ElectricRangesUseCare

7
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS, Continued
VENTILATING HOODS
Clean Ventilating Hoods Frequently
Grease should not be allowed to accumulate on hood or filter. When flaming foods under
hood, turn hood fans on.
ENERGY-SAVING IDEAS
Surface Cooking
Turn surface elements off before cooking is completed. The units will stay hot long
enough to finish the cooking process.
Use lids when surface cooking. A lid traps steam and uses it to speed up the cooking
process. If you have a pressure cooker or vegetable steamer, use it. You’ll waste fewer
vitamins, save time and cut energy costs.
Use medium-weight, flat bottomed pans that match the sizes of the elements. Pick pans
made of a metal that conducts heat well.
When cooking on a surface element, use as little water as possible to reduce cooking time.
Never use the range to heat the kitchen. Using your range without utensils or pans to
absorb the element's heat risks damaging the surface and the controls.
Oven Cooking
Preheat the oven only when a recipe tells you. Put roasts and casseroles into a cold oven
and then turn the oven on.
Opening the oven door often to check on foods wastes electricity.
Use the oven to prepare complete meals. For instance, start a roast, add vegetables when
the meat is half-cooked, and then warm rolls or dessert after the main dishes are cooked.
Thaw frozen foods before cooking. Thawed food requires less cooking energy than frozen
food.
Make it a habit to turn the oven off before you remove the cooked food from it.