Americans seem to be embracing the president's call, at least when it comes to "nuking" in the kitchen: Microwave use grew 10 percent last year after having remained flat for two decades, according to "The 24th Annual Report on Eating Patterns in America" by the NPD Group, a market-research company.
Even though Americans are eating at home more often, they aren't cooking from scratch as much, according to Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst for the NPD Group and author of the annual "Eating Patterns in America." And that's where the microwave comes in.
Stove tops and cooktops are still the most popular cooking appliance for main meals, but the percentage of main meals prepared on them fell from 52 percent in 1985 to 33 percent in 2009, according to the NPD Group. The rise of microwaves is responsible for some of that decline. Last year, Americans used a microwave for 22.5 percent of main meals, more than double the 10.5 percent who did in 1985.
What else might account for the growth in main-meal microwave use? Certainly, more microwavable foods are available than ever. And perhaps the versatility and options that many microwaves provide—convection capability; steam-cooking, like the feature on the Sharp SuperSteam Oven AX-1200[K]); a speed-cook setting for chicken; and other conveniences—have made them a more-viable option for consumers.
Microwaves are also ideal for time-strapped consumers looking for meal-prep shortcuts. One company is even targeting carpoolers, commuters, road-tripping families, and other folks on the go with what it says is the first truly portable microwave, the WaveBox Original, $199 (shown). The 14-pound WaveBox can work off of AC or DC power using different cables, providing a claimed 660 watts when connected to a 12-volt battery or 240 watts when running off an in-vehicle power outlet.
If you're going to use the WaveBox or any other plug-in device in your car, say a laptop computer or a portable DVD player, you'll want to read the safety advice in "How to Organize Your Car and Why," from the Consumer Reports Car Blog.Are you using your microwave more than before? What creative ways do you cook food in your microwave? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
I've been using a microwave since 1983 for most of my cooking. In fact the only time I use the stove now is to bake a cake or cook a turkey. Virtually everything else is zapped. You don't know how good veggies can be until you cook them in the microwave. Place in a rice cooker or in a basket within a larger container, add a very small amount of water and a cover. It's a little bit like steaming them but more efficiently since they cook by the innate water in their cellular structure. This procedure allows the vegetables to maintain their vitamins and minerals and preserves the full taste.
Our microwave broke almost a year ago. We've gotten by without it. We reheat in the oven and defrost using tap water and stove top. We only miss the microwave once in a while. I like to reheat my tea in it. I think it encourages unhealthy eating (pre-made foods)Still on the fence about whether to replace it. I could put extra kitchen drawers in its space which might be more fruitful.
I had to start using a counter-top microwave when our oven stopped working about twenty years ago. I've cooked a variety of baked goods that I formerly cooked in the oven i.e. brownies, cake, even pancakes. And it' a major assistance in preparing a quick nutritious breakfast. I quite often will cook the food the night before and quickly reheat it the next day. I've also found that there are many good and highly qualified cooks on the internet. As for nutrition, if your an inventive cook, you don't have to eat prepackaged foods. You cook just about anything that you would cook stove-top or in a oven-and cook it much faster too.
@ Kris. If you seriously think or believe (and I'll quote you), "This procedure allows the vegetables to maintain their vitamins and minerals and preserves the full taste." Then let me suggest you do a little college level research and maybe re/learn what microwave's really do. It reduces vitamin levels lower then stovetop, traditional ovens or grilling and actually alters the food in way's a sci-fi show wishes it had thought up. Just food for thought.
@steve,
Yes, I do believe (as does Consumer Reports by the way) that more nutrients are maintained in microwaved vegetables.
Perhaps your "college level" research consists of the myths and lore on the internet that attempts to scare people in order to advance a particular agenda. Follow the source of many of the fear articles and you will often come back to a few individuals or groups that are on the extremes of society.
Do you use a cell phone? Hope you don't hold it to your head.
You grill your food? Hope you realize the potential for carcinogens in your burgers.
Stovetop? Please tell me you don't fry your food.
Baking? OK, I'll give you that one, just be sure it's low temp and covered to retain moisture.
Do you toast your bread? Uh oh.
Use a blender? Oxidating your food can reduce the vitamin and nutrient level.
Indeed, heating or cooking any food will alter its chemical composition, that's what heat does. Microwaving properly will incur less heat more quickly, thereby minimizing the effects of the cooking process.
Want to be really safe? Eat your veggies raw. Then again, heat actually releases some beneficial properties (think tomatoes and lycopene). In short, when Edison invented the electric light bulb people thought it would hurt their eyes and they would go blind. Like any other invention, there is a negative and a positive spin to its use. You have to choose which path to follow. Me, I'll enjoy my veggies microwaved. :-)
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