How can I lower my energy use cooking Thanksgiving dinner?
Even if you already have the best electric rate, using a lot of energy on a special day like Thanksgiving can still leave you with a high energy bill. But with just a few tips for energy efficiency, you can enjoy your holiday and save money on your electricity.
- Meal size: be smart about how much you’re cooking— even with low electric rates in Ohio, roasting an oversized turkey will cost more energy. Keep your guest count in mind when shopping and aim for a bird that will serve about one pound per person. Keep sides within reason, too!
- Low-energy solutions: if you’re serving a crowd, you’ll want to keep a lot of things warm or cold, and you don’t have to use a ton of energy to do it! Use a cooler for cold drinks so people aren’t constantly opening the refrigerator. A second cooler can be a great place to keep food hot. Your oven warming drawer, microwave, and top of the toaster oven are also low-energy solutions for warming dishes.
- Turn down the heat: don’t turn your guests to ice, but do lower your thermostat a few degrees and all the cooking and people will heat up the house to a comfortable temperature. Close doors to rooms you won’t be using and keep your generated heat in your main living space to further reduce the burden on your HVAC while effortlessly lowering your electric bill.
- Use your oven wisely: there are a ton of strategies to keep your oven usage efficient. Use convection settings to cook faster and more efficiently. Choose glass or ceramic cook wear for efficiency with side dishes. Resist the urge to open your oven and check on things so you keep the heat in. Don’t bother pre-heating the oven for your turkey since it’s a slow-cooker!
- Use your fridge wisely: strategies for smarter fridge use can help you cut your electric bill, too. When prepping food, get everything you need out of the fridge at one time to avoid opening the door every few minutes. Before storing leftovers, let food and dishes cool off to reduce the load on your fridge.
Now that you’re ready to save energy and money on Thanksgiving, why not do even more to lower your electric bill?
Shop rates and switch electric suppliers to save with Ohio Energy Ratings today!
You don’t have to wait until the holiday is over to check out Ohio Energy Ratings for the best electric rates in Ohio. Ohio Energy Ratings let’s you easily compare electric plans apples-to-apples so you can choose a supplier that works for you.
Start comparing today at https://www.ohenergyratings.com/electricity-rates.