The mercury is rising! As the electrical power grid struggles to meet the high demands of central air conditioners battling the heat wave, these hot weather cooking tips can help you to keep your cool without cranking the air even higher.

Cooking is the activity that adds the most ambient heat to your home, followed by running a dryer. Your choice of cooking methods can greatly increase the temperature in your house, and then your air conditioner must work harder to overcome it. This can add a lot to your electric bill, and worse, if you have no air conditioner, choosing the wrong cooking method can make your home humid, muggy, and miserable.

Hot Weather Cooking Tips

Now is the time to seek some different kitchen strategies. We can look back in history for a guideline, based on what our pioneer ancestors ate. Foods were lighter and required less cooking since nearly all cooking was done on a wood-burning stove that would have made the house unbearable. As well, many people set up summer kitchens, consisting of either a separate building to keep the main house cooler or an outdoor fireplace. We can take our cues from them and adapt their diets to our modern lifestyles.