Super Eco

Photo credit: Marisa McClellan

These days, due to rising costs, concern for the environment and the general ethos of conservation, we're all trying to save energy where we can. There are a number of ways to reduce personal energy use, including riding a bike instead of driving, turning the thermostat down a degree or two and vanquishing those energy vampires (appliances that continue to suck electricitiy, even when not in active use). However, when it comes to meal prep, food storage and general kitchen tasks, energy conservation isn't typically as much of a consideration. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the kitchen accounts for 15% of energy used in the home, making it a great place to save. Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take to make your kitchen one of the most energy efficient zones in your home. 

On the cook top...

1. Make sure to match up the footprint of your pot with the most appropriately sized burner (this applies more to electric stoves than gas) so that you're not heating more stovetop than you need.
2. On gas stoves, it's important to notice the color of your flame. If it's burning more yellow than blue, your gas is not burning efficiently. Consult the manual or contact the manufacturer for calibration information.
3. Put a lid on your pot or pan in order to bring the contents up to temperature more rapidly, leading to shorter cooking times.
4. Use the right sized pot or pan for the job.
5. When boiling water for tea or coffee, measure out just what you need, plus half a cup to allow for evaporation. Better yet, invest in a countertop kettle, which brings water to a boil faster and uses less energy than a conventional stove.
6. Make sure to clean out the area under the burners frequently, as crumbs and burnt oatmeal absorb heat that could otherwise go into cooking your food. If you use a flat-top or inversion stove, clean it after use to ensure that nothing is getting in the way of the heat being directed into your pots and pans.
7. Give away or dispose of cookware that's warped and replace it with pieces that have a smooth and even bottom. If it's warped the heat won't transfer directly and you'll lose heat to the air.
8. Release your fear of the pressure cooker and embrace it as your new go-to kitchen appliance. The newer models are far safer than the ones our grandmothers used and can cook a pound of beans in 10-12 minutes.
9. Choose recipes that utilize a single pot. Fewer heated burners means that you're using less energy.

In the oven...

1. Clean your oven! All those spills and burnt spots lead to inefficient heating.
2. Don't preheat (unless you have one of those crazy, super-fast preheating models that will turn your food to ash during the warming cycle). Most foods don't require it and you're just burning energy for an empty oven.
3. During the baking/roasting process, keep the door closed! Every time you open it up to peek, you let lots of heat out, forcing your oven to work harder and burn more fuel. Make sure your interior light works and clean the glass in the door, so you can check on your cake without allowing the heated air to escape.

Small appliances...

1. If you're not cooking for a crowd, consider using a toaster oven to make dinner instead of heating up the oven. These countertop ovens don't use as much heat and often cook just as well. If you need a little toaster inspiration, check out celebrity chef Eric Ripert's online cooking show, in which he only uses a toaster oven.
2. When you make soups and stocks, consider using a slow cooker in place of a pot on the stove. They use less energy and you can run them overnight, which is especially good if you have your household on a time of use energy plan.
3. Microwaves can be a good choice for steaming veggies, melting chocolate and reheating leftovers.

In the fridge and freezer...

1. Keep your refrigerator set to between 38 and 42 degrees, which food safety experts have determined is the optimum temperature for good food storage.
2. Never put warm food in the fridge. When you put food that hasn't fully cooled down in the refrigerator, you ask it to work harder to maintain the proper temperature, leading to increased levels of energy usage. Additionally, putting warm food in the fridge can raise the temp. to unsafe levels, leading to food spoilage and waste.
3. For the most efficient use of energy, keep both the refrigerator and freezer full. If you don't have enough food to fill the space, keep bottles of water on the doors to act as insulators. If you find that you are never filling the space, consider getting a smaller unit, as that would mean even greater energy savings.
4. If you don't use them, turn off the extra features and ice maker, they are classic energy drains. 
   

At the sink...

1. For general rinsing and handwashing, use cold water; the hot water requires more energy than cold to produce.
2. When prepping dishes for washing, scrape them clean instead of using water to rinse food particles off. If you're a hand washer, fill a small vessel with water for sponge/rag rinsing and then soap everything with the faucet off. If you're using a dishwasher, don't pre-rinse. Most modern models can handle a bit of stuck-on food.
3. Replace your old faucet with an aerating, water-saving one.
4. Let dishes air dry.

Other tidbits...

1. Consider getting yourself a solar cooker or building a hot box for passive cooking that doesn't draw any additional electricitiy.
2. In the summer, use the outdoor heat to make sun tea, instead of boiling water for iced tea.
3. Consider eating leftovers at room temperature instead of heating them up.

How do you save energy in your kitchen?