Solar Ovens

Pam from Texas mentioned a solar cooker. Any further info on that? I would be very interested in getting one of those for my family as we camp a lot and believe in being prepared in every way.
Elen from Virginia Beach

Just last week I started looking for the same thing! At last I finally found how to make some very easy cookers and also other info. Here's where to go http://solarcooking.org/
Kay E.

We have both homemade and commercial solar ovens and us them as often as we can. We love to introduce them to our new boy scouts each year and open minded folks wishing to tread lightly on the earth. You can cook mostly anything in a solar oven that you would at home with a few modifications. Basically in 2 - 3 hours, you can have a chicken cooked perfectly to perfection. It is more like slow roasting at 250 - 350 degrees F with the meat falling off the bones! Vegetables or a casserole can be cooked while you are at work. Simply point the solar oven toward noon. The food will be at maximum temperature at noon and maintain a perfect serving temperature until supper time when you get home. Food normal does not burn, but you do have to gain enough experience to put in enough moisture to ensure it won't boil dry. Generally cooking vegetables requires very little water, but beans or a casserole will require more moisture. Put some nacho's and Velveeta cheese on a plate for ten minutes in the solar oven and you'll win their hearts over completely. Be sure and wear sun glasses and use oven mitts when working around a solar oven to avoid the intense glare and heat.

Commercial solar ovens generally can get to a hotter temperature, but homemade ones perform equally as well and are cheap to make if kept out of the weather. The following website gives info on finding commercial solar ovens on the Internet: The Global Sun Oven Cooks Entirely With The Power Of The Sun! at http://www.sunoven.com/. Sun Ovens are wonderful.
Dave

In Amy Dacyczyn's The Tightwad Gazette 2, there is an article that tells how to make and use a solar cooker. She also includes a list of companies that sell kits or ready-made cookers. Check your library for a copy of the book; you'll probably find lots of other great ideas you can use too.
N

I purchased a solar oven a few years ago for about $20 to $25. The company was Solar Cookers International, 1919 21st St. Ste. 101, Sacramento, CA 95814. The telephone number is 916-455-4499 and the fax number is 916-455-4499. I hope that this will help Pam. The company sends a booklet on how to make, use and understand solar cookers. The people there are very nice and are interested in helping people in 3rd world countries to use solar heat for cooking instead of burning wood and loosing heat for cooking.
Jeneen D. F.

I've looked around for one for a few years, and finally just made one. I used a cardboard box like rems of typing paper comes in. I cut a hole in the top for the sunlight to get into the box. I covered the hole with cookin' bags, instead of glass. I thought it would be safer, and decrease the weight quite a bit. I lined the whole thing with aluminum foil. It works pretty well. I also added some more reflectors made of foil covered cardboard. They add a little to the over temperature.
T

Do you have a time or money saving idea that wasn't included in this article? Please send it to tips @stretcher.com. We get the best ideas from our readers!

If you liked this article sign up for our free eNewsletter Surviving Tough Times Do it today and we'll give you our ebook featuring over 200 ways to save on groceries (a $19.95 value).

Follow The Dollar Stretcher on Twitter.

I Would like to:

• Read other articles on this topic
  
• See what else is in this issue
  
• Subscribe to "The Dollar Stretcher" free weekly email newsletter
  
• visit the Problem Solving Center
  
• visit the Reference Library
  
• browse the 'author' index
  
• search 'by date' index
  
• check out Past Issues of Newsletter
  
• go see 'What's New'
  
• "Can You Help This Reader?"
  
• drop by 'Tips, Quips & Quotes'
  
• send email to the Editor of "The Dollar Stretcher"