Energy saving when cooking

Cooking can account for around 10% of the energy used in your home but how often do you think about energy consumption when putting together the evening meal!  Below are some top tips...

• Always use the right sized pan for the job.
• Use the right sized hob ring for each pan.
• Defrost food in the fridge overnight rather than microwaving it.
• Keep the oven door shut as much as possible; make sure the glass door is clean so you can see what's going on. Every time you open the door you lose heat.
• Turn the oven off  a few minutes before the food has finished cooking and let the remaining heat in the oven do the job.
• Keep lids on pans as much as you can to reduce heat loss - turn the heat down when it reaches the boil.
• Ensure warm foods cool down before placing them in the fridge.
• Cutting food into smaller pieces often speeds up the cooking time.
• Freeze your leftovers, or eat them the next day. Wasted food makes a big contribution towards carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.
• Use a microwave to cook or reheat food where possible as this is usually a much more efficient method of cooking
• Covering food with a microwave-safe lid or pierced cling film will hold in moisture and speed up cooking times in the microwave.
• Only boil the water you need in your kettle, and de-scale it from time to time
• Cooking big batches of food at once is more energy efficient. Storing spare portions in the freezer gives you a supply of ready meals.

Activity

Plan your meals and stick to the plan.  You will be amazed at how less food you waste as well as how much energy you save.

Did you know?

When pans become blackened from heavy use, they absorb heat, reducing efficiency. Nice shiny pans reflect heat up to the food.

Want to do more?

Look into induction cooking. Induction cookers are faster and more energy-efficient than traditional cook tops. The pot itself is heated to the desired temperature rather than heating the stovetop and does not warm the air around it, resulting in added energy efficiency, water can then be boiled in seconds in combination with magnetic cook ware.