No cost ways to save energy - and money - in your kitchen
Saving energy — and money — in your kitchen is quick and easy. Follow the tips below:
Use the right-sized pot on each burner. You lose energy up the sides of a small pot that is placed on a large burner, and it adds unnecessary heat to your kitchen.- Cover your pots and pans while cooking to reduce the amount of heat you need and reduce your overall cook time.
- Cook with aluminum or copper bottomed pans for even heat conduction; use pans with flat bottoms and straight sides to reduce overall cooking time and heat loss.
- Keep your range-top burners and reflectors clean; they will reflect heat better, save energy and prevent fires.
- Preheat your oven only when necessary. For most dishes, you may not even need to preheat the oven.
- If you use an electric stove, turn your burners and the oven off three to five minutes before the recommended cooking time.
- Use glass or ceramic dishes when baking; you can lower your oven's temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit and still achieve the desired results.
- Resist the temptation to open your oven door. Each time you open the door, the oven loses 25 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit which means the oven has to work harder to maintain the desired temperature.
- Use your crock pot, toaster oven or electric skillet whenever possible.
- Find recipes that allow you to do most of your cooking in the microwave or on the stovetop rather than the oven.