The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
- I hate cooking, but this cheap $37 George Foreman grill has made me a healthy-eating convert.
- Imagine your meal prep requires three steps: buying chicken, throwing it on the grill, and taking said chicken (perfectly cooked) off of it 5-7 minutes later. That’s my reality, and it is my bliss.
- The cooking hasn’t disappointed me yet, the cleanup is easy with detachable plates, and the price of $40 is unbeatable.
I am a woman of many paradoxes.
I love fitness, but I hate cooking. I will happily spend hours every week in kickboxing, yoga, and boot camp classes and come home to boil limp ravioli into submission. I understand the arguments for meal-prepping (I can hear you yelling them): saving money, learning a skill, being kinder to your body by introducing fewer chemicals and sweeteners, etc. And yet, I haven’t ever been able to shake the feeling that the hour and change I just spent cooking was a missed opportunity to do other things. Trust me, I wish I liked it. If I did, coming home to lovingly season chicken would feel liberating and relaxing rather than soul-sucking. Alas, I do not.
In a desperate plea to break up my ravioli feedings with some protein, my dad recently sent me this $40 George Foreman grill in the mail.
It can cook up to four servings at once in under 10 minutes, the plates are removable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup, and you can cook basically whatever you can dream up to grill: chicken, burgers, veggies, paninis. The sloped surface helps drain 42% of fat to make your meals healthier, and this new model supposedly heats up 35% faster than older iterations. And, it's only $37.
I have hated meal prep for as long as I can remember, but this cheap grill has made healthy eating so simple that I've eaten a balanced, home-cooked meal (that took 10 minutes to make) every night this week.
I don't want to sound hyperbolic, but this little George Foreman grill has been a complete game-changer. It's my most-used kitchen tool, and it's the best gift I've gotten in years.
When you pare down your entire cooking process to three steps: buying the ingredients (preferably online, for me), slapping them on the grill, and maybe flipping them once in 5-7 minutes, it is amazing what healthy-eating landmarks you can accomplish.
Some reviews list complaints like a burning smell or wear on the grilling plates, but I haven't experienced either, fortunately. (If you do, though, you'll have the standard 30-day window to return the grill). And while the size is perfect for one to two people, I think it's a stretch to say this little model could suit a family of four. Comfortably, it fits three big boneless chicken breasts. Depending on how big you make your burgers, I'd estimate it fitting three. If you need a larger surface, Amazon also stocks a 5-serving multi-plate system ($94).
It's also worth noting that this $37 grill is extremely minimalist: There's no on or off button (it heats up automatically when plugged in and notifies you with a light change when it's ready for grilling) or temperature control, but that's also what I like about it. There are as few steps as possible, and it does everything I need it to (heat up and grill quickly and perfectly) without any intervention from me.
All in all, I love it. If you're looking for a way to cut your cooking time in half without sacrificing healthy-eating goals - or, like me, need the lowest barrier of entry possible for the activity - I really can't recommend it enough. And $40, it's not risking much. If you hate it, send it back. If you love it, enjoy (what I suspect to be) another three bonus years of life since you stopped eating coffee and ravioli for every meal.