We recently visited River Cottage HQ in Devon to take part in their Autumn Fair, and talk to visitors about how we’re working with the River Cottage team to help make Park Farm run as sustainably as possible.

We were kept very busy, but when we did get time to take a break we were well-rewarded with some delicious organic grub. There was moussaka, chickpea tagine with mint yoghurt, burgers and more, as well as ice-cream, cider and cream teas – all organic and locally-sourced of course. All that tasty food inspired us to get back into our own kitchens and, with the days getting chillier, we’ve started to think about some hearty meals we’ll be having for tea (and bringing in for lunch the following day!). 

Like the River Cottage team, we want to make sure we cook as sustainably as possible, so here is some advice we’re going to be following when we rustle up our favourite winter warmers...

Start local...

Buy organic, locally-sourced ingredients if you can; your food will have travelled fewer miles to your table, and organic food is less energy-intensive as it doesn’t require pesticides and fertilisers which need to be both manufactured and sprayed.

Eat less meat...

...and more veggies. Meat generally has a large carbon footprint because of the energy required to feed, graze and transport the animals.  

Don’t peek...

Every time you open the oven door you lose up to 60% of the heat, which means your oven must work harder and use more energy to return it to the required temperature. So either invest in a timer, or clean that glass oven door so you can clearly see your dishes.

Cover up...

Use lids on your pots when cooking, the captured heat value can save you up to 3 times the energy utilized by an open pot.  Glass lids will allow you to view the cooking progress. It will also reduce condensation in your kitchen.

Chill out...

Think about how you use the fridge and freezer. Take foods you’re going to be cooking out of the fridge and bring them up to room temperature before putting them in the oven to reduce cooking times. Always cool warm food to room temperature before putting in the fridge or freezer. If you need to defrost something before cooking it, defrost it slowly in the fridge – not only is it better for the texture of joints of meat etc., but your fridge will save energy too.

Take your time...

If you are preparing a delicate dish that needs to cook slowly – use a slow cooker which cooks at a lower temperature. Slow cookers use over 40% less energy than conventional ovens. 

Cook in bulk...

If you’re baking a potato, why not bake a pie too to utilise as much of the heat produced as possible. Or make double the quantity you need and freeze the rest for another time.

Buy energy-efficient...

Support your efforts by choosing energy-efficient alternatives to your kitchen essentials. Check out our favourites from the Morphy Richards Ecolectric range; the kettle, toaster and slow cooker are great energy-savers and, in our opinion, work really brilliantly. You can read some reviews on our product pages. Always check the energy efficiency rating of all new appliances you buy – try to buy the most efficient you can afford as it’ll save you money in the long run. As well as the energy efficiency rating sticker, you might find an environmental impact rating sticker which indicates the level of CO2 emissions produced by the appliance. 

Don’t cook at all!

There are so many dishes you could prepare that require no cooking at all, so why not give your oven the night off every once in a while.

There are lots more good cooking tips on our website. Click here.

Free book with every order

Don’t forget to take advantage of our current offer! We’re giving away a FREE copy of “Do humans dream of electric cars?” with every order, while stocks last. Created by two of our partners, Sawday’s and Sustrans, the book offers practical, easy advice to help make your transport choices as sustainable as possible. Terms and conditions apply, click here to read more...

Happy cooking!

The Good Energy Shop team