As Alaskans prepare for this week’s food intensive holiday with family and friends, there are safety and energy saving tips to keep in mind.
Lindsay Hobson with ENSTAR offered safety tips for those who will be cooking Thanksgiving with natural gas.
Hobson: Keep the stovetop clean and clear of flamable items and use your oven as instructed, never use your oven as a space heater. We also really want to remind people that in the event of a grease fire, not to use water rather use baking soda and cover the fire with a lid to cut off oxygen flow.”
As for saving energy on the big day, here are some tips we’ve compiled:
- Using glass or ceramic dishes allows you to lower the oven temperature by up to 25 degrees because of the heat those containers retain.
- Keeping the oven closed: each time the door is opened the temperature drops 25 to 75 degrees. If possible, check food by peeking through the oven window.
- Using the microwave to defrost items or cook small portions. Crock pots can also be used for sides.
- Plan dishes that can be cooked together in the oven at the same time.
- Utilizing roasting bags can reduce cooking times by nearly half.
- Turning down the thermostat in the home where the meal is being cooked is also a way to cut costs; between the cooking and extra people, houses are likely to stay very cozy.
