When friends and family come together to celebrate the holiday, it can often mean a full house. As people gather and you prepare to turn your kitchen into a full gourmet workspace, reducing the energy usage while cooking up a family meal my help alleviate some stress.

Small adjustments to how we cook, clean, and celebrate can make a big difference in saving energy and lowering bills.

Below is a list of easy ways to save money and energy this holiday.

Use your oven efficiently:
- Cook multiple dishes at once when possible.
- Opening your oven to peek at the turkey can lower the oven's overall temp by 25 degrees, so use your oven light.
- Consider using a convection Oven setting if available. It cooks faster and at lower temperatures.
Make use of small appliances:
- Small appliances, such as air fryers, slow cookers and toaster ovens, can easily cook up side dishes and are energy savers.
- They are great for sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, or green beans.
Conserve cool air in your fridge: Tight seals on your refrigerator can keep you bill low and your food cool.
Full dish loads only: Don't run your dishwasher unless it carries a full load to conserve water and energy.
Prep smart to reduce cook time:
- Chop vegetables the night before.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature before cooking. This shortens cooking time for items like turkey or casseroles.
- Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator ahead of time Cooking from frozen burns a lot of extra energy.
Match pots to the burner size:
- Using a small pan on a large burner waist up to 40% of the burners heat.
- Cover pots with lids to keep heat in and cook food faster.
Make use of residual heat:
- Turn off burners or the oven a few minutes before the cook time ends. Food will continue cooking with leftover heat.
- If you are feeling a bit of a chill in the house, leave the oven door slightly open after cooking to warm your home if it's safe to do so.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful and peaceful Thanksgiving!