FEA Guide 2024: Are microwaves a secret weapon in the kitchen?

The FEA’s advice

Microwaves provide a lot of benefits for businesses looking to improve the sustainability of their operation – but they require careful thought about how best to integrate them into the kitchen workflow to take advantage of their potential.

 

As microwaves only require electricity, they generate no greenhouse gases during operation. Unlike other forms of cooking they start working immediately, with no heat-up times, meaning they only consume electricity while in use, making them one of the most efficient ways to heat products. Their speed means they only need to be on for a fraction of the time of conventional appliances. Microwaves reduce cooking times by up to 50% compared to standard convection ovens, for example.

 

This makes microwaves an extremely efficient – and economical – method of cooking or reheating food, albeit in small batches. Locations where fast service is a requirement have historically found them particularly useful, but they can play key roles in many different types of kitchens. Finding the right niche for microwave technology in your kitchen helps to improve the sustainability of your business while reducing operational costs.

 

Batch cooking is one of the secret weapons of commercial catering. Preparing large amounts of menu items in one go for final preparation as required reduces energy consumption significantly. Microwaves are ideal for reheating many kinds of food, quickly bringing them up to the required temperature without affecting quality, making them perfect for integration into the workflow of kitchens using cooking systems like batch preparation or cook/chill.

It is important to seek advice for the product types you are cooking, to ensure you select the correct power settings. Many manufacturers will work with the customer to develop programs to suit their specific menu items, so that optimal results are achieved – this is especially key when using rapid ovens that combine microwave with other forms of heating.

 

Microwaves can also be used for some prime cooking tasks such as making sauces or steaming, further allowing you to cut back on using larger and more energy intensive appliances throughout the day.

 

Most kitchens already have microwaves, but many aren’t taking full advantage of them. Carefully studying the working practices in your business and looking for ways to improve them is a key part in the quest for improving sustainability. Considering whether you’re using your microwave to the fullest will reap benefits that can have considerable effects cumulatively.

 

Read more from the FEA Guide

Learn more about how to choose the right microwave >>

 

Refrigeration – how to choose the correct equipment >>

Prime cooking – the kit to help you be energy efficient and environmentally clean >>

Multicook/multifunctional equipment – the combi-oven: the tool that does it all >>

Hot and cold holding displays – display units to boost your revenue generation capabilities >>

Warewashing – here’s how to make the decision on the perfect warewasher >>

 

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