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Midsummer cooking can go from sweet to spicy quickly. with Record heat waves The idea of standing over a hot stove is becoming more popular across the United States and temperatures are reaching triple digits in many areas this month, enough to make anyone reach for their fast food menu.
But there are ways to manage. When it is Dangerously hot outsideA few simple adjustments to how and when you cook can help Stay calm And you still get a great meal on the table.
It doesn’t take much, just a few smart steps, like selecting Correct hardware And time your cooking sessions strategically. The payoff goes beyond comfort, too: keeping heat inside the kitchen means the rest of your home stays cooler AC bill No spiral.
Here are nine practical tips to keep you and your kitchen cool, even when the temperature is pushing you over the edge.
1. Preparing food instead of cooking
Ceviche does not require cooking. It may be the perfect summer food.
Don’t want to heat up your kitchen? Do not cook. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat. Focus on fresh foods that don’t require cooking, such as summer salads, ceviche, smoothies, and cold pastas. Even cutting up fresh fruits or vegetables, such as cucumbers and watermelon, 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 — while you consume them.
When you cook, limit your time in the kitchen with a handy meal kit (that’s the tools). The best meal kits of 2026). You’ll probably still have to cook, but you’ll do a lot less prep, and spending less time in a sweltering kitchen is definitely a good thing. Most services offer no-cook snacks during the summer as well.
Basic tools for food preparation
2. Use an exhaust fan
An exhaust fan above the stove is useful during hot summer days.
If you will be using your oven, make sure the exhaust fan is running at full capacity whenever you do so. Most people associate exhaust systems with smoke reduction, but those fans above the furnace absorb a lot of heat, too.
3. Use an outdoor grill or pizza oven
Home pizza ovens are on a tear and offer an excellent alternative to hot indoor cooking.
Take the heat out of the kitchen by cooking outdoors this summer. Grilled chicken or steak are classic barbecue dishes but don’t forget you can grill summer favorites like Corn on the cob or watermelon. You may feel hot while outside Using the grill Or a smoker to heat food, but your kitchen can stay cool.
Essential outdoor grilling and cooking equipment, all tested and reviewed.
4. Use an air fryer or Instant Pot
Slow cookers release much less heat than an oven.
Reducing oven and stove use can help you avoid heating up your kitchen. Small appliances can also cook your food while emitting less heat than larger appliances. Try using Air fryer Instead of your wall oven, or panini maker instead Stovetop. You’ll be surprised how versatile small appliances are. Your slow cooker and Instant Pot It’s not just for winter soups and stews. Think of summer recipes you can make on your countertop, like Instant Pot Pork Carnitas. Don’t turn your nose up at the microwave, which can burn rice, quinoa, vegetables, and more while generating virtually no heat.
Kitchen gadgets that keep your wall oven off
5. Prepare meals before heat waves
Some Instant Pots work as an air fryer.
If you’re going to heat your kitchen, make it worth it. If you end up using the oven or stovetop, make larger quantities than usual. This way, you can use up pre-cooked leftovers, meaning you have food ready to use without heating up your kitchen again.
With the right kitchen tools, you can cook food in batches and Keep the oven off. For example, prepare a whole batch of boneless chicken in the Instant Pot (which emits very little heat). Then you can use the leftovers to make tacos, chicken salad, nachos, and other meals that don’t require firing up the oven.
The best equipment for batch cooking
6. Cook during cool hours
If you’re going to cook, try to do so when it’s cold.
Cooking in your kitchen when it’s already hot outside (and probably already hot in your house) means you’ll be adding more heat. Plan ahead and strategize your cooking times when it’s not hot. The best time to cook to avoid the heat is in the morning or later in the evening. This may seem easier said than done, but you can bake bread in the morning, or cook proteins and pasta dishes while you prepare breakfast or brunch so they are ready for dinner.
More great kitchen tips
7. Add fans
We’re big fans of air circulation during the summer.
Airflow can help cool your kitchen. If you are using the stove, turn on the kitchen hood vent. It’s there to remove not only grease, fumes and odors but also smoke, heat and steam that can linger and overheat your kitchen while cooking. Additionally, you can keep a fan in the kitchen to move and cool the air. You can also put your fan on to move hot air out, or bring in cool air with a cool, wet towel.
We are fans of these
8. Limit bright lights
There should be (less) light.
Sunlight and even artificial indoor light can generate heat, and when you’re in the heat of summer, every degree counts. Dim the lights, close any curtains, close the blinds and limit the number of lights you turn on. You don’t have to work in the dark but be careful not to turn on too many overhead lights.
Smart lights to glow the kitchen
9. Stay hydrated
Water, water everywhere.
This strategy will not lower the actual temperature in your kitchen but will make the heat more bearable. Hydration is the first rule for most summer activities, and cooking outdoors or in a warm kitchen is no exception. Drink plenty of water — 11 to 15 cups a day is recommended — and drink more than you think when your mercury level rises.
Want to punch it up a little? Try a water infusion for more flavor and refreshment. Are you planning to sweat it out? Add sea salt and lemon to enhance electrolytes and flavor.
Hot tips to stay hydrated
