The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal is $50.11 this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. And that’s just for 10 people. If you’ll have more guests, you can expect to spend a little more than that this year.

The Farm Bureau’s number takes into consideration all the typical Thanksgiving dishes, from the turkey and dressing to the rolls and pie. But it leaves out another important number, especially if you’re the host. With the oven running most of the day and a large number of guests in your home, you might see a rise in your electric bill too.

However, with a little careful planning, you can keep your Thanksgiving energy use from gobbling up your holiday spending money. Take a look at these eight tips:

• Keep a lid on it. When you’re cooking on the stovetop, leave the lids on your pots and pans. Doing so will help keep heat in so your food cooks faster and you use less electricity.

• Use the right size burner.  To save energy, use a burner that’s proportional to your pan. A 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner can waste as much as 40 percent of the heat produced.

• Use residual heat. Electric oven burners retain heat long after they are turned off. Save a little electricity by turning off the burner a few minutes before your dish is finished cooking. The leftover heat will finish the job.

• The more the merrier. Cook multiple side dishes in the oven at the same time. It will limit the amount of time your oven has to run so you save electricity.

• No peeking. It can be tempting to open the oven door and sneak a peek at your bird, but you should use the light instead. Opening the door can cause your oven to lose 25 percent of its heat.

• Turn down the heat. Don’t bother using the heater to make your home toasty for the holidays. The oven heat, plus added guests, will help keep your house comfy. Too hot? Don’t turn the air conditioning on either. Instead, open your windows to let in the cool autumn air and turn on the ceiling fan.

• Cover up. When it comes time to pack away all the leftovers, make sure they are tightly sealed. Open food and drinks release moisture that caused your refrigerator compressor to work harder and use more energy.

• Be careful how you clean. Holiday parties usually come with a big stack of dishes. Using your dishwasher is the most energy efficient way to get them clean. But there’s still room for an energy saving improvement! Instead of using your dishwasher’s heat-dry function, open the door and allow your dishes to air dry.