Because climate change is a real problem, an increasing number of people are looking for ways to use clean energy that will have a less devastating effect on the environment. The energy that comes from the sun is not only clean but it's free too. One way to utilize this energy that comes courtesy of Mother Nature is to cook your food in a Solar Oven.
While there are some very sophisticated models on the market, a homemade solar cooker is basic and can easily be constructed from materials that you have recycled. Among the many benefits of cooking in this way is that you will spend less on electricity and gas every month. The cooker is portable too and great for camping trips, since it doesn't require building a fire and since you can use it to boil and purify water and make it potable.
The construction method is incredibly simple and you can get the children to help. First you need to gather the necessary materials, including clear plastic, newspapers, aluminum foil and construction paper in black. Most importantly, you should find a cardboard box in which you can easily fit your cooking vessel. Tape or some glue, scissors or a sharp box cutter and a tick, ruler or other oblong object of a foot or so in length are the tools you will need.
To start, mark a line along three sides on the top of the box, a minimum of an inch from the edge. Then carefully cut all along the line. This will form a flap that you can lift.
Once you have made a flap at the top of the box, you need to line the inside of this flap with aluminum foil. You can tape or glue the foil to the cardboard. What is important is that the foil should be as smooth as possible. The idea is that the aluminum will reflect the sun's rays into the box.
Once you have assembled the flap, you need to add the lining. Place construction paper in the box to line the bottom. The paper should be black in order to absorb more heat. Then roll up sheets of newspaper and place them along the sides to add insulation.
The best time to use your oven is around midday, when the sun shines at its brightest. Place the box in a sunny spot and place a pie tin, plate or pot with food inside. Then tightly tape two layers of clear plastic wrap over the opening in the box, since this will allow the heat to enter but not to escape again. Using a ruler, stick or wooden spoon, prop up the lid at an angle that best reflects the sunlight into the box.
Your cooker will take more time to heat up than a regular one. It is most effective for food that needs slow cooking, like stew, soup, rice or baked spuds. However, the inside can reach sufficiently high temperatures for cooking egg dishes, melting the cheese on nachos or sandwiches, baking cookies or even boiling water for tea or coffee. The trick is to check the angle of the flap throughout the process and adjust it from time to time, ensuring that it directs the rays of energy down into your homemade cooker.
While there are some very sophisticated models on the market, a homemade solar cooker is basic and can easily be constructed from materials that you have recycled. Among the many benefits of cooking in this way is that you will spend less on electricity and gas every month. The cooker is portable too and great for camping trips, since it doesn't require building a fire and since you can use it to boil and purify water and make it potable.
The construction method is incredibly simple and you can get the children to help. First you need to gather the necessary materials, including clear plastic, newspapers, aluminum foil and construction paper in black. Most importantly, you should find a cardboard box in which you can easily fit your cooking vessel. Tape or some glue, scissors or a sharp box cutter and a tick, ruler or other oblong object of a foot or so in length are the tools you will need.
To start, mark a line along three sides on the top of the box, a minimum of an inch from the edge. Then carefully cut all along the line. This will form a flap that you can lift.
Once you have made a flap at the top of the box, you need to line the inside of this flap with aluminum foil. You can tape or glue the foil to the cardboard. What is important is that the foil should be as smooth as possible. The idea is that the aluminum will reflect the sun's rays into the box.
Once you have assembled the flap, you need to add the lining. Place construction paper in the box to line the bottom. The paper should be black in order to absorb more heat. Then roll up sheets of newspaper and place them along the sides to add insulation.
The best time to use your oven is around midday, when the sun shines at its brightest. Place the box in a sunny spot and place a pie tin, plate or pot with food inside. Then tightly tape two layers of clear plastic wrap over the opening in the box, since this will allow the heat to enter but not to escape again. Using a ruler, stick or wooden spoon, prop up the lid at an angle that best reflects the sunlight into the box.
Your cooker will take more time to heat up than a regular one. It is most effective for food that needs slow cooking, like stew, soup, rice or baked spuds. However, the inside can reach sufficiently high temperatures for cooking egg dishes, melting the cheese on nachos or sandwiches, baking cookies or even boiling water for tea or coffee. The trick is to check the angle of the flap throughout the process and adjust it from time to time, ensuring that it directs the rays of energy down into your homemade cooker.
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