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As we head into the warmer months, keep this one thing in mind. It's harder to keep cool than it is to stay warm. In the winter, you can combat high heating bills by throwing on another layer of clothes or by doing some jumping jacks. When it is hot, you can only remove so much clothing and exercise will only make you hotter. If keeping yourself cool is tricky, just imagine how difficult it is to keep an entire house cool.
By just changing the way you cook meals, you can decrease your energy use and increase the comfort level in your house. And best yet, no jumping jacks.
1. Use the microwave instead of the stove. Microwave use has a negligible effect on the cooling bill. It also uses less energy. Try and use the microwave as much as possible.
2. Eat more cold food. Don't even cook. Sandwiches and salads are decent summertime fare.
3. Cook in the mornings and evenings. Then microwave your meals during the day.
4. If you find yourself cooking during the day, use a timer. Don't use the peek-a-boo method, you'll let hot air out of the stove and your food will take longer to cook.
5. If you are cooking on a burner, make sure to use a pan that fits well on the burner and isn?t warped or dented. That will increase the pan's efficiency and decrease your cooking time. Copper (on the burner) and glass (in the oven) collect heat the fastest, therefore, their cooking time will be the shortest.
6. Turn off the oven early and let the meal cook in the residual heat.
