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12 Energy-Saving Tactics for Your Holiday Meals

by | Nov 13, 2012 | Household Tips

How To Save Energy Cooking Smart Through the Holidays!

When making meals throughout the holidays, there are some simple things you can do to make sure you use as little energy as possible. Using the right appliances and making sure they are in proper working order will help you save money. By following these tips, you may even be able to save enough money to make another meal!

  1. Make sure the size of your pan is the right size for your heating element so more heat gets to the pan and less is lost.
  2. Keep range-top burners and reflectors clean so they are better able to reflect heat.
  3. Always fully thaw frozen foods before cooking.
  4. Use a timer to know when your food is ready and, as much as possible, avoid opening your oven door to check food while it cooks. Every time you open the oven door, heat escapes, and you need to use more energy to finish cooking.
  5. You can usually turn off the oven five minutes before cooking time is up to let the trapped heat finish the cooking.
  6. After using your oven, leave it open a crack to let warm air escape into your kitchen.
  7. If cooking a small meal, instead of using the oven or stove, use small cooking appliances.
  8. Use crock pots and slow cookers, since they are much more energy efficient than stoves and ovens.
  9. Use your broiler as rarely as possible, since it uses a lot of energy.
  10. If you’re willing to use your microwave for holiday cooking, do. Microwaves use about half as much energy as regular ovens.
  11. To boil water faster and thus save energy, boil in a kettle or covered pan.
  12. Use cold water rather than hot to run your garbage disposal.