Have you ever roasted a s’more with only the sun?! Well, you came to the right place if you want to find out how exactly to pull off this delicious feat. Brush up on your renewable energy knowledge with this sunny, sticky, and sweet cooking technique! For today’s eco activity we will be constructing a homemade solar oven out of repurposed materials to roast a classic, delicious summer snack – the s’more! As Earth Rangers, we know that renewable energy, such as solar energy, is a much cleaner energy source, making it better for the environment compared to those that are fossil fuel based, like oil and gas. Learn just how incredibly powerful the sun is by using it to cook yourself a tasty treat!
Steps:
1) Start with the lid on your box. Using scissors or an exacto knife (and the help of a parent/guardian) cut a 3-sided flap in the top of the lid of your box, keeping a border of about 1 inch between the flap and the outer edge of the lid.
2) Cover the inside/bottom of the flap in tin foil, glueing it in place with the shiny side facing out. Make sure to do so gently, keeping the tin foil as smooth as possible.
3) Cover the rest of the interior of the box in tin foil following the same process.
4) Lay your clear plastic across the top of your box, but underneath the flap. If you are using a repurposed clear plastic bag (bread bags, produce bags or those you get from bulk stores work great for this!), simply cut it in half to stretch it open. If desired, you can add two layers of plastic wrap to trap even more heat within the solar oven.
5) Tape down the plastic wrap to seal the box tightly.
Note: At this point, it’s best to completely tape down 3 of the sides of the plastic wrap leaving the last side a bit easier to undo.
6) Fashion a way for your box’s flap to stay propped open using a stick, pole, ruler or whatever else you can find. You may have to tape it to ensure it stays secured and keeps the flap propped open.
7) Place the box in the sun and allow it to preheat for about 30 minutes.
8) Once the box is preheated, open one side of the plastic wrap.
9) Place the pie tin inside the box, so you can begin to construct your s’more on top. Set down 2 graham crackers, with a square of chocolate and a marshmallow on top of each, inside the tin. For now, leave the top graham cracker off of the s’more, so it resembles an open-faced sandwich.
10) Seal the plastic wrap tightly again, making sure there are no holes. By securing the plastic wrap, you will trap more heat, and your s’mores will roast faster!
11) Point your box towards the sun, propping open the flap so that it will reflect the light and heat into the box.
12) Depending on the temperature, amount of sun, and how much is being reflected into the solar oven by the flap, your s’mores should take anywhere between 30-60 minutes to roast. Once roasted, the marshmallows should be soft, and slightly goopy, and the chocolate should be melted.
13) Once you have waited the appropriate time, pull off the plastic wrap and grab your s’mores. Place another graham cracker on top, and smush together. Enjoy!
Want to learn even more about renewable energy? Check out this article on all things green energy!
S’mores taste so good! I’age done this activity at school before and we were making up our own design!