When you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, it’s easy to waste water. It happens to the best of us, whether we use too much while rinsing dishes, cooking, or washing utensils.
It’s time to make a change in the kitchen and save water. Without dramatically changing our behaviors, we may all take little effort toward water conservation. To save water, simple changes to daily routines are all that are required. With these 6 practical water-saving cooking tips, we can all do our part.
Use The Dishwasher For Full Loads Only
Dishwashers surprisingly deliver better water efficiency than hand washing. The average person often leaves the tap running while washing the dishes. And as each dish can take about 15 seconds to wash, there could be gallons of water wasted every time you’re at the kitchen sink.
An energy-efficient dishwasher can actually use less than four gallons of water per cycle. The savings quickly add up, especially if you maximize the efficiency with a full load. That’s because the same amount of water and energy is used to wash a full load or half load.
Dishwashers even heat their own water in a far more efficient way than a hot water system does. The localized heating is going to save you money on water heating bills, too.
Don’t Leave Faucets Running
If you’re filling up the sink or rinsing some vegetables, don’t let yourself get distracted and walk away. You could very easily wastewater during an inattentive spell. The average faucet sees one gallon of water flow through it every 30 seconds. Even a short distraction that keeps you away for a minute could waste valuable water.
Instead, focus on the task at hand. There are better uses for potentially wasted water, and your garden could especially benefit. Otherwise, you’ll have an overflowing sink or too much water in a saucepan that will just be poured down the drain.
Reuse Cooking Water On The Garden
Once you’ve boiled some pasta, vegetables, or any food reuse that cooking water in the garden. The boiling process actually infuses the water with additional nutrients that your plants will love. From calcium to iron, it all helps.
You can even reuse some cooking water for other meals, just don’t keep it for too long. There’s no reason why you cannot use the same water to boil pasta two nights in a row. Water can also be reused to boil or steam vegetables. Just be sure to put it in the refrigerator between uses and only keep it for 1-2 days.
The only thing to avoid is salted water. High salt levels will dry out or harm your garden, so you don’t want to reuse any cooking water with high salt content. Alternatively, take this boiling water out and pour it over any nasty weeds. It’s a quick and easy way to kill off invasive weeds and plant species.
Steam Vegetables, Don’t Boil
If you want to save water at home, even the smallest changes help. And that could be steaming your vegetables instead of boiling.
You need far less water to produce steam, all while still creating a flavorsome dish. In fact, vegetables often retain their flavor more when steamed. And it works for all sorts, from carrot and potato to broccoli and beans.
Of course, not everything you boil can be steamed. But making the switch wherever you can is a handy way to reduce water consumption each and every day.
Stop Rinsing Dirty Dishes
Alongside an unnecessary and wasteful running tap, rinsing your dishes is a big no-no. Instead, save water in your kitchen by scraping food scraps into the bin with a knife or fork. You should never rinse them down the sink, anyway, as it can block your drains.
Proper disposal of food waste is environmentally beneficial. On one hand, you can use the scraps in the garden via compost. On the other hand, you’re reducing the amount of rubbish going to landfills. And by protecting your sinks and using less water, household plumbing benefits.
It’s a good habit to teach the children. They can properly dispose of their leftovers and save water in the process. Any water tips that are educational and beneficial should never be ignored.
Use The Right Size Pots And Pans
Are you overfilling pots and pans with too much water? It’s time to stop. You no longer have to pour the excess water down the drain if you simply grab the right pot for the job.
This might seem like an obvious way to save water in the kitchen, but not everyone is taught proper kitchen etiquette. Some people are unaware of the best-sized accessory for the job. Therefore, you don’t need a giant pot for a small portion of rice. A single-serve of pasta does not need to be boiled in your deepest pot.
Consider the task at hand and go for the most efficient item. The conversation of water achieved by simply using less water adds up quickly. Less water loss and wastage is a major benefit for any water-conscious person.
