5 Tips to Help Save Energy and Money in the Kitchen

Making your kitchen as environmentally friendly as possible is a great new way to help preserve the earth. Everyday kitchen tasks may be causing you to use unnecessary amounts of energy, not only causing your household to have a higher power bill, but more importantly wasting valuable energy that could be put towards other important tasks. By taking a few precautions and following a few steps, you can help save energy and money in the kitchen.

Know Energy Saving Cooking Techniques: There are several simple ways to save energy every month in your kitchen by simply changing a few cooking habits and techniques. One easy tip is to always cover your pots and pans when cooking, preventing heat from escaping. This also cuts down on the amount of time you will be using the stove. Another great tip is to turn off the stove just before your food is ready, letting the heat that is already in the pan continue to cook for the last few minutes. The pan will stay hot for some time even though the stove has been turned off, resulting in a simple energy saver.

Keep the faucet set to cold water: A good habit to be in is to keep your faucet running cold water at all times when hot water is not needed. If you don’t need too much water for a quick clean or for any other small uses, stick to using cold water. Even if you turn the hot water on for a few seconds, energy is still being used to heat the water.

Pick out energy efficient appliances: Another tip to save energy in the kitchen is to find very energy efficient dishwashers or refrigerators when it’s time for a replacement. Refrigerator models that have moisture control are very helpful for saving a large amount of money on your electricity bill.

Set Your Refrigerator to the proper temperature and make sure it is always airtight: Many refrigerators are set to a colder temperature than is really necessary. This can lead to excessive amounts of energy being wasted. The ideal temperature to set your refrigerator to is between 37 and 40 degrees, and your freezer should be kept at around 0 degrees. If you keep your freezer packed, many times it may not be shut as airtight as it could be otherwise. It is always best to pack your refrigerator or freezer with a little bit of extra space instead of packing it tight to make sure it can be shut all the way.

Prepare Large Meals in Batches: If you are going to be making a pasta dinner or a casserole, why not make a large amount and refrigerate or freeze the extra portions? This way, you are getting most bang for your buck by running your oven. Also, for lunch the next day you can reheat the dinner in the microwave instead of cooking something new in your oven or on your stove.

Knowing these helpful tips is a great way to not only conserve energy but also save a little bit of money when it comes to your bills.