Pros and cons of spending too much time in the kitchen
We all have different lifestyles, and just as we tend to gravitate towards or tend to avoid certain things in areas of life like relationships or career we also have different attitudes and opinions about eating, dieting and cooking. Some of us thrive at the thought of being in the kitchen and immersing ourselves in preparing a wonderful dish and experimenting with different ingredients, while others tend to avoid it at all cost and look to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen. Regardless of what your preference is, there are some general pros and cons of spending too much in the kitchen that can be applied to everyone. Let’s explore them together here.
The first benefit of being in a kitchen and preparing the food by yourself (either for yourself or for other people) is being in control of the entire preparation process and knowing what ingredients you will use. There is no chance of putting something in your meal that you’re allergic to or don’t like. Every ingredient is examined and picked by you, and you can choose only those that are natural, healthy and without artificial colors. Cooking for yourself can also be a financially better option, since it definitely costs less than going out and eating in a restaurant. You can still treat yourself with a nice restaurant meal once in a while, but if you’re looking to eat on a budget cooking for yourself can be a more affordable option.
When it comes to cons of preparing food by yourself there is the first and obvious one, which is time consumption. Cooking can be a time demanding task, especially if you’re not an expert and don’t know recipes or have clear instructions to follow. If you add the task of planning your meals, shopping for groceries and washing dishes after you’re done eating, food preparation can become something that can easily take out plenty of your time during the day. Another thing to consider is your wellness and nutrition knowledge. If you don’t know much about the healthy balance between proteins, carbs and healthy fats, you may be cooking food that’s not balanced nutrition wise.
How to practice energy efficiency in the kitchen
Whether you are someone who likes to cook and spends a lot of time in the kitchen, or someone who tends to avoid it and does it only occasionally, your kitchen is definitely the place in your home that uses a lot of power and the place where you can easily save up some energy and thus reduce your utility bill.
The first thing to pay attention to is your appliances. How many of them can be found in your kitchen and how often do you use them? Appliances can be major energy drainers, and they use energy even if they’re turned off, so you want to make sure those that you don’t use regularly are unplugged. You can also check if appliances are energy drainers by turning them off and looking if some lights are still on (blinking lights for example). If they are, then chances are the appliance is an energy drainer.
Make sure to switch to energy efficient light bulbs to lower your energy consumption. These light bulbs use 75% less energy than standard models and they can fit cabinet mounted and ceiling mounted. Switching to energy efficient light bulbs in your kitchen can significantly decrease your utility bill. This is something to specifically pay attention to if you’re serious about your budget and are looking to maximize your savings. Upgrading to energy efficient products in the kitchen can help you save on your Infinite Energy bill.
Other things to pay attention to is your refrigerator, which can consume a lot of energy since it is always running in order to perform its function. Make sure it is not outdated, and that it is always stocked with foods and beverages (according to the second law of thermodynamics the more items you have in your fridge, the less time it will take to keep them cold).
Takeaway
There are many ways to reduce your utility bill and practice energy efficiency. Since your kitchen is the place in your home that uses a lot of energy regardless of your cooking habits, you may want to start from there. Check your appliances, make sure they’re unplugged if you aren’t using them regularly, and switch to energy efficient light bulbs. This will impact your utility bill significantly.
