Saving energy in the kitchen can come down to the food you’re cooking and how you’re cooking it. You don’t always need to invest in state-of-the-art technology to help improve your kitchen’s energy efficiency. Which appliances you choose and how you use them may greatly impact your energy consumption.
With some simple changes to your ways of cooking, you could save more time, money and effort in the kitchen. Here are a few tips you can try.
Which appliances you choose and how you use them may greatly impact your energy consumption.
Smaller appliances generally use less power than larger ones. Craving a warm, toasted cheese sandwich on a cold day? Consider using a toaster or sandwich press instead of an oven or grill to perfectly cook the cheese.
As the nights get colder, the need for warm, gooey, chocolate brownies can grow stronger. If you plan to cook in the oven, consider baking other snacks at the same time. This can help you save time as you won’t have to pre-heat the oven again, and could help reduce the energy used in the kitchen.
Here’s another tip for your baking: check your oven door seals regularly and replace if damaged. Look for fan-forced, double or triple-glazed doors and well-insulated ovens, which may be the most energy efficient.
Looking to cook up a storm for your next dinner party? Slow cookers can be an energy-efficient cooking appliance that you can leave on throughout the day while youprepare other things.
Several factors determine how much energy your slow cooker consumes. An important factor can be buying a slow cooker with multiple settings. That way you have the option to cook at a low heat over many hours, gently cooking in the flavours and potentially using less energy.
Stove cooktops come in different types and sizes and can vary slightly in energy usage. The two most common types of stovetops are gas and electricity. Induction stovetops are also becoming popular as they can be faster and are twice as efficient as gas and electric stovetops. They use electromagnetic technology, transferring the heat directly to the pot rather than heating up the cooking surfaces.
Choosing the right size saucepan and type, and using lids on pots and pans can help keep your energy consumption from boiling over. Simmering food or water rather than boiling it vigorously may also help you save energy.
Did you know that dishwashers don’t just save you time, but they may be more water-efficient than hand washing dishes every day? Wait until your dishwasher is full before running it and try out your eco mode – you may discover your dishes wash just as well while using less energy. Depending on your energy plan, you may also save energy by running your dishwasher during off-peak times.
According to Sustainability Victoria, Microwaves use less energy than a standard oven to cook, defrost and re-heat.
When your microwave isn’t in use, if it has a clock function, it can just be an expensive clock. To help avoid cumulative standby costs, if possible, only switch the microwave on when you need it and turn it off at the wall when it’s not being used.
Boiling the kettle will cost about the same amount, regardless of your chosen model. The more water you have in the kettle, the more energy may be required to bring it to boiling point. You could save by only boiling what you need. If you only need one cup of water, measure it out and add just a little extra for evaporation or spills.
An air fryer may be your best option the next time you’re looking to whip up a batch of hot chips. An air fryer usually has a much shorter cooking time than a traditional oven. They can also be smaller in size and therefore may use less energy when cooking.
To help save more energy in the kitchen, prepare your meals in advance. Pick the meals you would like to have for the week and defrost the ingredients the day before. Cooking food from frozen can take longer and may also use more energy.
Chop your vegetables into smaller pieces to cook faster and help reduce your cooking time. Simple but effective, especially when you have a hungry family waiting.
If possible, prepare double meal portions and cook them together in batches. You can freeze the extra or have them for leftovers during the week. It can take less energy and effort to reheat food than to cook twice.
Patience is a virtue. It can be tempting to take a sneak peek of your decadent chocolate cake rising or open the oven door and breathe in your mum’s Sunday roast. However, opening the oven door or pot lid too often could cause unnecessary heat loss and may increase cooking times.
Source: taste.com.au
Typically, the less time you spend cooking, the less energy you may use. Set timers to stay on top of your cooking times. We’ve all forgotten about our delicious cake that was overdue 15 minutes ago – whoops.
Only use your appliances for the time you need and make sure to switch them off at the wall to try help reduce standby costs. Try turning the oven off 15 minutes before the cooking time is complete. Food will generally continue cooking at the set temperature for a little while longer, as long as the door remains closed.
Another way to save more energy while cooking is to rely less on power. Consider swapping out a cooked meal for a nutritious vegetable sandwich, salad or raw snack, such as these raw, peanut butter protein balls – yum!
Energy efficiency goes beyond knowing what your appliances use. Check out our tips for using less energy in every room of your home.
