Few rooms consume more energy than your kitchen. Around 20 percent of household utilities are spent storing and cooking food. With energy costs rising across the United States, homeowners interested in saving money ought to take a serious look at how they prepare their meals. By finding new ways to conserve energy while cooking, homeowners aren’t just lowering their monthly expenses, they’re lowering their carbon footprint and helping create a sustainable future as well.
Defrost Your Food
Frozen food takes longer to cook, so one of the best ways to reduce energy consumption is to thaw it out before sticking it in the oven. Leaving food out on your countertops can lead to bacterial growth, however, so stay safe by:
- Sticking It in the Refrigerator. Most food defrosts in as little as 12-24 hours inside your fridge, though large items, like a full-size turkey, might take two or three days. Once defrosted, most meat and vegetables will stay fresh for an additional 24-48 hours.
- Submerging It in Water. Wrap your food in an airtight plastic container (freezer bags work particularly well) and place it under water until it reaches room temperature. Hot water will speed the process, but may affect the quality of the food, which is why most cooks prefer lukewarm water instead. Changing the water every 30 minutes will help meat and vegetables thaw faster. Depending on the size of your meal, the entire process might take a few hours.
- Putting It in the Microwave. Microwaves can defrost most fruits and vegetables in 2-3 minutes. Meat takes a little longer: 8-10 minutes per pound. Defrosting in a microwave uses surprisingly little energy, around 20-30 percent less than on its normal setting.
Choose the Right Pots and Pans
To transfer heat efficiently, pots and pans should be the same size as the burners you cook with. Placing a small pan on a large burner lets heat escape around the sides. Placing a big pot on a small burner lengthens cooking times, consuming more energy than it would have on a large burner.
Keep a Lid on It
Uncovered pots allow heat to escape, while covered pots keep it trapped inside, allowing water to boil faster and food to cook quicker, saving both time and money.
Clean Your Burners
Dirty stoves are unhygienic and wasteful. Food residue absorbs heat, so instead of going into your food, a huge chunk gets absorbed by the grime on your burners. To keep your stove working efficiently, wipe it down after you’re done cooking and scrub the burners every few months.
Only Pre-Heat if You’re Baking
Baked goods such as bread, cookies, and cakes need to be prepared at a specific temperature. Most other dishes don’t benefit from pre-heating though, especially meat. Instead of waiting for your oven to heat up, stick the food in right away, as soon as the oven is switched on. The extra heat will help the food cook faster, saving energy in the long run.
Switch the Oven Off Early
Ovens are heavily insulated, which makes them great at retaining heat. In fact, they’re so good, it’s often unnecessary to keep them running for the entire recommended cooking time. Save energy by turning the oven off a few minutes early and finish cooking with the residual heat trapped inside. It’ll lower your utility bills without affecting the taste of your food.
Keep the Door Closed
It’s tempting to open your oven to check on your food, but when you do, you release a lot of heat. In some cases, you can drop the temperature by as much as 150°F! Resist the temptation and leave the door closed until the cooking time is up. You can also set a cooking timer, to reduce the temptation to open your oven before the food is ready.
Create a Cooking Schedule
Ovens take a while to cool after you’re done baking. Don’t let that heat go to waste! If you’re cooking multiple dishes, prepare them one after the other, so you can place the next one in the oven as soon as the last one is done, rather than reheating your oven over and over again.
Cook in Bulk
Preparing a large batch of food doesn’t require significantly more energy than cooking a small one. So instead of making a single serving of soup, spaghetti, chili, lasagna, or macaroni and cheese, make two or three and save the leftovers.
Let Food Cool Before Refrigerating
Putting hot food into your refrigerator causes a temperature spike, which kicks its cooling systems into high gear. Reduce the strain on your fridge by letting your leftovers cool on the counter for a few minutes before popping them in.
Agway is Here For You
Agway experts are always searching for fresh tips to help you save money on your energy bills, just like we do through our EnergyGuardTM Program. EnergyGuardTM helps you handle home repairs without upending your monthly budget. It covers your furnace, boiler, air conditioner, and internal wiring*, so when the need for repair occurs, you don’t have to shoulder the costs by yourself. Our included coverage provides the help you need to manage out-of-pocket expenses.
Drawing on our network of local contractors, we ensure help arrives quickly and pay for all covered parts on essential systems. There are no service fees or deductibles either. Your coverage is included in your supply cost. So don’t wait. Sign up today and start saving!
*Coverage depends on commodity purchased.
