Whether your renovation has just started or you are weeks in and climbing the walls, living without a kitchen is harder than anyone expects.
This guide gives you practical strategies for coping — and helps you decide when it makes sense to just hire a temporary kitchen instead.
The First Few Days: It Feels Manageable
Most people start their kitchen renovation feeling optimistic. You have got a microwave, a kettle, and a mini fridge in the living room. You have stocked up on ready meals. How hard can it be?
The answer, as anyone who has been through it will tell you, is: harder than you think.
By day three, the novelty has worn off. By week two, you are exhausted by the constant question of "what are we going to eat?" By week four, the takeaway bills are mounting and everyone is miserable.
The key is having a plan — and being realistic about how long you can sustain it.
Option 1: The Makeshift Kitchen
If you are determined to cook without a proper kitchen, here is how to set up the best possible temporary arrangement in your home.
Equipment you need:
- Microwave (essential)
- Kettle (essential)
- Mini fridge or cool box (essential)
- Single or double electric hob (very helpful — about £20 to £40 from Argos or Amazon)
- Toaster
- Slow cooker or instant pot (a game-changer for one-pot meals)
Where to set up:
- Dining room, living room, or spare bedroom
- Place a sturdy table against a wall near a power socket
- Cover the table with a wipeable tablecloth or plastic sheet
- Set up the microwave, hob, and kettle on the table
- Put the mini fridge underneath
Washing up:
- Bathroom sink or a washing-up bowl in the bath
- Alternatively, buy a small plastic basin and wash up with a kettle of boiled water
Tips:
- Put down a plastic sheet or old towels under your cooking area to protect carpets and floors.
- Keep a fire extinguisher or fire blanket nearby if using an electric hob in a carpeted room.
- Open a window while cooking to avoid setting off smoke alarms.
This setup works for 1 to 3 weeks. Beyond that, most families find it genuinely unsustainable.
Option 2: Eating Out and Takeaways
The other common strategy is to eat out for most meals. This is convenient but expensive.
Realistic weekly costs for a family of four:
| Meal | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Takeaways (3x per week) | £90 |
| Eating out (1x per week) | £60 |
| Ready meals and snacks | £40 |
| Cafe breakfasts and lunches | £30 |
| Weekly total | £220 |
Over an 8-week renovation, that is approximately £1,760 — significantly more than a temporary kitchen would cost.
Beyond the cost, weeks of takeaways and restaurant food take a toll on your health, your energy, and your family's routine. Children especially struggle with the disruption to regular mealtimes.
For a detailed cost comparison, see our temporary kitchen vs eating out guide →.
Option 3: Hire a Temporary Kitchen
For any renovation lasting more than 3 weeks, hiring a temporary kitchen is almost always the best option — both financially and practically.
A driveway pod gives you:
- A full-size hob and oven
- A fridge-freezer
- A microwave
- A sink with hot and cold water
- Worktop space
- Often a washing machine or dishwasher
From around £80 per week for a large pod, including delivery and setup.
You cook normally, eat normally, and maintain your family's routine. The renovation continues inside while you have a fully functioning kitchen outside.
Get quotes for a temporary kitchen →
Meal Planning Tips (Whatever Your Setup)
Whether you are using a makeshift kitchen, eating out, or waiting for a temporary kitchen to arrive, these tips will help:
Plan your meals weekly. Deciding what to eat on the spot is exhausting. Spend 10 minutes on Sunday planning the week's meals.
Batch cook when you can. If you have access to any kind of hob or slow cooker, make large portions and eat leftovers the next day. Chilli, bolognese, soup, curry, and stew all work brilliantly.
Keep it simple. This is not the time for elaborate recipes. Focus on meals with 5 ingredients or fewer.
Use paper plates and disposable cutlery (temporarily). If washing up in a bathroom sink is driving you mad, using disposable tableware for a few weeks is a practical short-term solution.
Stock up on shelf-stable staples. Pasta, rice, tinned beans, tinned tomatoes, stock cubes, and spices. These form the basis of dozens of simple meals.
Breakfast is the easiest meal to solve. Toast, cereal, porridge, and yoghurt all require minimal equipment.
Lunch: think cold. Sandwiches, wraps, salads, and snack plates are easy and require no cooking.
Dinner: one-pot meals. A slow cooker or instant pot is your best friend. Throw ingredients in, set a timer, and come back to a hot meal.
Keeping Children Happy
Renovations are especially hard on children. Here is how to minimise the disruption:
- Maintain mealtimes. Even if the food is simpler, eating at the same time each day gives children structure.
- Involve them. Let older children help with simple meal prep. It gives them a sense of control.
- Keep favourite snacks stocked. Having familiar snacks available reduces meltdowns.
- Be honest. Explain that the kitchen is being made better and it will not be like this forever.
- Treat meals out as an adventure. Frame restaurant visits as a fun part of the renovation, not a chore.
How Long Can You Realistically Cope?
Based on what families tell us:
| Duration | How Most Families Feel |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 weeks | Manageable with a microwave and kettle |
| 3 to 4 weeks | Increasingly difficult — meal fatigue sets in |
| 5 to 8 weeks | Genuinely stressful — takeaway costs mounting |
| 8+ weeks | Most families wish they had hired a temporary kitchen from the start |
The most common regret we hear is: "I wish we had hired a kitchen pod from day one."
The Decision Point
If your renovation is expected to last:
- Less than 2 weeks: You can probably manage with a makeshift setup.
- 2 to 4 weeks: Consider a temporary kitchen, especially if you have children.
- 4 weeks or more: A temporary kitchen is almost certainly worth it — financially and practically.
Remember, renovations frequently overrun. A 4-week project often becomes 6 or 8 weeks. Plan for the realistic timeline, not the optimistic one.
Ready to Make Life Easier?
Tell us your situation → and we will match you with temporary kitchen providers in your area. Most families are surprised by how affordable and convenient it is.