CEDAR RAPIDS – This Thanksgiving, cooks across Iowa will all use one universal ingredient – energy. When compared to all the other ingredients for the big holiday meal, energy is one of the lowest cost items. This is especially true for customers of Alliant Energy.
“At the center of this holiday is a gathering of family and friends,” said Alliant Energy Vice President of Customer Operations Linda Mattes. “Electricity and natural gas make the meal complete and affordable.”
For Alliant Energy’s Iowa customers, the average electricity cost to make Thanksgiving this year is $1.84. If you are using gas appliances, the average cost is $0.48.
| Thanksgiving meal | Electricity cost | Natural gas cost |
| 16 lbs stuffed turkey roasted in an oven for 3.5 hours | $1.05 | $0.29 |
| Pan of mashed potatoes cooked on the stove for 20 minutes | $0.13 | $0.02 |
| Giblet gravy cooked on the stove for 10 minutes | $0.06 | $0.01 |
| Dinner rolls baked in the oven for 30 minutes | $0.15 | $0.04 |
| Green bean casserole baked in an oven for 30 minutes | $0.15 | $0.04 |
| Two pumpkin pies baked in an oven for one hour | $0.30 | $0.08 |
| Total energy cost | $1.84 | $0.48 |
Tips for an energy-efficient holiday:
- Let the furnace rest. If your holiday cooking doesn’t heat up your house, your guests will. Turn your thermostat down three to five degrees to save energy while staying comfortable.
- Skip the preheat. The turkey is traditionally stuffed early in the morning and roasted for hours. When cooking meats or dishes for several hours, there is no need to preheat your oven.
- Use glass or ceramic pans. They heat faster than metal pans, and you can lower the temperature by 25 degrees, reducing energy use.
- Cooking together saves energy. Cook as much of your meal at one time as possible. Foods with different cooking temperatures can be cooked together, if the temperature difference is less than 25 degrees.
- Close the oven door. This Thanksgiving, resist the urge to open the oven door and check the meal. One open of the door will decrease the temperature inside by 25 degrees. This means your oven has to use more energy to stay on temperature.
- Coast to the finish. Food keeps cooking even after you turn off the burner. When food is almost ready, turn off the oven or burners and let existing heat finish the cooking for you.
- Don’t overlook the microwave. Efficient microwaves use about half the energy of conventional ovens.
- Clean while it’s hot. If your oven needs a self-cleaning cycle, do it while the oven is still hot.
- Run a full load. Fill your dishwasher, and you will use less hot water than doing dishes by hand.
Alliant Energy Corporation’s Iowa energy company, Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), utilizes the trade name of Alliant Energy. The Iowa utility is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and provides electric service to 490,000 retail customers and natural gas service to 220,000 retail customers.
