Abstract: A microwave oven including a microwave power source, a microprocessor controller for controlling the microwave power source in response to user entered input data relating to cooking modes, cooking time, etc., optically readable bar codes associated with respective input data, a hand held optical scanning wand extendable from the oven to be moved adjacent a bar code for reading same, and means for converting the optically read bar code to provide corresponding control signals and coupling the control signals to the microprocessor. The microwave power source is controlled in accordance with the optically read bar code relating to the respective input data. The optical scanner can read a bar code on a food package or a bar code related to a recipe to automatically enter into the controller the corresponding microwave oven cooking instructions.