I bought a Breville toaster oven for our demo down time. We didn't eat out any more often than usual. The oven works very well as an oven and it also broiled steaks wonderfully! We moved down into our finished basement, so I had a bathroom there where I could get water. Washing dishes was still a pain, but we made it through. I thought I would use my crock pot and panini press quite a bit also, but I think I only used them one time each. I used the Breville and microwave almost exclusively. Not at the same time however, as that would flip a circuit breaker. Good luck!

i dont know how much Bevilles are but i bought a $20 toaster oven to hold us over and it's been perfect. I also kept out my rice cooker... i can do rice and chicken in the same pot - kids are pretty happy with that meal. And an electric griddle has been very nice to do pancakes, bacon, quesadillas, anything flat.

we are lucky in that we have a big mudroom and we're using that sink - but a touch unlucky in that this was all super spontaneous and we didnt prepare at all. it's already been 2 months and we just now ordered cabinets.
but of course now im back to lucky because the spontaneous slab leak has given me a new free kitchen! :D

We had the Breville and a microwave as well as our regular toaster and a single hob induction cook top. Cooked everyday all three meals.

Purchased a lot of frozen dishes from Costco and Trader Joe's
as well as the steamer bags of vegs and rice. We had to cook inside because of the winter weather so we were limited but we ate quite well and found some interesting dishes that we still make in our new kitchen.

We haven't started our kitchen renovation yet, but for $69, picked up a portable induction burner from Amazon:

We've been using it already and are very pleased with it. Enough so that it made us question our desire for a gas range (not enough room for both induction and gas range built-in). We're sticking with gas for the remodel but have flirted with the idea of putting in an extra 220v kitchen outlet and getting the beafier 3kW version to keep around.

You do need to have an induction compatible skillet/pot or two.

After renovation, it's an extra burner for heavy use days, or an outside cooker when you are BBQing. Versatile.

The joys of living through a kitchen remodel. We moved our microwave to our small (very small) bar area with a small (very small) sink and I tried to live with that for a while, but quickly realized it wasn't going to work. I really didn't want to buy a toaster oven b/c I'm ordering a Miele speed oven for the new kitchen. I saw an induction cooktop on sale at a local kitchen store so decided to buy it and I absolutely love it. It boils water in no time and after the remodel is finished I can use it as a buffet warmer and outside by the grill. So with the m/w and my fancy hot plate (and of course the pop up toaster and coffee maker) we are surviving. We're already at the 4 month mark with at lest 3 or 4 months to go.

We have a big electric roaster oven that we use at Thanksgiving - similar to the one in the link below. We've had ours for years. For some time before our reno, whenever I cooked meals I made extra large portions and froze the extras. We baked the frozen dinners in the roaster oven during our remodel.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roaster oven

I have a Breville and would absolutely recommend it for living through a reno. I looove my Breville. You can roast, toast, reheat, cook pizza, it has convection - it's awesome! If you had that and an induction like zartemis suggested, I imagine you'd be in pretty good shape!

crock pot = lifesaver (DH said 'No way' on the fire hazard also known as toaster oven)
plastic rubbermaid storage tub = washbin (for doing dishes in the shower since our bathtub was removed too)
chinette paper plates = time saver
One-bowl meals (pyrex bowl with cream soups or sauce, frozen veg & rice or pasta in the microwave)
Bag salad (I had no prep space,just a foldup card table)

Ditto all of the previous advice, especially about the crockpot and storage tub for dishes

Allow at least 15 minutes of extra time than you thought it would take to make meals. Look at your instructions beforehand, gather all of your ingredients, dishes, utensils and THEN start to make your meals. ;)

Keep lots of paper towels handy.

A bag of MW popcorn and wine can make a great at home lunch for you and DH!

And on those really cold nights that you can't turn the heater on because the house is only tarped off to the outside, GO OUT for dinner! Taking the car out for a short drive to sit someplace warm is also a great morale booster.

Ask nearby friends/family/neighbors if you can come cook some meals once in awhile. Better yet, gently hint on how lovely it would be to have dinner at their place sometime!

Most importantly know, that it might be over in ten weeks or ten months, but it will be over someday and you will be able to look back on this and :)).

Good Luck!

I second the recommendation on that Max Burton induction hob, which is an extremely useful device, as are wine, tequila, and other adult beverages.

I've always thought a useful gift for someone planning a kitchen reno would be one of those coupon books for dining out.

I used my electric wok and grill a lot! I also broke down and bought a rice cooker, which was an iffy gadget for me, but I still use and love it.

Good luck!

It costs more to eat out, so budget for restaurants, and set aside about 15% of your renovation budget for booze.

Also, plan for exercise. I reno'd a bath, and other house parts, with the kitchen not even tackled yet, and boy did I put on the pounds. A reno adds stress, dust, and other things that make you feel like not eating right. Of course my broken leg also helped in that department, but still, you're going to have to work off that substantial liquor budget somehow.

'set aside about 15% of your renovation budget for booze. '

Hysterical, Marcolo!

You could also adapt a WASP lifestyle - more booze, less food. This resolves any issue with gaining weight, requires less cooking gadgets, and should make most of the reno unmemorable (meaning you just flat out won't remember it) ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: WASP Cookbook

Outdoor cooking - use the grill. Move the fridge to the dining room, being careful about the floor. There won't be a water hookup (if needed) so turn off the ice maker. Seal off the kitchen from the house with plastic so dust doesn't go everywhere.

Another vote for the Breville -- used it several times every day. Also an electric tea kettle. We also took the old gas cooktop from the before kitchen and ran a line to it so we could use it in the basement -- very handy.

When you pack clearly label all boxes just in case there's something you just have to find during the remodel.

To add to Sayde's comment about clearly labeling: we took a lot of the kitchen stuff (less frequently used utensils, stick blender, those typse of things) and packed it in plastic bins with lids and labeled the outside with almost everything in it. It costs more money than a cardboard box, and takes more time, but this way it was easier to open and reseal them if we found we suddenly needed something, especially if we only needed it for a day. After the reno we used the bins in our basement for Christmas ornaments and light storage.

I use a 2 ring plug in burner and surprisingly can produce reasonably ok meals. Crabcakes, omelettes, stir fry, soups a few times a week. Crock Pot for Stews or chilli Lots of salads with everything in it and ALWAYS canned fish.lol. the burners on a barbecue also work well. I was determined to have fun (ha ha, I am still in the middle of it). Weedmeister is spot on about the dust. Cover everything. I stored the tea kettle, coffee pot and all sorts of stuff in the refrigerator to protect from that dust when my wall was coming down. If you can staying as organized as possible and keeping the surroundings clean helps; We really haven't eaten out much at all, however I dont have little kids. I can understand that having younger kids you may have a need to get out a little more...Good luck and enjoy the journey:)

One plan we have is to put an upright freezer in the basement and stock it full of what I plan to make in a gigantic cooking marathon shortly before reno starts. That way with a rice cooker to provide the necessary carbs, we can just grab a homemade meal from the freezer and heat it in the MW. Has anyone else done this? Or is it really easier to make stuff as you go on one of those neat portable induction hobs or a toaster oven?

Ideagirl, my experience isn't quite what you asked, but sort of on point. I recently had surgery on my wrist and had my arm & hand in a cast for 6 weeks. I had advance warning, so I had a cooking marathon and put all sorts of casseroles, soups, nut breads, dinner rolls, brownies, etc in the freezer beforehand. It was very helpful to have those things available while I had my arm immobilized. I would encourage you to put at least some things in the freezer because I'm sure you won't want to cook in a toaster oven nor wash cooking pots in the bathtub every night.

I can't find my picture anymore, but one of the best inspiration photos I had was when someone took the old sink out of their old kitchen and rigged it on top of some sawhorses and attached the gardenhose to it outside. My carpenter did that for me, and it made my life so much better during our reno.

Also, I bought 2 plaster 4-drawer chests to keep the handy utensils and paper plates in. Certainly helped be so much more organized. I also had sheets of plastic that go placed over everything in our temporary kitchen during the day. That helped keep our drywall dust consumption to a minimum.
Also, I had an old vacuum that I used daily to clean up the dust in the rooms that weren't being renovated (it is amazing how much dust there is, and how far it travels). That vacuum died quickly after the reno. I think it choked!

Ideagirl, that idea of yours hits two birds with one stone. I talked about weight gain during stressful times. If you freeze individual portions, you end up saving time and losing weight, too. One winter, I made massive quantities of food--not skinny girl food either, but Martha Stewart's mac and cheese, stew, lasagne, all the old heavy winter comfort staples--and put them in individual-sized portion dishes in the freezer. We lost weight. Portion control. Once the dish was empty, there was simply no more to eat.

One thing that saved me in our last remodel was my husband moved our old sink and a section of the old cabinets to a temporary, non-construction area. He was able to hook it up to the hot and cold water and had it drain into a bucket. I had to empty the bucket outside or in the bathroom and be careful to not let it overflow, but I was grateful to not do dishes in the bathtub. We also used a 2 burner propane camping stove, toaster oven, and microwave. And BBQed a lot.

Taking pictures often to see the progress really helped. Oh yeh - and holding on to my sense of humor was critical!

We're five weeks into the reno and so far we're doing great! We've used the slow cooker every week, alternating between a huge roast and a hearty soup. (Right now, we have an amazing chili!) We've also made Arroz con Pollo in the rice cooker a few times. Outside of that, we've keep a huge tub of greens for salads, deli meats, and fruit around. I'm really happy to say that even with a toddler, it hasn't been bad. Everyone warned us that we'd be eating out a lot more than normal, and we have -- but we've taken the opportunity to try some new restaurants and farmers markets. Most of all, just try to think of it as the growing pains for your new kitchen. Good luck!

I'm sure you have ideas about what to eat and how to cook. Much such advice here. Cook and freeze what you like. Use raw fruits and veggies.

My suggestion is to save plastic or other trash bags and have lots of paper towels. Before washing a dish or pot, wipe off all visible food, fat, with a paper towel and put that paper towel in the trash. You don't want to wash food grease down your bathroom or basement sink and risk clogging them.

I agree about the Burton induction burner. I wish we got ours sooner.
I would also recommend a big supply of aluminum foil for using in a countertop convection or toaster oven. Doing dishes is a major pain in the bathroom, so minimize the pots you use. I also used paper plates for cutting boards (non-meat or dairy) and then served dinner on the same plates. You will become a master of avoiding making dirty dishes.
I also recommend restaurant.com, groupon, and all the half price deals that our radio station endorses. We ate out quite a bit more than usual, and those saved us a ton. Get to know the special nights of the week that have discounts at local restaurants (i.e. kids eat free, half price apps, etc...). You say you will cook more than the actual because the reno steals more of your time than you think. I'd get sent out to get parts, have to research topics on the computer and basically spend a lot of time searching for things that resisted being found. It would be 7:30 and I'd realize I had not thought about what to make for dinner.
It happens and you just have to run with it.

I sure wish it had bbq weather for some of our reno.... that would have made a big difference. Nothing like spending Xmas huddled in the bsmt with heat barely working, the bathroom upstairs (and cold) and the plumber away on vacation! Not having a working kitchen this time of year is a much smarter plan ;)

Thanks for all of the cooking tips! I'm still aprehensive about buying the toaster oven, since it will have to be on a folding table in the dining room, and not super safe.

Any tips on how to minimize the dust?

Our contractor doesn't seem to keep the site very clean...what is expected as far as clean up at end of day? They're demoing the kitchen - walls, flooring, ceiling, and carrying it all out the back door. Is it too much to expect that the area around the back door would be swept up?