Use these simple plays to score savings on your game day cooking.
Don’t run out the clock. Make sure the hot dip is ready for baking by the time your oven finishes preheating. Heating the oven for longer than needed wastes energy and money.
Call an oven option. If you use the oven to help prepare your game day spread, turn on its light to check cooking progress instead of opening the door. Your food will cook more efficiently, and you’ll avoid losing extra heat and energy.
Put a small appliance in the starting lineup. Prepare gridiron grub in your microwave, slow cooker, air fryer or toaster oven. Because they cook food quicker and are smaller, they can use as much as 75% less energy than a conventional oven.
Sack wasted power. Don’t leave those small appliances plugged in, even if they’re turned off. Avoid wasting power by unplugging them when not in use or putting them on a smart power strip, which can turn them off automatically.
Size up the competition. Using a small pan on a big burner is a no-go for your game day chicken wings. Matching your pots and pans with the burner size saves energy and cooks your food faster.
Don’t fumble the cleanup. After the game is done, be sure to fill the dishwasher completely before starting it up. It uses the same energy, whether it’s half or fully loaded.