Sustainable Cooking Tips: How to Keep Your Kitchen Cool in the Summer

On a sweltering summer afternoon, the last thing you want to do is turn the kitchen into a furnace by cooking something. Finding sustainable cooking methods that avoid heating things up to enjoy tasty meals on warm nights.

By making these simple adjustments, you can keep your kitchen cool and cooking sustainable.

Here are a few ways to keep your kitchen temperate in the warmer months.

Avoid the Oven & Stove

If you want the kitchen to be unbearably hot, boil a pot of water on a summer day. If you’d prefer to keep things cool, do the opposite. Avoid using the stove at anything above low-to-medium heat.

The same goes for the oven which heats things up considerably. Instead of using the oven, opt for a dish that requires minimal, sustainable cooking — perhaps a cold salad. Or fire up the grill for a warm meal with more of a summer vibe.

Cook When It’s Cool Outside

A bit of meal prep can save the day in the summer heat. Cook in the morning when it’s cool out to avoid the heat of the afternoon. This gives you time to cool the kitchen back down before it begins to get significantly warmer outside.

Furthermore, getting the bulk of your sustainable cooking done early in the day leaves you with less to do in the afternoon. On exceptionally hot days, it can be tough to do anything without sweating. If you don’t have to cook, you have more time to stay cool.

Let the Air Flow

Before it gets too hot outside, open up the windows. This allows air to flow through and pre-cools the kitchen before the heat sets in later. Doing so also airs out the room to keep it feeling fresh — a stuffy kitchen is only exacerbated by the heat.

Additionally, a well-placed fan makes a big difference. Although you may be tempted to have it blow right on your face, positioning the fan closer to the floor forces cool air into circulation. You can also try putting a bowl of ice in front of it for a DIY air chiller.

Break Out the Slow Cooker

A sustainable cooking staple, the slow cooker is your best friend when it’s hot outside. With your slow cooker, you can easily put together tasty dishes that leave you satisfied and your kitchen temperate.

You can even start cooking in the morning so your dinner is ready right as you’re getting home from work!

Keep the Heat Out & the Cool In

As the sun comes out, it begins to heat things up. At this crucial juncture, you must seal the cool inside while thwarting the sun’s attempts to heat things up. This may sound a bit dramatic, but all you need to do is close the blinds. Doing so will generally keep the room much cooler through the heat of the day.

Find an Excuse to Open the Freezer

Although this may not be the most sustainable cooking tip, sometimes it’s just too hot outside. With a reason to open the freezer — like cleaning or reorganizing it, perhaps — you can bless yourself with a burst of frigid air. This way, you get some work done while cooling off. It’s a win-win!

Sustainable Cooking Tips to Stay Cool in the Heat

Cooking in the summer doesn’t have to be impossible. In fact, it’s quite doable if you take action to avoid turning the kitchen into a sweltering mess. These sustainable cooking tips will keep your kitchen temperate and meals tasty in the summer heat.

How do you keep your kitchen cool when the heat hits? Leave a comment and let us know!