Record-breaking heat has descended upon the Midwest and Northeast yet again. Scorching temps in spring and early summer are now the norm, not the exception, which makes keeping your home cool while cooking a daunting task. Before you reach for the takeout menu or delivery app, consider my bible for keeping the kitchen cool while cooking, even during a heat wave.
Read more: Best Foods for Staying Hydrated During Hot Weather
Using the right appliances and cooking at certain times will help keep the kitchen from warming the rest of the house and sending your AC bill soaring. You should also consider cooking in bulk when you do cook, so you can do it less often when the mercury heads north.
If you're hot and hungry, I've laid out 9 ways to keep your kitchen cool during the present heat wave and the many heat waves to follow.
1. Prepare instead of cooking
Ceviche requires no cooking. It just might be the perfect summer food. CNET
Don't want to heat up your kitchen? Don't cook. That doesn't mean you can't eat. Focus on no-cook, fresh foods, such as summer salads, ceviche, smoothies and cold noodles. Even slicing up fresh fruit or vegetables like cucumbers and melons can be a refreshing and healthy summer treat. No-cook foods help beat the heat in two ways: By not heating up your kitchen -- or your body -- as you consume them.
When you do cook, limit your time in the kitchen with a helpful meal kit (these are the best meal kits for 2025). You'll likely still have to cook the food, but you'll do far less prep and spending less time in a sweltering kitchen is definitely a good thing. Most services offer lighter, no-cook meals during the summer, too.
Essential gear for food prep
2. Use an exhaust fan
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