Christmas Cooking Tips To Save Money

Christmas tree

Sonora, CA – While preparing the holiday feast, PG&E is serving up a side dish of energy saving ideas.

This season the utility is sharing ways to gobble up energy savings and in turn reduce higher holiday energy bills.

“We encourage customers to put safety first at holiday gatherings and look for ways to reduce energy use this season,” said Aaron August, PG&E’s Vice President of Business Development & Customer Engagement.

With inflation and all the money already spent on holiday gifts, PG&E offered these tips for saving some cash while preparing, eating and cleaning up your Christmas meal:

Start with a Clean Oven and Stovetop to reduce the risk of a grease fire.

• Keep the Oven Door Closed when in use. Cut down your oven’s energy consumption by using the oven light to check on food instead of opening the door. It will help maintain the correct temperature and minimize the oven having to reheat itself.
• Use the Stove Instead of the Oven as range-top cooking uses less energy. Also plan side dishes that can cook simultaneously in the oven to reduce the amount of time it is running. Use the microwave to reheat or cook small portions.
• Install a Dimmer Light Switch for dining room light fixture(s). Dimming a bulb’s brightness by 10% can double the bulb’s lifespan. Keep the lights off when not in use.
• Use a Dishwasher and scrape plates instead of rinsing with hot water to save energy and money. Wait until there is a full load before starting the dishwasher. And be sure to stop the appliance before the heated dry cycle; open the door and let your dishes air-dry.