23 Ways to Beat the Heat

Opt for a Shutdown

Give your oven a summer vacation. If you cook, use the stovetop, the microwave, or a barbecue. "Grill some extra vegetables when you're making dinner," says Deborah Madison, author of Vegetable Soups From Deborah Madison's Kitchen (Broadway, $20, amazon.com). "The next day, mix them with a little Feta cheese and olive oil for a great, cool snack."

 Shut the lights. Or change the bulbs: Long-lasting compact fluorescent bulbs produce about 70 percent less heat than standard incandescents.