Help! Full Meals Made With Only A Toaster Oven, Fridge, and

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lukeout007
lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
in Recipes
Ok so here's the deal...my father in law is fighting cancer and as a result we've moved in with them and are living in their basement for awhile. We rarely cook in their kitchen as its...well...dirty and not easy to cook in. I've relegated my cooking to only what we have available downstairs. A toaster oven, a refrigerator, a keurig that can put out hot water, and a small sink.

So far I've been doing pretty well with this...before I started eating healthy we were eating out almost every day or ordering something for delivery. Since we stopped doing that we've been eating a lot of salads, some pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and pre-cooked shrimp from the grocery store, as well as we've done some baked potatoes and a pita pizza in the toaster oven.

My question is...I'm running out of ideas for what I can do down here.

Here's the curve ball...it's supposed to snow here this weekend and we'll probably be stuck and unable to go to the grocery store for a couple of days due to some large hills in the area. So I can't go out and buy everything fresh each day as I usually would (when I had a full kitchen).

So not only do I need to be able to make it in the toaster oven but I also need to buy things that will last for several days in the fridge or freezer without spoiling.

ANY ideas are much appreciated.

Oh...and our goal is to keep meals under 500 calories.

Replies

  • mommyoverboard
    mommyoverboard Posts: 105
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/448076-chick-on-the-barbie-bbq-pizza
  • caramkoala
    caramkoala Posts: 303 Member
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    My only suggestion would be to invest in a hotplate to widen your options. You could make soup then.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
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    what about lasagna? i used to be able to make lasagna in a toaster oven. you need a small pan (i used a bread loaf pan) but i worked well.

    also, you can bake chicken in the toaster oven.

    is there a microwave in the kitchen upstairs? you can make rice in the microwave.

    if not, i'd suggest getting some lunch meat and bread. peanut butter is also yummy.

    oatmeal with the hot water from the Keurig.

    also, this sounds bad, but what about cleaning the kitchen? that way you'd be able to cook more.


    good luck to your father in law!
  • Sd0510
    Sd0510 Posts: 295 Member
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    Do you have a microwave? There are many lean cuisine and weight watchers microwavable meals if you have one.
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
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    Full meals would be a tuffy.... If you're trying to lose weight, you should be eating several mini meals per day if that is possible. Instead of breakfast, lunch, dinner (each meal @500 calories), how about breakfast, morning snack. lunch, afternoon snack, light dinner, evening snack?

    It would make cooking easier if you were having smaller meals...? You could try:

    Breakfast: Oatmeal w/toast
    Morning snack: yogurt & almonds
    Lunch: Tuna Melt & salad
    Afternoon snack: cheese and crackers
    Dinner: see this website http://mantestedrecipes.com/recipes/tag-11365/easy-family-dinner-toaster-oven-recipes.aspx
    Evening snack: fresh veggies w/ranch
  • DrNicoleRed
    DrNicoleRed Posts: 52 Member
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    No microwave, just a toaster oven? Makes things a little tricky. But a single person that has been a student for the majority of my life, I think I can make up some stuff:

    --Could do frozen veggie medleys/broccoli/asparagus and bake/roast them in the toaster oven
    --Frozen salmon/tuna: can broil in toaster oven
    --Canned salmon or tuna over a bed of salad greens
    --Salmon/tuna salad with lowfat mayo, tons of dijon, relish, celery
    --quesedillas--lowfat cheese, veggies, leftover rotisserie chicken
    --greek yogurt for breakast/snack


    If you have a rice steamer or crockpot available…that opens up more options. Soups, chili, etc.

    Prayers for the improved health of your father-in-law!
  • dovesgate
    dovesgate Posts: 894 Member
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    My biggest tip is to try and get yourselves a slow cooker/crockpot before the snow hits. You can cook so much in a crockpot and you can make big enough portions in a good sized one that you can freeze the extra food for days you're too tired or drained to do more than heat something up.

    In the meantime (or if you can't get one):
    http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/microwave-toaster-oven-recipes

    http://www.toaster-oven.net/toasterovenrecipes.html

    http://mantestedrecipes.com/recipes/toaster-oven-recipes.aspx
  • TheGlen
    TheGlen Posts: 242 Member
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    1) Buy an indoor grill for sure.
    2) Buy either a hotplate or mini oven/hotplate combo ( http://goo.gl/FV9FG ).

    I lived in basement apartments all through school, and I don't think I went a day without using my indoor grill. Throw some frozen chicken breasts on, asparagus, make a salad on your plate while you wait and you have a full dinner in 15 minutes.

    The hot plates are useful for making rice, pasta or whatever side while you cook on the grill or in the oven.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    also, this sounds bad, but what about cleaning the kitchen? that way you'd be able to cook more.

    It doesn't sound bad. Unfortunately we've tried. It ends up a huge mess within hours. It's not just the kitchen either...I rarely go upstairs because I just can't stand being up there really. I can't wait until we can move again...
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    For those that have suggested additional equipment I definitely plan on getting some new things...the problem is just space. We don't have a lot of space to put things...So far I have looked into an indoor grill/griddle, a small microwave, and a slow cooker (my favorite piece of equipment period...unfortunately mine broke recently). So hopefully soon I will have more options.
  • mjsamee
    mjsamee Posts: 215 Member
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    you should deff invest in a crockpot, yOu can cook almost everything, as far as dinners go!
  • TheGlen
    TheGlen Posts: 242 Member
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    If you're trying to lose weight, you should be eating several mini meals per day if that is possible. Instead of breakfast, lunch, dinner (each meal @500 calories), how about breakfast, morning snack. lunch, afternoon snack, light dinner, evening snack?

    So, I hope I don't send this thread off on a tangent, but I feel compelled to say that there are many experts that now disagree with this conventional wisdom. You have to find what works for you, the "several mini meals per day" didn't for me (check out my profile or message me if you want to know what's been working for me...I don't want to get into it here, as I don't want to hijack the thread).

    Sorry to hear about your father in law. Cancer has directly impacted my life multiple times (as it has so many others), so I know what you are going through and my thoughts are with you guys.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    Thank you TheGlen and I agree. I've read a fair amount about the whole eat several mini meals vs. eat 3 meals a day thing...mini meals just isn't my thing...I'm sure it works for some people but I'm not one...I don't need huge meals (anymore) but its not easy to be eating every few hours.
  • icewindfirex
    icewindfirex Posts: 118
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    Frozen fish and chicken can be cooked in toaster ovens :) just season, wrap in tinfoil, and cook.
    Also, tuna fish!
  • merandrich
    merandrich Posts: 13
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    I would go to Target for 2 or 3 of their roasted chickens. You can pull one apart and put in the freezer. And the other 2 you can use in salads, wraps, in lettuce weaps my Favorite yummy low cal food, and sandwiches on the orawheat sandwich thins...also you can buy few cans of minestrone soup & add chicken to that.. I wld buy a few diff veggies like red & green peppers, baby carrots celery... and if you have a Sams card- they sell Ideal Protien shakes = they are Yummy..very filling. 160 cals- 1 sugar & 30 grams protein. I know you dont like to eat small meals but if you stay at 300 to 325 cals per meal the shakes make a perfect low cal snack & keep your metabolism revd. A small crockpot and small microwave wwld be helpful. good luck!
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
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    I like to do pre-cooked chicken breast or the pre-cooked steak (Tyson's or John Soulles??) and any veggies, fresh or veggies. Sprinkle on any seasonings (southwest, italian, etc...) and broil in the toaster over for about 10 minutes.

    Chicken or steak, onions, and peppers (broil the veggies longer till tender) and serve on tortillas.

    In toaster over, cut spaghetti squash down, cook till tender. Broil pre-cooked meatballs till warm, heat spaghetti sauce in small metal dish in toaster oven, and you have a healthy version of spaghetti....Well, not so much the meatballs...

    I would think anything you can wrap in foil packets and bake would work.
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
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    For those that have suggested additional equipment I definitely plan on getting some new things...the problem is just space. We don't have a lot of space to put things...So far I have looked into an indoor grill/griddle, a small microwave, and a slow cooker (my favorite piece of equipment period...unfortunately mine broke recently). So hopefully soon I will have more options.

    I would recommend an electric skillet over the griddle. If you get one big enough you can cook on it like the griddle, but you also have the sides like a skillet.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
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    You can cook anything you would normally make in a full-size over, in your toaster oven.


    They even sell mini baking dishes, and muffin pans for them.

    Here's a link I found with some ideas:

    http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,toaster_oven,FF.html


    And another:

    http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/easy/toaster-oven-recipes
  • nicoleisback
    nicoleisback Posts: 184
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    There are many healthy meals that can be made with just some hot water and a heat proof container.

    One of my favourites is noodle veggies. Get some 2 minute style noodles and a packet of frozen mixed veggies. In 1 container place the noodles and boiling water and seal. Do the same in another container with the veggies. Depending on the temperature of the room, you may need to add more boiling water after about 10 minutes. Cooking with this method you can make a meal in about 15 minutes.
  • hmstarbuck
    hmstarbuck Posts: 152 Member
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    Endless possibilities. I use mt toaster oven almost more than my oven. Grab some low cal tortillas and make individual pizzas. For sure grab a crock pot. All day cooking without having anything to do. You can get them for $20 at Walmart. There a loads of low cal things on the web you throw in there. Try skinnytaste.com. Also an electric skillet will make it so you do have a stove. It can be done! And good for you to sacrfice a bit to help. Good luck

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