The Meal - Not Just Food - But Energy | Farm Report with Pam Jahnke

Posted: 11.24.2010

For most of us, when we think of the Thanksgiving meal - we think of the food, and where it came from - who produced it! This year, Alliant Energy reminds consumers to remember the actual energy it takes to prepare that meal!

Scott Reigstad with Alliant Energy in Madison told Pam Jahnke that the cost of the energy used to prepare the Thanksgiving meal has remained fairly flat year after year. Reigstad says that even though total energy cost for the meal is low - you can still do a few simple things to cut your energy consumption even more!

"When you're cooking - and the house is full of company - think about turning your furnace thermostat down 3-5 degrees. With all the activity, and extra heat from preparing the meal, chances are your guests won't even notice," Reigstad says. Another suggestion from Alliant Energy is to skip the pre-heating of your oven for the big bird. "If the turkey's going to be in the over for three and a half hours - you don't need to waste the energy preheating the oven. Ultimately you'll monitor the bird's internal temperature at the end of the process - not the oven temperature at the beginning."

Reigstad says you shouldn't concentrate just on the oven either. Making sure you're keeping refrigerator doors closed - and making the most out of each time the door opens - can really save energy.

Here's the energy estimates that Alliant Energy's developed for this years meal.

Thanksgiving Menu	Electricity Cost	Natural Gas Cost
16 lb stuffed turkey roasted in an oven for 3.5 hours	$ 0.72	$ 0.35
Large pan of mashed potatoes cooked for 20 minutes	$ 0.09	$ 0.03
Giblet gravy cooked on the stove for 10 minutes	$ 0.04	$ 0.01
Homemade dinner rolls baked for 30 minutes	$ 0.10	$ 0.05
Vegetable casserole baked in an oven for 30 minutes	$ 0.10	$ 0.05
Two pumpkin pies baked in an oven for 1 hour	$ 0.20	$ 0.10
Total Energy Value	$ 1.25	$ 0.59

Alliant Energy also offers the following energy efficiency cooking tips to practice when preparing Thanksgiving Day dinner to maximize your energy value:

· Use the ‘lids-on’ approach to stove top cooking. Tightly fitted lids help keep heat within pots and pans, which permits the use of lower temperature settings and shorter cooking times.

· When cooking on top of your range, match the size of the pan to the heating element. More heat will get to the pan and less will be lost to the surrounding air.

· Coast to the finish: Food keeps cooking even after you turn off the burner. When food is almost ready, turn off the oven or burners and let existing heat finish the cooking for you.

· Always cook on the highest heat until liquid begins to boil. Upon boiling, lower the heat control setting and allow food to simmer until fully cooked.

· When using an electric oven, cook as much of your meal in it at one time as possible. Foods with different cooking temperatures can often be cooked simultaneously – variations of 25 degrees Fahrenheit in either direction still produce good results and save energy.

· Shut the door: Admit it. You like to watch food cook. This Thanksgiving, resist the urge to open the oven door, as doing so will decrease the temperature inside by 25 to 30 degrees. Use your oven light and look through the window instead to keep the oven hot and the kitchen comfortable.

· Use glass or ceramic pans, they heat faster than metal pans and the cooking temperature may be lowered by 25°F. The benefit is the foods will cook in the same time with less energy.

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