a studio with basically no kitchen, just a tiny counter and a sink. I had a rice cooker and a microwave, that's it. I decided I was gonna meal prep for the whole month on a budget of $40 a week. First week I made rice and beans with frozen veggies, it worked but got boring fast. Week two I got creative, like dumping canned tomatoes and spices in the rice cooker with chicken thighs. I ended up eating a LOT of mushy oatmeal and steamed potatoes. By week three I was so sick of everything I just ate peanut butter sandwiches for three days straight. Has anyone else tried cooking on a serious equipment limit and what's the best thing you made?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliviac228d ago

Wait, you were eating mushy oatmeal AND steamed potatoes in the same week? That sounds like a texture nightmare. But I gotta gently push back on something. Rice cookers can actually do way more than just rice and mushy stuff. In my experience, you can legit make a whole chili in there. Just dump in canned beans, crushed tomatoes, some chili powder, and maybe some ground meat if you have it. Let it cook for like 45 minutes and you get a thick, flavorful chili that doesn't taste like a wet sponge. Also, steamed potatoes are fine if you cut them small and toss them with oil and salt before cooking. They come out way better than the big mushy chunks you probably ended up with. Your mileage may vary, but I think a rice cooker can handle more than you gave it credit for here.

the_evan7d ago

Honestly, is this really the hill we need to die on over a rice cooker?