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Is Cooking Eating Up Your Energy Dollars?

Home cooking is a great way to make healthy and flavorful meals, but careless habits can be a recipe for energy waste.

Is Cooking Eating Up Your Energy Dollars?

Don't waste money with careless cooking habits. These simple measures are your recipe for energy savings.

Published: 11/27/2024 4:50:01 PM

Home cooking is a great way to make healthy and flavorful meals, but careless habits can be a recipe for energy waste.

Cooking dollars

Home cooking is a great way to make healthy and flavorful meals for you and your family, but careless kitchen habits are a recipe for energy waste. The good news is you have a full menu of opportunities while preparing meals and cleaning dishes to help trim your energy costs.

Ingredients for energy savings

  • Keep your range top and oven clean. A well-maintained appliance will cook more evenly and efficiently.
  • Preheat the oven to the exact temperature needed. Preheating isn't necessary for foods that cook for several hours.
  • Limit the number of times you open the oven door. Opening the door can lower the oven temperature by as much as 25 degrees.
  • Match the size of the pot or pan to the size of the burner. A 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner can waste 40% of the energy used, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
  • Cover pots and pans to cook food faster and more efficiently. An added bonus is that the kitchen will stay cooler in the summer.
  • Use glass or ceramic baking dishes whenever possible. They retain heat better than metal cookware.
  • Consider your cooking options. Microwaves, slow cookers and toaster ovens are great options for simple meals or leftovers. They use less energy than a conventional oven or range top.

Low-cost cleanup

  • Clean dishes using your dishwasher, which typically uses less energy and water than hand washing.
  • Scrape dishes instead of rinsing them before loading them into the dishwasher.
  • If you do rinse, use cold water to reduce energy use for water heating.
  • To optimize dishwasher energy use, wait until you have a full load before running it.

Energy-efficient upgrades

If your kitchen appliances — such as your range, dishwasher or refrigerator — are older or need repair, consider upgrading to ENERGY STAR®-certified models. ENERGY STAR appliances are independently tested to ensure they use less energy than standard units while still providing the performance you expect.

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  • Member Services
    • Electric Vehicles
    • Load Control Status
    • Rebates
      • Energy Star Appliance Rebates
      • Lighting Rebate Information
    • Energy Conservation
    • LLEC Energy Bill
    • Recipe Collection
    • Renewable Energy Credits
    • Report an Outage
    • Water Heaters
  • Your Cooperative
    • About Us
    • Annual Meeting
    • Board of Directors
    • Career Opportunities
    • Contact Us
    • Coop Connections
    • LLEC Bylaws
    • LLEC History
    • LLEC Scholarships
    • News & Events
    • Operation RoundUp
    • Your Team
  • Your Energy
    • Distributed Generation
    • Energy Mix
    • Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
    • LLEC Rate Schedules
    • LLEC Solar Project
    • Together We Save
  • Safety
    • Stray Voltage
    • Call Before You Dig
    • Vegetation Management
    • Vehicle & Farm Safety