Fill up your guests, not your energy bill this holiday season

Cooking a holiday meal can be stressful, not only on the chef, but also on their energy bill. Use these tips to help cook efficiently and save money during the holidays.

Preparation 

• Match pots and pans to burners. Using a small pot or pan on a bigger burner wastes heat. Matching the pot or pan size with a similar-sized burner not only takes less time to heat but also uses heat more efficiently.
• Use sturdy cookware. Cookware with warped bottoms can use up to 50% more energy to fully heat.
• Thaw and chop. Reduce your cooking time and energy use by completely thawing your food before cooking and chopping vegetables into smaller pieces that cook faster.
• Cook your food, not your house. Time your food preparation so it’s complete when your oven finishes preheating. Heating the oven for longer than needed wastes heat and money. 

Cooking

• Keep oven door shut. Rather than opening the door, use the oven light. Opening the door can drop the temperature 25 degrees, adding cooking time and energy use.
• Use small appliances. Crockpots or toaster ovens use energy more efficiently than conventional ovens for smaller dishes or meals.
• Cool down. Allow leftovers to cool before refrigerating them to reduce the appliance’s work.
• Unplug. Most small appliances, such as toaster ovens and coffee makers, consume a small amount of energy, even if they’re turned off. When possible, unplug.

Cleanup 

• Oven and microwave. Food spills and food waste absorb heat, adding to cooking time, so keep the inside clean.
• Dishwashers. Fully load your dishwasher, because it uses the same amount of energy whether full or not. Avoid rinsing dishes before loading. Most dishwashers can handle crusted food.
• Washing machines. You’ll clean up the spilled gravy efficiently when you use settings based on laundry load size. Bonus washing tip: Most detergents work well in cold water.

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