Cooking up a large electricity bill? Here’s how to be more energy-wise in the kitchen

Cooking up a large electricity bill? Here’s how to be more energy-wise in the kitchen:

As wonderful and as fun as exploring new recipes can be, cooking enthusiasts are constantly tasked to be as creative when looking for energy-saving ideas as they are when whipping up a new bite to eat.
One of the best ways to maximise your cooking efforts is to be mindful. When you use energy-efficient cooking appliances and change the way you prepare food, you’re already making a noticeable difference.

The modern-day family can make an even bigger difference in greening their plate through cooking efficiently than by eating local, sustainable goods. Not to mention, this will translate into some wonderful savings for you and your family. It is highly recommended that any kitchen appliance that requires electricity to operate is evaluated to ensure that it’s as efficient as possible. Bosch’s Serie 8 Built-in Multifunction Oven is the perfect solution to oven-cooking, as it offers minimal eco-energy consumption per cycle. It also has a 4D heat function that evenly distributes heat for perfect results, on any level. (And the good news is that if you purchase yours through the #CookLikeABosch campaign, you will get a food processor absolutely free!)

Here are some important energy-wise tips to remember when cooking:

Use kitchen appliances wisely and keep them clean

This one is a no-brainer but we still leave the fridge door open, re-boil the kettle and switch on our dishwashers. None of these appliances are an issue if used sparingly and wisely. From your slow cooker to the microwave, oven, fridge and more, comparing your range with the most efficient items on the market is well-worth your time. Another energy-saving tip is to ensure that you keep your appliances clean. When a burner, oven door or any other appliance element fills up with food waste, it absorbs heat which reduces the burner efficiency. Make sure that you take these tips and research them according to the appliance, to ensure that you’re doing everything to not have any appliance work overtime.

Cook less and eat more raw foods

Especially in the summer months, make more effort to cook less and eat more raw and fermented foods. Not only will this benefit your electricity bill and your diet, but it will force you to consume more nutritional goods. Often micronutrients are damaged or destroyed by heat, so try to keep these raw and fermented foods as natural as possible. They are rich in vitamins and food enzymes which are both good for you.

Match your pots and pans with lids that fit

Pots and pans that are correctly matched to burners can save you tons of energy and reduce cooking times. How it works is, if you do not have the correct lid on your pot, the heat will escape which means that it will take longer for your food to cook, using more electricity. Along with this comes matching the correct meal with the right cooking method. For example, if you only want to roast two chicken breasts, you cannot heat up the whole oven. Use the right tools to support the right meal.

Try making one-pot or pan meals more often

Now, this is a very important tip. We often forget that the more extravagant we go, the more energy we’re wasting. This does not mean that you cannot be creative with your flavours at all, it just means that you should try and compromise on more one-pot or pan meals. For example, a roast, soup, stew, stir-fry and more. Even for a simple dish like roast chicken, steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes, you’re using your oven and two stove burners. So, before you plan your meals, try to make a concerted effort in planning around using one burner or the oven. By using multiple, energy-consuming appliances to prepare a single meal, you could easily double or triple the energy consumption of a one-pot meal.

Bake and roast only once a week

Instead of eliminating baking, simply take one day a week to bake or roast in your oven. By scheduling a baking day and preparing all your baked and oven-cooked dishes that day, you can maximise the space in your oven by baking or cooking different items together at the same temperature. You’ll also be able to take advantage of the heat in the oven, reducing energy loss.
Defrost items before use

Before you consider putting your items into the oven or onto the pan to cook, make sure that these items have completely defrosted and that it’s room temperature. Not only does this help with even-cooking and time but it reduces the amount of added energy your appliance has to use to get it cooked. Also, try to avoid preheating the oven at all costs. It can be difficult with baked items (which is why it’s best to plan your baking day ahead), but it certainly stops your oven from having to work extra hard to cook your food.

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