Tips on eco-friendly usage: Oven

Recirculation air or hot air

Not only is recirculation air, especially the “eco” forced convection/hot air function, more energy-saving than top/bottom heat, it also allows you to put more than one baking tray in the oven at the same time.

Preheating

Preheating is only necessary for a very few recipes. By not preheating, you will need a slightly longer baking time.

Oven door

Keep the oven door closed: wherever possible, check the food through the window instead of opening the door.

Residual heat

You can switch the oven off 5 to 10 minutes early to make use of the residual heat.

EcoManagement

Use the EcoManagement function, which shows the average energy consumption of the last 25 times you used the oven, the total energy consumption in the last month (or since it was reset during the last month), the total energy consumption over the last year (or since it was reset during the last year) and the overall energy consumption.

Vegetarian or vegan recipes

Animal products usually generate a lot more CO₂. Plant-based margarine, for example, is better than butter.

The choice of recipe is the main factor that affects how climate-friendly your baking is. This is because most of the carbon emissions associated with baking come from the ingredients you use. As a rule of thumb, the fewer animal products, the better. The most climate-friendly option is therefore a vegetarian or vegan recipe.

When it comes to ingredients, you can also do more than just choosing a vegetarian or vegan recipe. You can also avoid a lot of CO₂ by using organic products. It’s also best to opt for seasonal ingredients where possible (for example apples instead of strawberries) and local produce. In the case of plant-based spreads, for example, avoid palm oil or palm fat and opt for rapeseed or linseed oil instead.

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Sources: mein-klimaschutz.de, V-ZUG operating instructions