Unfortunately, energy efficiency and environmental friendliness can get lost in the shuffle when planning a big holiday shindig. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to save energy that will actually make your prep work easier and lead to a better holiday party!

Preparation

• Don’t thaw your bird in the refrigerator! Not only will it take up additional space that could be used for other holiday fixings, but it will also cause your fridge to draw a lot of extra energy—24 hours per 4–5 pounds. Instead, buy your turkey fresh the day before Thanksgiving or thaw your frozen bird in cold water, giving it 30 minutes per pound.
• Consider whether or not you need an entire turkey, given how many guests you have and how many sides you’ll be having.
• You’ll find that the “greenest” turkeys are from local organic farms.
• Clean your burners before you begin cooking. You’ll waste a lot of energy trying to cook through all that grimy stuff.

While you’re cooking

• Turn down your thermostat! Your home will get warm enough from all of the cooking in your kitchen and the warm bodies of your guests.
• Try your best to group dishes together so that they can all cook at the same time—this is especially useful for matching things with your turkey.
• Keep that oven door shut! As much as you want to take a peek at that turkey, every time you open the door to your oven you’ll lose about 25 degrees of heat. This will increase the time it takes to cook. Try turning on the oven light instead.
• Opt for ceramic and glass dishes. These materials absorb and retain heat so well that you can lower your oven’s temperature by 25 degrees and achieve the same results as if you had used a different kind of dish!

Easy clean up

• Minimize your dirty dishes. You can do this by using large plates so that you don’t have to mess with several smaller plates for sides, salads, etc. You can also choose multi-functional cookware that you can prepare, serve, and preserve your food in.

Looking for more energy efficiency advice? Check out the rest of our Bright Insights blog for more great tips! And have a wonderful holiday!

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