Energy Saving In The Kitchen
Keep that door closed!
In the UK especially, but also in many other countries, energy prices have soared. And we also want to be energy efficient regardless of prices. Here are some energy saving tips - you may know some of them, but a reminder is always good!
Ugh…
I actually hate these kinds of articles and posts. I find them patronising, like, I know to put a lid on a pan when I’m boiling something on the hob - OKAYYYYY??? And in an ideal world we shouldn’t have to watch our every step when it comes to this. But hard times are here for many, so if only one of these points can help a tiny bit, then I’ve done my job. Please know that they are shared with love.
Kitchen energy saving tips:
Boil water in a kettle first if you need to boil something in a pan, like pasta or potatoes.
Don’t use too much water - that will require more energy than you actually need to use.
Don’t forget that lid on the pans when you’re cooking things!
If you have a steamer basket, you can add it on top of something you’re boiling (say, potatoes for example) and get healthy, steamed vegetables by using the same energy as you use to boil your potatoes
Microwave - if you have one, use it. It is one of the most energy efficient ways to cook hot food. It will do a whole bunch of things in record time, and is a lot more versatile than you might think. I’ll try to share some more microwave recipes in the future. For example, if you are making baked potatoes, you can do them in the microwave. And if you, like me, like to make the potato skin crunchy and crispy, you can spread some olive oil on them and just grill them in the oven for a bit at the end rather than bake them in the oven.
Cook in batches! If you need to turn on the oven anyway, it’s better to make a big batch and then you can reheat in the microwave later.
Defrost frozen food first (plan your meals so you can do this earlier in the day) and they will take less time to cook.
Keep the oven door closed - lots of heat escapes every time you open it. But when the meal is done, open the oven and use that heat to warm up your flat or house if you need to! Don’t waste it!
Try to make the most of your oven being on. Are you baking bread? Try to time it with dinner, so you don’t have to warm it up twice that day.
Both with hobs and ovens, you can turn off the heat a minute or so before the food is finished - it will keep cooking on the heat that has been generated.
Glass or ceramic dishes retain heat better than metal dishes in the oven.
Pressure cookers (like an Instant Pot) can help you efficiently make a lot of food using less energy.
Did you know all of these or were any new? What is your best energy saving tip in the kitchen? Message me on Instagram @TheFromScratchBody!
