According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, luxury is “an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease”.

The word luxury can trigger many people as meaning it’s something unnecessary, ostentatious or even wasteful.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that those are not the things we stand for here, or how we interpret luxury.

I love that definition from the dictionary because it highlights feelings that light up your soul: pleasure, satisfaction and ease. Indulging in them means diving right in, no guilt necessary.

So when it comes to living in a state of luxury, many times less is more.

For example, a room with a few selected pieces that bring you pleasure and comfort is much more luxurious than a room full of things you don’t enjoy or use.

A closet that reflects your personality and holds a few essential pieces that make you feel beautiful and authentic, is much more luxurious than a closet full of clothes you don’t wear or that don’t fit, but cost a lot of money, so you keep them around.

I think the ease part of the definition is something that many people associate with luxury, such as hiring help, or enjoying an all-inclusive vacation spot, for instance.

I’m all for ease too, and if done responsibly, I say go for it and enjoy it!

So What does this Have to Do with Microwaves?

Well, sometimes living in luxury means you give up things that might be convenient, for something that might be more conducive of the lifestyle you’d like to lead.

So luxury here means having the ability to make a choice to align your purchases and daily actions with your values.

Personally, the microwave is something we’ve given up in my family years ago because it didn’t align with the changes we were making in our lives.

In fact, I didn’t realize how long ago it was since we’ve had a microwave around until my 5-year-old saw one for the first time and asked what it was. What?!

Just like most information out there regarding radiation from everyday products, the microwave is no exception to a variety of opinions on the matter ¹. Are they really that bad? And what’s the alternative?

Our reasons for giving up on the microwave relate to the lack of insight on long-term effects of microwave use (is electromagnetic radiation really safe²?), and the possible effect it has on nutrients during the microwaving process.

Life After the Microwave

If you are curious how I have survived without a microwave, step into my kitchen!

My favorite appliance for leftovers and fast cooking is my toaster oven. It is so versatile, compact and can do just about any job.

For one, we don’t need a toaster as I can use it for toasting bread and more.

For most leftovers, I simply place them on an oven-safe dish, add a bit of water, and set up a reheating time, usually anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the quantity and type of dish. Toaster ovens don’t need preheating time, so you can even bake in them.

Frozen items such as burritos, take about 15 minutes on one side, then an extra 10 minutes after flipping it for even baking.

If I’m warming up a sauce, soup or pasta dish, I usually just use a pot on the stove and it’s ready in a few minutes.

Steaming is also another quick way to warm up leftovers such as dumplings.

If you are thinking 15 minutes is an eternity to warm up food, I totally get it! I thought I would struggle to adjust too.

I was however, pleasantly surprised to find out how quickly I adapted to this change, and it’s not as painful as it might seem.

If we get home and are ready to eat, but we need to wait 25 minutes for a burrito, we will usually do something else first that we would otherwise take care of later. For example, I might take a shower, or make lunch for the next day. If I really need to, I might have a quick snack, but most of the time the wait is just part of my routine, so it doesn’t rattle me.

Some of the links on this post are affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you make a purchase through them.