Is Cooking Eating Up Your Energy 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. You can shop for ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators and more on the I&M Marketplace. Many products have instant discounts to help you save even more.