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How to Save Energy in the Kitchen in Winter

In collaboration with
Hilo

It’s no secret that, after heating, household appliances take up a good part of the electricity bill, especially in the kitchen, where a lot of energy is consumed on a daily basis. The oven is one of the biggest culprits, along with the refrigerator, while anything that plugs into the wall using an outlet—whether that be a slow cooker, microwave or toaster—is more energy efficient. In collaboration with Hilo, here are some tips (and statistics!) to reduce your electricity consumption in this very important—and central—room.

1. Opt for recipes that don’t need to be cooked

By focusing on sandwiches, salads and even tartares, no energy is used except your own! Recipes that don't require cooking are useful, especially since you’ll get faster results than if you had to sauté or cook something. This is also a great option when making lunches.   

2. Choose the slow cooker

Other ways to make recipes that require less energy include the use of slow cookers. These represent an energy savings of up to 50% compared to a conventional oven. You’d be crazy to do without one...especially since you can find everything for this cooking method at RICARDO!

3. Cooking in the microwave

You can save big by choosing the microwave over a conventional oven for certain recipes, especially when cooking in small quantities. The microwave consumes five times less energy than the oven, so that means that if you use it for about 4 minutes a day, every day of the year, it comes to only $2.69. Talk about money well spent!

Did you know?

In addition to using these tips to save money in the kitchen, you can now track and optimize your energy consumption on a daily basis thanks to a smart home service, like the one from our collaborator, Hilo. Connected devices such as smart thermostats ensure optimal energy consumption throughout the home and also allow you to earn cash rewards for challenges during peak winter periods.

4. Cooking oven-smart

Although it’s a kitchen essential, the oven is one of the most energy-consuming appliances. So here are some oven usage tips to help reduce your electricity bill:

  • Avoid opening the door to check on food; this creates a heat loss of 20%. It’s better to turn on the oven light and look through the glass.
  • Put a lid on pans to allow water to boil faster.
  • Always thaw food before cooking, unless otherwise stated on the packaging.
  • Opt for the element closest to the size of the pan so as not to have any heat loss.
  • Turn off the stove element just before finishing the cooking of your dish. The residual heat will be sufficient to complete it.

With all these tips and smart home service innovations, we’re ready to get cooking while trying to do as much as possible to reduce the electricity bill and avoid wasting energy collectively.

This article is a collaboration between RICARDO and Hilo.