It is officially summer and as temperatures rise, the more likely it is you’re going to break a sweat while trying to prepare yourself a decent meal. If you rely on the oven and stove for all your cooking needs, there is no doubt that your time spent in the kitchen during the summer will feel worse than a sweaty, long session of steamy hot yoga. Instead of lining your kitchen countertops with portable fans, here are 7 cooking tips to beat the heat while you prepare food in the summer.
1. Downsize Your Appliances
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
Ovens and stoves are the main perpetrators of adding excessive heat to the kitchen, so consider trying small scale alternatives: toaster ovens, electric skillets, microwaves and rice cookers. Sacrificing your larger appliances does not mean you have to sacrifice quality meals either, as there are many recipes that can be made in toaster ovens.
2. Try No-Bake Recipes
Photo by Rayna Mohrmann
Even without an oven, you can still execute some stellar recipes while avoiding adding to the kitchen heat. In case you’re still hesitant about giving up the brownie baking, there are plenty of easy, no-bake desserts that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
3. Just Grill It
Photo courtesy of Dmagazine.com
There is no better time to get out of the kitchen and onto the patio grill than the summer time. By cooking outside, you can easily avoid making your home hotter while making your neighbors jealous with that smoky BBQ aroma.
4. Use a Crock-Pot
Photo by Katya Simkovich
Crock-Pots are great because they can make diverse, flavorful meals without contributing to the heat wave. You can actually make breakfast, lunch or dinner in these things and there are a plethora of easy one pot recipes to make in a Crock-Pot.
5. Cook with a Dishwasher
Photo by Andrea Baysa
No really, this is a thing. Believe it or not, you can cook anything from vegetables to salmon using a dishwasher, making this underrated appliance an effective alternative to the dreaded oven.
6. Cook in Large Quantities
Photo by Tiare Brown
Sometimes there are no exceptions to using the stove or oven, but there are smart ways to use them to keep the kitchen temperature low. Try cooking a few days worth of food in one session, which is not only energy efficient but spares you a lot of meal prep time later on in the week. You can also try cooking in the late-night or morning hours when the kitchen will already be cooler than it would be in the evening.
7. Prep Your Ingredients
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
To ensure that you cook efficiently and use minimal heat, try some prepping methods that will reduce your time with the stove on. This includes allowing all your food to thaw before throwing them in an oven or stove, or cutting your vegetables and meat into smaller pieces to allow them to cook faster.
Now with these methods to beat the summer heat for your next meal, it will definitely help prevent sweat from getting in your food. Happy cooking.