Home Baked Energy Savings

[EnergyBoomer]

This money saving tip falls under the category of small improvements, that add up over time, to save you money.

Some cooks can tell when the bake goods are done just by using their sense of smell, the rest of us use a timer. If you are like most folks when you roast or bake something in the oven, you set a timer to remind yourself to check it when you expect it to be cooked.

I know at our house, when the timer alarm goes off, the first reaction is to open the oven door and look at what ever is cooking. The next action is to organize a search party to find the big kitchen fork. When the long handle fork is located, the food in the oven gets poked a few times to see if it is done. This is usually followed by taking the food out of the oven for closer inspection.

If the cooking directions were right, the food is done and ready to eat. The next step is to prepare the food item for serving and the very last action taken is to shut off the oven. You did remember to shut the oven off right.

Let’s step back and change the program.

When the timer alarm goes off the first action should be to shut the oven off. Then open the door to look inside. This stops the heating element from drawing more power or gas from your bank account, while you decide if the food is ready to eat. Opening the oven door will cool the oven temperature sensor and the heating element will come on, almost right away, unless you shut it off first.

If you decide that the food needs to cook just 5 more minutes, quickly put it back in the hot oven. Wait for it to finish cooking without turning the oven back on. Wait one extra minute since the oven will not be as hot as it was.

A hot oven will coast for a long time allowing you to finish the cooking with the oven off. I know that last minute seems like an hour while you wait for something good to eat.

Why change, you ask?

That big heating element in an electric oven costs you about 9 cents for every minute that it is on. Natural gas ovens cost a penny or two less per minute, but the principle is still the same.

How many minutes of oven heating time can you save a month? It will show up as savings on your energy bill. The savings depends on how many batches of goodies you bake in a month.

I really like oatmeal cookies and those healthy one’s made with applesauce instead of sugar. Plus, I like….. You know I don’t think I’ve meet a cookie that I did not like. Then there are apple pies, blueberry pies, pumpkin pies, homemade bread… Yes, you are right I am spoiled.

[PrairieRose]

During the cooler months I always open the oven after I'm done cooking and let the heat escape into the house.

[StaceyS]

Wow! I didn't realize it too so much for an electric oven. Maybe a toaster oven is abetter idea unless you have an oven-full.

[brainyblonde]

I have a gas oven and also open the oven door slightly after baking to let the heat into the kitchen.

[TheRootedNomad]

This is definately one of my weaker areas. We will frequently be sitting at the table EATING dinner and my DH will ask, "Are you still cooking something?". The answere is usually "no". Nine cents a minute means I'll be paying much more attention to it.

[joyofsix]

Wah, I wish I could have gas. I never bake one thing, If I'm gonna heat it up I'm gonna bake three or four things, and let the heat out when I'm done.

[mommy4ever]

If the cooking directions were right, the food is done and ready to eat. The next step is to prepare the food item for serving and the very last action taken is to shut off the oven. You did remember to shut the oven off right.

Not many recipes are "right". There are too many factors that come into play.

1- color of your baking pan. A dark non stick will take less time than a traditional light pan.
2. your oven thermostat calibration. Thermostats are off alot of the time. Newer ovens you can calibrate yourself. Mine was 15 degrees low. I adjusted it.
3. your altitude. Baking in the mountains verses baking seaside, will make a difference in your baking results. It'll vary based on where the author of the recipes originates.

It depends on what I"m baking. If I'm cooking a casserole, I don't preheat. If I'm baking bread, I preheat. It does affect. If I'm using convection I preheat, as well.

I do have a double oven, so I use the small oven when ever possible. I don't preheat as it reaches temperature in under 2 minutes, the larger oven takes 10 minutes, if it's on convection, it takes longer. (I have to ask about that).

I never thought of turning off the element to check the food though, that does make sense.

[nuisance26]

~Wow, electric is expensive! I'm so glad I have a gas oven. I've let my oven coast for years BTW, I also preheat less than 10 minutes. I can tell by the way the burners are 'firing' when it has reached the desired temperature. Also, making notes IN your cookbook or on your recipe cards with exactly how long you cooked an item will really help your savings too!~

[my4littlebuffaloes]

thanks for the specific info. One thing I do to save on electricity is to make up a batch of muffins or quick bread to cook at the same time that dinner is cooking. I only use the oven once and I have breakfast ready when I get up in the morning.