Hello, young chefs! Is it time to prepare your beloved dishes in a joyful and thrilling manner? So today, we are going to learn how to create a solar oven from aluminum foil! This project is something not only exciting, yet it is also a step towards saving energy resources, which is good for our environment. You can also have warm food whenever you desire in your garden, or even when you are on a camping trip. Let us therefore proceed with this awesome culinary adventure!
What is a Solar Oven?
Before we look at the types of solar ovens, let us understand what is solar oven. A solar oven is a device that can cook food by utilizing the heat from the sun. Doing so requires no electricity or stove and is a simple yet clever way to prepare meals. This means you can prepare food outdoors and be in the sun while preparing tasty food! Isn’t that awesome?
How to Make a Solar Oven
Now you will need some materials to build your very own solar oven. Here, you will see a list of the materials needed:
A cardboard box (a pizza box for example)
Kitchen aluminum foil (the clingy shiny stuff you wrap around food with)
An oven thermometer (to measure the temperature inside the oven)
A ruler (to measure things)
A Nsharp knife (ask an adult for assistance with this)
Glue – to keep it all together
How to build your solar oven step by step
Prepare the Box: Take your cardboard box and cut off the flaps. The box needs to be open at the top — so that sun can shine in.
Wrap with foil: You can use the aluminum foil to wrap around the box. The shiny foil is what reflects light and drive away heat from entering your box, so cover the entire outside of the box with this stuff. This serves to reflect the sunlight into the oven. Stick the foil with glue so it holds up on its own.
Build a reflector: Secondly you will be building a reflector that helps to capture more of the sun light. Get another piece of cardboard, and do exactly what you did with the box — cover one side with aluminum foil. Stick this piece on one of the flaps of the box so that you can move it up and down. Always face the shiny side inward to the inside of the box.
Insert the Thermometer: Next, cut a small hole in the lid for the thermometer. This is also a very useful thermometer as it reveals internal oven temperature. That way, you can check when your food is on the cooking schedule!
Create a Support : The last step is making a stand to support the box in 45 degree position. This is because it helps oven to actually get sunlight. The stand will make sure the box is always tilted up towards the sun to cook your food more efficiently.
Cooking with Your Solar Oven
So you have your solar oven, now how do you cook? Your solar oven can get between 200 and 250°F on a clear sunny day, hot enough to cook many foods including beef, fish, chicken and vegetables! With the door closed for an hour or so, it can be as warm as 300°F inside the oven — that'd be great for some cookies or brownies!
Blowing away the cobwebs makes for excellent reminders of safety: Solar oven cooking is fun, but it is also important to take care as well. Never forget to wear oven mitts and anc pot holder when you touch the food of the oven. You don't want burns on your hands, trust me — the food can get very hot! And please avoid looking into the reflection that is created by the shiny aluminum foil inside of the box, as it can be blinding.
Enjoy Constructing Your Solar Oven!
You learned how a solar oven works — Now have fun building one with your friends and family. Both an educational project, but also a way of spending time together outside. You could even customize and decorate the box to look really cool! Perhaps you can illustrate on it, decorate it with stickers or even write your name in it.
Enjoy Cooking Outdoors!
By the way, cooking food while outdoors is a great opportunity to use your homemade solar oven. An uncomplicated gadget that cooks up your food using solar heat. It is possible to build this oven at home with some aluminum foil, and it costs very little to make. Next time you are out camping, or having a outdoor activity for the day and want to eat some food try this solar oven. Have a fun and safe cooking experience! Have fun being a mini-culinary-artist!