Of course, along with being excited, I’m also stressed out and neurotically nervous about the renovation - because I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t completely stressed out and expecting the worst. When you live in a house built in 1921 there are a lot of things that can go wrong with any house project. And then, of course, there is diabetes. Because diabetes adds an extra layer of stress to just about anything, right?Here’s the thing. In the next month or so my kitchen will be gutted. For approximately five weeks I’ll have no stove or sink, and the contents of my cabinets will be in boxes. Hopefully we can stick the refrigerator in the dining room to hold some food . . . . and cream for coffee made in a borrowed Keurig. As long as I have coffee and some fruits and vegetables I’m good for breakfast and lunch. But dinner is what I’m worried about. Dinners for five weeks with no kitchen. Dinners at restaurants for five weeks. I don’t see how my blood sugars (or my pants size) are going to handle that. Help!!!
Have you ever gone through a similar renovation? How did you manage to eat healthy when you had no kitchen? I could sure use any tips!
The crock pot is your new best friend.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cara, get a crockpot, you can just throw all kinds of things in there! You can even do stuff that is not the traditional crockpot fare, I have made lasagna, enchiladas, baked potatoes in my crockpot. all you need is a little work space to chop up stuff and throw it all in! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteOooohhh, crockpot cooking is a great idea - I love my crockpot. Although I worry about how I'll wash it with no kitchen sink. I kind of cringe at the thought of using the bathroom to wash kitchen stuff. #germaphobe
Deletewell, you wash your hands in the bathroom and then go cook in the kitchen, so it's basically the same as washing the crockpot there, isn't it? :-)
Delete(and don't worry about germs, most bacteria won't survive cooking temperature anyway... :-)
Actually, I always re-wash my hands in the kitchen with anti-bacterial soap before starting to cook. But I do see your point, and also hadn't thought about the fact that the heat of the crockpot kills the germs anyway.
DeleteIf you have a place or a friends house you could store home made meals you have made in advance could work as well. It is a lot of work in advance but could possibly help.
ReplyDeleteWe survived the no kitchen for a week and it wasn't easy. Coffee pot and microwave were in the laundry room. Fridge was in the dining room.
ReplyDeleteWe used a whole lot of paper plates! We used a plastic tub for dish washing in the tub. And even though it was January, we grilled.
It was all very annoying but your new kitchen will be so worth it!
Karen, as someone with the second-ugliest kitchen in the world (soon to be the ugliest), I'm surprised no one has mentioned a gas grill. Can't use it in the rain, but it should be useable otherwise. I love the crock pot idea, too. And maybe a toaster oven. Good luck with the renovation... be sure to take before and after photos!
ReplyDeleteOh crockpot is a great idea! Karen-they actually make crock pot liners, which makes cleaning up SOOO much easier. Keep us posted on how it goes. I never even thought of the complications of a kitchen renovation with diabetes...I'm not a fan of my kitchen so I dream about renovating it one day. Good luck!
ReplyDeletehi Karen i've been there, done that! it was no fun and lasted about 4weeks overall. yes, my fridge was in the dining room, we ate off paper plates. the bathtub became my new kitchen sink. it was a little gross at first and we did eat take out quite a lot (bad me). had i thought about preparing meals in advance and storing them in the freezer for reheating in the microwave, i would have! and the crockpot is an awesome friend during a reno!!
ReplyDeletegood luck, and i would love to see some pics of before and after!
Oooh oooh oooh! This is my specialty!! Crock pot is definitely the best!! My mom used to use a hot plate too. I also have an all in one cooker that I LOVE. Basically, gadgets are your friends! Meats can definitely be tough, but you'll get through it. Also, I wash everything in the bathroom sink, and other than size, it's completely fine! (If you need any suggestions, I will be glad to help!)
ReplyDeleteHoly Moly - what a stressor! I ditto the crock pot idea. That's a great way to make warm and healthy meals and so easy to "throw and go". Best of luck on the remodel and here's to awesome "D" friendly meals when it's all done!
ReplyDelete