Thanksgiving is a special day to spend time with family and friends, but it can also be stressful if you’re hosting. All that extra cooking, cleaning and entertaining can increase your energy costs and your stress level. Here are some simple Thanksgiving energy-saving tips to help you relax and enjoy your day while lowering your energy costs.

1. Plan your menu

Create a detailed menu based on the number of guests and their preferences. Doing so will help you prepare only what you need and significantly reduce the amount of energy used for cooking.

2. Learn proper portion sizes

Educate yourself on recommended portion sizes to avoid overcooking. Understanding how much to prepare for each guest can significantly reduce food and energy waste.

3. Read the temperature of the room

Turn down the temperature when guests arrive. Extra bodies in the house mean extra heat at no cost to you. A smart, programmable thermostat can adjust the temperature automatically based on your schedule, habits and weather conditions.

4. Use ceramic or glass baking dishes

Baking dishes made of these materials retain heat better than metal pans, which allows you to reduce the oven temperature by up to 25 degrees while still getting the same results.

5. Bake in batches

Cook two or more pies or multiple batches of cookies at a time. You’ll not only save energy but time as well.

6. Save on your stovetop

Correctly match the size of the pot or pan you’re using to the size of the burner to avoid wasting energy. Keep pots and pans covered to prevent heat loss and reduce cooking time, and clean burners after every use. A clean burner heats more efficiently, using less energy.

7. Use a slow cooker or microwave

Slow cookers and microwaves use a lot less energy than a conventional oven while still producing tasty results. So use them whenever you can. You’d be surprised how many classic Thanksgiving dishes, such as stuffing and mashed potatoes, you can cook easily and more efficiently using a slow cooker.

8. Scrape dishes

You’ll have plenty of dishes to clean after your meal. Scrape them instead of rinsing them before loading them into the dishwasher. Your dishwasher can clean most food residue, and scraping will save a lot of water as well as the energy used to heat that water.

9. Operate on a full load

Use your dishwasher. It uses significantly less water and energy than hand washing. Optimize water and energy use by waiting until you have a full load before starting the unit.

While these measures will help make your Thanksgiving celebration more energy efficient, you can use them throughout the holiday season and all year long to save energy and money.