JOE’s daily energy saving tip: Day 38

Yesterday, we brought you some seriously helpful tips for saving energy when cooking and today we're expanding on that list just a bit.

We all have to cook, which means unless you’re on some super particular diet that doesn’t allow hot food, you’re more than likely going to have to use the oven or microwave at some stage. There are a few really simple tips to make sure you don’t waste your hard earned money. So here they are…

1. Use the right sized hob

It might seem a bit trivial, but using the right size pot on the right sized hob will help you to save. If you use a small pot on the big ring then you’ll just end up wasting precious energy.

2. Keep the oven door closed

When cooking, make sure to keep the oven door closed and peer in through the glass if you need to see what’s going on. If you can’t see in then you probably need to clean the oven door. Every time you open the oven the temperature drops by about 20C and which means the oven has to work extra hard to get it back up to where it should be.

3. Microwave when you can

After dogs, the microwave is man’s best friend (it certainly is in this office). Instead of waiting 40 minutes for you meal to cook, just bang it in the microwave on high for a few minutes and voilà. It takes a lot less energy to cook in the microwave, but if you hate how food sometimes comes out dry, try sticking your food in a bowl and put some Clingfilm over the top – but don’t forget to pierce a few holes in Clingfilm first!

With thanks to our friends at PINERGY - No Bills. No Fuss. Just Top Up! Check out PINERGY.ie.