Many of us know all too well that gas and electricity prices have gone through the roof, with the average household annual dual fuel bill jumping from £1,278 to £1,971 on 1st April 2022. Unfortunately, this is expected to rise further to £2,600 in October 2022. This means that energy consumers will be paying double the amount they paid compared to 2021. As a direct result, it is likely that millions of households will be looking to reduce their energy consumption in a variety of ways.
One way to bring down our energy costs is by being energy efficient in the kitchen. Our kitchens typically contain several electrical appliances that demand a high amount of electricity, and hence by using them less, it is possible to save a considerable sum of money. Indeed, according to some estimates, cooking food uses around 14% of household energy. But how can we do this without compromising how well we eat?
Reduce your kitchen energy consumption to eat well and save money
Kitchen appliances such as microwaves and slow cookers use much less energy than traditional ovens and hobs. It is estimated that hobs cost around £90 a year and ovens around £100 per year to run. Microwaves which are used for less overall time, only cost £3 a year in power, and slow cookers cost around £14 a year. Making savvy decisions such as leaving frozen food out overnight to defrost can reduce cooking time even further.
Other tips for reducing the power we use to cook include chopping up vegetables into smaller pieces so they cook faster, putting lids on pans as this will reduce the power needed, and turning off appliances when not in use. If possible, consider batch cooking more food in one go rather than cooking small amounts separately. Also, consider investing in a three-tiered steamer so you can cook several vegetables at the same time rather than separately.
Nutritious and tasty food doesn’t always need to be hot
We are not suggesting eating food that should be hot, cold. Rather consider finding recipes for healthy, nutritious, and tasty food that can be eaten cold. Our website has a range of delicious vegan and vegetarian recipes that are designed to be eaten cold, including our:
- Keema Puff Pastry Parcels
- Italian Veggie Protein Pasta
- Italian Summer Pasta
- Tasty Vegan Breakfast Sandwich
- Summer BBQ Artichoke Macaroni Salad
Another option to consider, which is growing in popularity, is eating raw. While this won’t appeal to everyone, eating raw is believed to be highly beneficial to our health as it avoids the loss of nutrients which occurs in the cooking process. As a result, raw plant-based diet converts report that it is easier to maintain a healthy weight, in addition to improved vitality, energy, and improved overall health.
Final words
As the weather is now warming up, many of us will automatically switch to cold foods such as salads, allowing us to reduce our energy consumption in the summer and build up credit for the colder months. By reducing our energy needs in the kitchen and choosing healthy, tasty and nutritious cold foods, it may be possible to save money, eat well, and improve our overall health.
