Occasionally I need recipes that require minimal time, effort, and equipment. I love cooking and making big meals for my family. But with both of our kids in activities during the week, sometimes a meal or a snack that can be made in the microwave is the way to go. My kids enjoy that our microwave is low enough in our pantry for them to help. My preschooler can practice her numbers by helping me use it for cooking, and when the timer ends it sings a little jingle which my toddler loves to dance to. Using the microwave throughout the day is a win for everyone at my house!

Since I don’t always have time to preheat the oven for a meal, having a list of go to recipes that can be made in a matter of minutes is a must! Spend Smart. Eat Smart. has several tasty recipes that can cook in the microwave as a quick alternative to using the oven. A few of our favorites are highlighted below!

• Breakfast: My family enjoys baked goods with pumpkin, but those recipes usually leave me with a random amount of canned pumpkin in my fridge. To use up the leftover pumpkin, I make Pumpkin Oatmeal in the microwave for a filling breakfast. Top it with vanilla yogurt and it could even pass as a sweet treat throughout the day!
• Snack: If you’ve been following my blogs, you know my kids are snackers! An easy snack that my preschooler can help make is Whole Grain Cereal Treats. We often combine the remnants of multiple cereal boxes and add sprinkles or food coloring to the marshmallow mixture for fun.
• Lunch: This Three Can Chili recipe is great when you are running low on time but want comfort food. I like adding leftover cooked chicken or ground beef for protein.
• Dinner: I don’t always have time to bake potatoes in the oven for an hour. I like to use this Microwave “Baked” Potato as a base for multiple recipes. One of our favorites is Spicy Stuffed Potatoes with leftover taco meat or shredded chicken made with Taco Seasoning Mix.
• Dessert: Baked Apples are a tasty way to fulfill my sweet tooth during the week. My kids enjoy these topped with different flavored yogurt or a scoop of ice cream 😊

Whether you need a quick breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack, the microwave can be a great kitchen tool to prepare a tasty recipe. Which microwave recipe will you add to your weekly meal plan? Give one of my family’s favorites a try!