Top tips for energy-savvy cooks

All South Africans are being urged by the National Energy Efficiency Campaign to be more aware of their energy usage and to save energy wherever they can.

The kitchen, with all its heating and cooling gadgets, is an excellent place to start, according to the campaign launched by the government and other key players in the energy sector. Here are some of its tips:

Defrosting

If you think about what you want to cook for dinner the day before, you can take it out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge.

Microwaves

The microwave is a great energy-saving device. It uses a lot of energy, but cuts down on cooking time dramatically. Microwaves use about half as much energy as conventional stoves.

Ovens

When using your oven, the big trick is to keep down the cooking time. Try to avoid the urge to peek: every time you open the door, about 20 percent of the heat inside is lost.

Also, don't bother preheating the oven unless you are baking.

When the food is nearly ready turn off the oven and let the trapped heat do the rest.

Make sure air can circulate properly by keeping the oven racks clear and by resisting the compulsion to use foil. And, finally, make sure that the seal on the oven door is intact and closes tightly, so that all of the heat stays in there.

Stoves

The most efficient (and quickest) way to boil water is in a kettle but make sure that you boil only as much as you need.

When using a stove try to use pots and pans that completely cover the stove plate so that heat isn't lost.

If you put lids on your pots you will be able to turn the temperature a bit lower and can turn it off completely a few minutes before your food is done.

If your stovetop is dirty it will absorb heat instead of reflecting it back to the cookware, so keep it clean.

Cookware

If you love stews and casseroles, it's worth investing in a pressure cooker: they can halve your cooking time and energy use.

When buying pots and pans, invest in sturdy metal with slightly concave bottoms (when they heat up, the metal expands and the bottom flattens out).

Buy copper-bottomed pans, but use ceramic in the oven. Throw out cookware when it becomes warped - you can save about 50 percent on power by ensuring that the base of your pan is in full contact with the element.

Fridges

The fridge is one of the biggest power guzzlers in a home. Keep it from eating you out of house and home by adjusting its thermostat according to the season. To find out what your setting should be, place a thermostat in a jar of water and leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, it should read between 1 and 5C. The setting can usually be reduced in winter.

If your freezer is only half full plug the gaps with empty milk bottles filled with water - when these freeze, they will help to keep the temperature down so your freezer doesn't have to work so hard. Make sure that your freezer is defrosted at least twice a year.

Ensure that the cold stays inside your fridge by checking the seal regularly. Replace if torn and clean if it becomes caked with food.

Don't place your fridge near the stove, dishwasher or in direct sunlight - it will have to work twice as hard - and make sure that air can circulate around it properly.

One large refrigerator is cheaper to run than two small ones.

Replace an old model, the worst energy gluttons, with a modern, more energy-efficient one.

Defrost food overnight.

Use your microwave whenever possible.

When cooking in the oven, don't preheat and turn the heat off a few minutes before the food is ready.

Make sure pots and pans cover the stove plate.

Set your fridge to the correct temperature.

Defrost your freezer regularly.

Source: The National Energy Efficiency Campaign, which aims to encourage all sectors of society to save energy