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Energy Saving Tips for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
is one week away and before enjoying your Thanksgiving feast, Missouri’s
Division of Energy would like to offer 15 energy-saving tips to save money and
energy this holiday season.
Meal Prep:
- Plan to cook side dishes in the oven alongside
the main course. This will save energy and time.
- It is not necessary to preheat your oven when slow-roasting
a turkey (or any kind of meat) for several hours. Let the bird warm up slowly with
the oven.
- Do not stuff the turkey before cooking. Cooking
a turkey with dressing takes more time, so cook the turkey and dressing
separately.
Cooking the Meal:
- Try lowering the thermostat in your home. The heat
from your oven will warm the house.
- Use your oven’s convection setting when possible
– it will cook the food evenly and use less heat.
- Cook with a slow cooker (or microwave), whenever
possible, a slow cooker uses less energy than an oven.
After the Meal:
- Let the leftover food cool before placing in
the refrigerator. Putting hot or warm dishes into the fridge causes the
refrigerator to work harder to cool the food.
- After the meal, scrape plates instead of rinsing
them with hot water. This will get the dishes clean without a pre-rinse.
- If possible, skip hand-washing dishes – a
dishwasher uses less water.
Expecting Guests?
- Do not buy a turkey bigger than the group that
will be partaking in the feast. A smaller turkey takes less time to cook.
- If guests are expected, lower the thermostat a
few degrees before they arrive. A large gathering will generate heat.
- If possible, install automatic lights for when a
room is unoccupied.
Leaving Town?
- Set your thermostat to a lower setting when
leaving for the holidays.
- Set your lights on a timer. Setting a timer will not only help you save energy but the timer will also ensure your home does not look unoccupied while you are away.
- Lower the blinds and close the curtains. Doing this
will keep heat from escaping.
Interested in more energy saving tips for the winter? Visit https://energy.mo.gov/resources/winter-heating-tips .
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