In the event of any emergency or disaster you can't rely on your electricity or natural gas to cook your food. If you have a food storage, you must have some way to cook the food storage independent of the grid. Without a way to cook, your food storage would be useless. There are a few different options when it comes to cooking your food storage and this series will detail some of those options. First is a solar oven. A solar oven is something that is great to have on or off the grid. They harness the sun's energy to cook your food, and will cook just about anything. They're cheap, energy independent, and make great tasting meals. Solar ovens can reach temperatures up to 400 degrees and bake just like your regular oven. In an emergency you could cook a whole meal with only a solar oven. It's nearly impossible to burn anything with a solar oven and you can cook anything from bread to brownies.
A solar oven works by directing the sun's rays into the box via a reflective material. The heat builds up inside the box and cooks whatever you have in it. You can use a dutch oven to cook in or an open tray of food. Solar ovens can be used to bake, boil, or steam food and use no energy. Use them in the summer or winter, as long as there is good sunlight you can bake your food. They are also great in the summer because you can bake outside and it keeps your house cooler by not running the oven. Solar ovens do rely on the sun's rays and work best when it is sunny and clear. On a sunny day you can make some great meals for free. A solar oven needs no fuel and as long as it doesn't break it will last indefinitely. They work great on the grid and off the grid and can save on your current energy costs. A nice unit can cost up to $250 or you can build your own for really cheap. A solar oven should be a part of everyone's preparedness plan, and an important part of your food storage. Of course a way to cook when it's cloudy or rainy is equally important and I will discuss other options in following parts.
Off Grid Cooking Options Part 2
Off Grid Cooking Options Part 3
