Guest Post: How to Cook Up More and Use Less Energy

The kitchen is probably the most used room in the house and it also contains some of the most energy-draining appliances.

There are a number of ways that you reduce your energy costs and boost your green credentials in the kitchen, whether you are cooking or preparing and storing your food.

Here are some ideas on how you can save money and use less energy.

Fridge and freezer

A simple tip to start with is to make sure that you don't leave the door open any longer than is necessary. Always make sure that any food that you put in the freezer has cooled down first or you will be making your appliance work harder and increasing your energy usage and costs.

Aim to keep the inside of your fridge between 0-5°C and consider using a fridge thermometer so that you can be sure that the thermostat is giving you an accurate reading.

You should bear in mind that lower temperatures will increase your energy usage but if it is too warm then you run the risk of spoiling your food.

Defrost your freezer

If you regularly defrost your freezer then you will reduce a build-up of ice and allow your appliance to run at optimum energy efficiency. A good tip to remember when you are defrosting your fridge or freezer is to run a vacuum cleaner over the condenser coils at the back as these tend to collect dust and when they are dirty they can reduce efficiency by as much as 25%.

Using your oven

A common cause of wasted energy is heating the oven up for too long before using it. Try to avoid preheating your oven wherever possible and make sure that you put your cooking into the oven as soon as the right temperature has been reached. You can save about 20% on your energy costs in the kitchen if you can switch to using a convection oven, so if you are considering a change of cooker make sure you choose one that offers this choice.

Using the stove

Always try to use a lid on your pans when you are boiling up water or items using the hob as leaving them uncovered will mean the cooking process will take longer and the heat loss will impact on your energy costs.

Consider turning the heat off on the hob a few minutes earlier when you are boiling foods such as pasta or potatoes as the hot water will continue to cook the food for a few minutes anyway.

Control water usage

Always try to only use the right amount of water when you are cooking as you are wasting energy costs by boiling up more water than you actually need. An electric kettle is generally more efficient than a stove-top kettle when you are making tea and coffee and will use roughly a third of the energy, so is it worth the whistle?

Other ways that you can save on your energy costs include trying to wash up by hand where possible rather than use the dishwasher which is a real source of high energy consumption.

With a bit of thought and consideration you can quickly cook up some smart energy savings in the kitchen.

Ken Wilson is a personal chef. He loves to combine his passion for cooking with his passion for the environment by writing on eco-friendly blogs. Learn more about Energy Helpline.