The Rural Voice, 1978-09, Page 43i
Conserving electricity
Agriculture Canada's Food Advisory
Division is concerned about conserving
electricity. The kitchen is a major source of
energy consumption. Operating the refrig-
erator and freezer, heating water for the
dishwasher and cooking allrequire consid-
erable amounts of energy.
Food Advisory Division food consultants
and technicians conducted tests to compare
the amounts of electricity required for
cooking, using the electric range and
several small electrical appliances. They
measured the power consumed with a
special meter fitted with a recording device
and came up with the following advice.
Just as golfers use a variety of clubs to
help them get the lowest score, cooks
should use the right combination of
appliances to prepare the most cost-
efficient meat.
The most consistent heavy user of
electricity is the oven of the range. Yet if
used properly it is cost efficient. For
example, the oven is useful to cook large
meals and is more efficient if the cook
avoids opening the door to check the
meal's progress. Each time the oven door
is opened approximately 20 per cent of the
heat is lost.
Use small appliances to prepare small
quantities. Use an electric kettle to boil
water instead of boiling a kettle on a
range -top element. An electric kettle uses
0.13 kilowatt hours while the range -top
method uses 0.32 kilowatt hours to boil six
cups of water, a difference of about half a
cent based on an average cost of 2.35 cents
per kilowatt hour.
A toaster should be used to toast
bread --not the broiler of the oven.
However, the researchers found that pork
chops pan fried on the top of the range take
about 0.1 kilowatt hours, where as an
electric fry -pan takes three times more
energy and if the chops are baked in an
oven. 4.4 kilowatt hours are consumed.
Some foods such as pot roasts are cooked
most efficiently in a slow cooker. Using a
sbw cooker takes 0.2- kilowatt hours,
costing about one-fifth of a cent; a pressure
cooker uses 1.4 kilowatt hours (about three
cents), and an oven takes 4.6 kilowatt
hours (about 11 cents). A slow cooker is a
speciality appliance that should be used as
suggested by the manufacturer to get the
best results.
Other helpful hints to save energy and
money are:
--Use pots that fit the element and have
tight fitting lids;
--Turn down the heat once something is
boiling, and use the lowest setting to keep
it boiling;
--Use a small amount of water for cooking
vegetables;
--Make up big batches of foods when using
the oven and freeze any surplus;
--Don't preheat too far in advance and turn
off appliances when finished.
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THE RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1978 PG. 43