Use energy wisely this Thanksgiving

If you’re preparing Thanksgiving dinner and entertaining friends and family this year, consider these money-saving tips to control your energy costs.

• Keep oven door closed. Use the window and light to peak at your bird. Every time you open the oven, the temperature inside drops as much as 25 degrees, delaying the progress and adding expense.

• Check oven temperature. An oven thermometer is a great way to check out how hot your oven really gets. Many ovens operate at temperatures different than the setting. Test your oven temperature at several settings (325, 350, 375 and 400 degrees F) to find out if your oven runs hot or cool and adjust your settings accordingly. 

• Clean your reflectors. Keep electric stove burner reflectors free from grime. Clean or replace them.

• Match burner to cookware size. Use the right-size pot or pan to reduce heat loss, maximize energy efficiency and heat evenly. 

• Use convection. If your oven has a convection feature, use it to circulate heated air around the food, reducing required temperature and cooking time.

• Use microwave. Microwave cooking is fast and uses less energy than an oven or stove.

• Use slow cooker. Although cooking time is longer, slow cookers use less energy than ovens. 

• Use lids. When using the stove top, put lids on pots and pans to speed heating and to retain heat. 

• Turn down furnace. If you have the oven going and dishes on the stove, you probably can turn the heat down a few degrees. The heat from your oven along with your guests should add considerable heat to your home. 

• Use dishwasher. Only hand wash items not dishwasher safe. Dishwashers save your time, energy and water. Always wait for a full load before washing. Save more energy by stopping the heated drying and opening the door for air drying. 

• Cool leftovers. Cover and allow hot items to cool before placing into refrigerator so it doesn’t need to work as hard. 

More money-saving tips