Unlike cooking outside, cooking inside can be expensive. Stoves and ovens use a surprising amount of power. Electric stoves use roughly 1,000 – 3,000 watts, while stoves use about 2,000 – 5,000. What’s more, cooking regularly at higher temperatures increases energy consumption. Anyone preparing food on their stove for 5-7 hours a week can easily burn 5-21 kilowatt hours (kWh). An oven used for the same amount of time burns 10-35 kWh, which may not sound like much, but adds up quickly with today’s energy costs.
In the Northeast (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania), homeowners who cook on their stove can expect to pay $36.40 – $262.60 per year. If they use their oven, they’ll likely pay $72.80 – $436.80 at a minimum. For homeowners who cook more often at high temperatures, costs will likely be higher, especially with energy prices rising across the northeast.
This is made worse in summer, when heat from your stove and oven drives up the costs of your air conditioner. As your kitchen heats up, your air conditioning kicks on more often to keep temperatures under control. Even your refrigerator has to work a little harder.
Saving Money By Cooking Outside
By contrast, cooking outside is cheap. One unit of natural gas is 3-4 times less expensive than electricity. And there are plenty of tricks to help you cut costs even further. As a result, firing up the grill isn’t just fun, it’s a huge money saver. And while our ancestors didn’t cook outside because of energy costs, we could certainly benefit from following their example.
National Eat Outside Day encourages us to return to our roots. Outside meals are a fun way to connect with nature, as well as our friends, families, and neighbors. Sharing food outdoors is not only relaxing, it creates a fun and festive atmosphere that helps bring everyone closer.
Saving Money with Agway
Cooking outside is even more cost effective with Agway. Our network delivers natural gas at the lowest available market rate, so you can run your grill as cheaply as possible. What’s more, our EnergyGuardTM program protects your heating and cooling systems, ensuring the costs to repair your home are always affordable. Sign up today and enjoy the savings you deserve!
