GoKawiilMidsummer cooking can go from sweet to sweltering fast. With record-breaking heat waves becoming more common across the US and triple-digit temperatures hitting many regions this month, the thought of standing over a hot stove is enough to make anyone reach for a takeout menu.
But there are ways to manage. When it's dangerously hot outside, a few simple adjustments to how and when you cook can help you stay cool and still get a great meal on the table.
It doesn't take much -- just a few smart moves, like choosing the right appliances and timing your cooking sessions strategically. The payoff goes beyond comfort, too: keeping heat contained in the kitchen means the rest of your home stays cooler and your AC bill doesn't spiral.
Here are nine practical tips to keep you and your kitchen cool, even when the temperature is pushing you to the brink.
1. Prepare food 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, such as 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 2026). 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
... continue reading