This will be an interesting thread. My demo is on Monday and I'm just getting my temp kitchen set up in my laundry room. Thankfully my laundry room is pretty big with a utility sink and some decent counter space.

Must have been fun to see those cab boxes delivered!

No cocoa here but that sounds pretty good.

You're way ahead of me since you have cabinet boxes. Mine are weeks (if not longer) away but the plumbing and electric reno requires a ton of lead time.

I have my old wall oven balanced on an old tool chest still hooked up as I want to bake tomorrow. That ought to be fun.

Made an extra trip to Costco today to pick up more paper plates and plastic utensils.

Is it normal to have your microwave balanced on a kitchen chair?

I can find everything except those items I really need. I can see this getting old in a hurry.

Damn.

Oh... it is going okay. Thanks for asking.

Angie_DIY, looks like your camping gourmet..nice!

Doc8404, love the image of the balancing microwave. I've had to readjust the use of all my outlets to handle the microwave, single burner plate, and mini Refrig...got flashlights ready in case I blow a fuse.

Poohpup, the laundry room sounds like it's coming together!

Yeah, this was our special New Year's dinner. I did set up a pretty decent kitchen in the laundry room. I showed this lobster meal in some "Kitchen in Action" threads. We decided "Lobsters on the Dryer" would be a good name for a rock band.

Of course, the problem with a decent temporary kitchen is that it reduces motivation to finish! I moved my DW into the basement. I think hand-washing dishes in the bathtub would be pretty good incentive! Best of luck to you. It will all be worth it in the end.

Our kitchen is in the dining room, a microwave and toaster oven. Have to go upstairs to the bathtub for dishes. Grilled our first meal outside in the snow but it was really good. Found a recipe for salmon in foil packets. Below is a link to many foil packet recipes - the clean up is SO easy with these and I going to try most of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Betty Crocker foil packet grilling

It's getting old! And we've only been in our temp kichen a couple weeks. I cook some meals on a campstove in our enclosed porch, and luckily we've been having a pretty mild winter here in PA. Wow- as I just typed that I looked up and I am seeing snow! Anyway, we do take-out of some sort a couple times a week. Last night Indian, tonight, sushi.

We've been in the basement for 8 weeks...microwave, toaster oven, George Forman, and an electric skillet. It's been going ok, kids are pretty much over it! They want real food from mom! We are moving back in TOMORROW! Wood floors are getting their last coat of poly as we speak!

Oh I like this thread! Our tear-out is Monday and we're getting everything set up in our dining room today. I also got an induction single-burner cooktop but haven't tried it out yet. I already want the whole thing over with!

We have just completed week 4 of our renovation and I'm frustrated with my GC. Monday thru Thursday of this past week he got about 8 hours of work done...and there is plenty of stuff to do. Finally finished electrical, rough plumbing and drywall yesterday.

We're refinishing the hardwood floors on the entire first floor so I'm going to have to move my temporary kitchen sometime next week. Probably going to have to move it down to the basement which is already packed with all the kitchen stuff. We currently have the dining room set up with a coffee pot, microwave and paper plates and not much more. We do still have the frig plugged in. Been washing dishes in the powder room sink.

I am so envious of Angie. We've been living off pizza and cereal. DH travels most of the week so it's mostly just me eating leftovers and takeout.

Can't wait until this is done.

We're in the Man Cave in the basement and DH loves it.

AnnaA, we have been tripping circuit breakers alot so I'm forced to get even more creative...

sogentry, thanks for that link of foil packet grilling. Who knew you could make meatloaf on the grill?!?! Will try this one tonight... should go over big in the Man Cave.

I lived on spaghetti sauce and noodles for several years. Only had a microwave and a dump sink in the bathroom. (No, no shower, tub or potty).

Ended up with malnutrition and stress fractures from no protein or vitamin D.

Glad that's over. As I'm cooking spaghetti right this very moment in my more-done kitchen! Yeah!

We've been eating out of our laundry room since Jan. 2nd. So far, it's going pretty well. We're kind of like poohpup - we have a sink and a fair amount of counter space in there. Our dogs are confused and excited, because now our food is in the same room with their food. (They aren't sure what it means, but are very hopeful)

We've survived pretty well with a microwave, crock-pot, toaster and rice steamer (plus, of course, the much needed coffemaker). The kids are disappointed because they were expecting pizza and chinese take-out every night. Instead it's beef stew and steamed fish! The things I miss most are the garbage disposal and the dishwasher. Just knowing that it isn't forever, and there will be a beautiful new kitchen makes it easy to bear. Best of luck!

Yes, I'm missing the garbage disposal already and our 4-legged kids (dogs) are confused as well. Oh, and I'm missing my endless supply of ice!

What a fun thread!

Tomorrow starts week four of our temporary kitchen. Maybe four more weeks to go? Hopefully?

Everything is all over our basement, except fridge. Finally found a single burner (not induction) at Kmart so I can make mac and cheese. Bought a toaster convection oven from Costco in the first week - best move yet! I can only run one appliance at a time, or it'll trip the circuit breaker, so getting a meal all ready at once is a challenge. We had two school banquets this week, so that was two meals less to make! Hurrah! (I didn't even mind that it was the same caterer both nights - I'm ok with the same meal two nights in a row if I'm not making it!)

Cleaning dishes in a bar sink. Bought more paper plates and solo cups from Costco yesterday - contributing signicantly to landfill these days!

Yes, it is already getting old. I realized yesterday that once we get our pantry cabinets in, maybe I can find a can of tomatoes when I need it! Cabinets to be delivered 3/19...!

Ours is going ok and we are coming up on 2 weeks tomorrow. I am finishing up my first trimester, so my appetite has been hit and miss. We moved our mic to the dining room and the crockpot and toaster are in our living room. we already had a full-sized fridge & freezer down in the basement, so we have been able to keep our perishables.

I bought crockpot liners, microwaveable plates, bowls, etc and have been making basic meals (chili in crockpot, PB&J's, Lean Cuisines, etc) and then supplementing with restaurants. I budgeted extra for that.

Have chicken tortilla soup in crockpot right now & looking forward to that later.

Thanks for the tip about the foil packet grilling. Will have to try that...

We have about 2.5 weeks left until our countertops and faucet go in - so I am looking forward to cooking something soon.

Well, we are all a creative bunch, aren't we! It's week 6 and I'm probably looking at another two weeks until the counters & appliances are fully installed. I have yet to pick out countertops and a sink, but need to make that decision ASAP because lugging stuff up to the laundry room is getting to be a pain.

I am living in a 6'x6' area in my LR with the dining room table and buffet serving as the kitchen in the same room, also sharing LR space is the frig and an 8' table with all my worldly kitchen stuff stacked on, over and below it. Thankfully, my coffeepot, MW and butane burner have worked well for me...no room for toaster oven/stove. I've fried chicken, made lots of quesadillas, omelets, salads and have used my grandma's cast iron pancake griddle for cooking chops/steak that I cut up for later in the week.

Thanks to Sam's Club rotisserie chicken I've made chicken soup, chicken paprikash, chicken chile, chicken salad, creamed chicken, chicken nachos, the list goes on....

I once went without water for 5 weeks in my old home due to well issues, so I can really wing it if I need to, but really looking forward to getting this done.

Made shrimp scampi with asst garden vegetables as I'm using up freezer items we couldn't store elsewhere.

I love reading what everyone is making. Great material for a Remodeler's Cookbook! The foil meals and crockpot liners are just the ticket given the small sink and no garbage disposal.

Our cabinets and appliances are coming in the beginning of March. We listed our old kitchen on Craigslist assuming it would take a couple of weeks to sell- we had 15 offers in 6 hours so demo began a little sooner than anticipated. We are one week without a kitchen. I live in a great neighborhood and my friends have been amazing- we have a standing "reservation" every Wednesday with one family for dinner; another one who works gave me a house key to cook at her home while she is at work; Sunday night dinners with another family etc. My kids think it is great.

My temporary kitchen is in the dining room with a microwave, toaster oven and coffee maker. The dishes are all stacked on the bakers rack. We are fortunate to have a sink and refrigerator in the wet bar and I had my DH rig up the dishwasher so I do not have to hand wash anything. We live in FL so it is always grilling weather and we also have a side burner out there.

It has been an adventure and we are trying to embrace it with a postive spirit! To get the kitchen of my dreams a little sacrifice is worth it for the end result.

I hope to have a functional kitchen by the end of March. We are DIY and DH is going to take a week from work to make it happen.