Top 10 energy saving cooking tips

We're all looking at ways to help save money... and the environment too. Now you're living away from home and cooking for yourself on a regular basis, take a look at some of our top tips tp help save energy in the kitchen. 

1. Put a lid on it – always cook with a lid on to prevent heat escaping. You can always leave a small gap to allow some steam to escape and prevent liquid boiling over.

1. Need boiling water? - only fill the kettle to the level you need. One noodle pot will only need two cups maximum.
2. No metal allowed - batch cook foods that can be eaten an extra day or frozen. If doing this avoid freezing in metal containers. This way you can easily reheat or defrost using the microwave.
3. Low and slow - slow cooking is not only great way to cook with cheaper and less tender meat options, but also a win on the energy front.
4. Cook and eat together – take it in turns and fill the oven with a meal that can be enjoyed by the household. Remember to take it in turns - let's be honest, who doesn’t love someone else cooking for them!
5. 'A' is best - when buying any kitchen equipment always go for an energy efficient option. Equipment will have a rating A to G.
6. Pan stack - three tier steamers are a great way of cooking different items together on one hob. Always put the food that will take the longest in the bottom pan.
7. Leave to rest - if buying ready meals always follow the instructions on the packaging. This will ensure you don’t overcook food. If there is a microwave option, go for this as a preferred choice to save energy. Also remember to leave the food to rest for a minute or two after cooking. The food will continue cooking during this time.
8. Warm spot - do not over fill your fridge – this will make is less energy efficient and create warm spots, which are bad for food safety as food in the fridge should never be warm.
9. Quick start - if you need to boil something in a pan – pasta, eggs, etc. always boil the water in the kettle, and then transfer to the pan. This reduces the cooking time and is a really good energy saving tip. If cooking pasta, always give the water a stir after adding to prevent the pasta from sticking.