Cooking at home is one of the best things you can do for your family. As a rule it’s healthier, and encourages family time, especially if you get the kids involved.

One of my favorite things is to cook with just one power source. The classic is the crock pot, of course. Very easy to make a one dish meal in one, and the power consumption is low. But you can do the same in the oven.

I can start a meal with whatever meat, and maybe some potatoes. Towards the end, start a pan of vegetables to roast. If you don’t try roasting vegetables, you may just be missing out on a treat! They can be wonderful. Very different from steamed veggies.

The trick, of course, is finding foods that can be cooked all at the same temperatures. Time is easy enough to handle just by figuring out when to start things.

If you can cook in this way, you’re minimizing the power used, and using it as efficiently as possible. It won’t work all the time, but when you can swing it, great!