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  Solar cookers are relatively easy to construct from a variety of materials. The simplest can be made from inexpensive materials. Solar cookers are devices (usually a box with a reflector) that enable cooking using the sun's natural warmth. Cooking with the sun means not having to deal with smoky fires when camping or a hot kitchen in summer, and can save on use of electrical energy or gas. In remote areas where fuel is difficult to find or where fire may be hazardous, it provides an inexpensive means of making a hot meal.
  
  

Materials for a Simple Cooker

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  A simple solar cooker can be constructed from found materials such as a sturdy cardboard box and reflective material such as aluminum foil. Complete plans for a solar cooker may be found in the Solar Cooking Archive kept by Cookit-Solar Cooking. First flatten the box, and using careful measurements, trace the outline of your cooker using the plans. (You can wing it and make your own, but then you have to experiment with angles and dimensions.) Cut out the cooker using scissors or an X-acto knife. Crease at the indicated spots, and carefully fold it into shape. Use tabs or small brads to make it stay together. Glue aluminum fold to the inside of the cooker, making sure it goes on smoothly and doesn't develop any tears. Use the best grade of foil you can afford or obtain. Good foil will last longer and be more durable than the cheap stuff. Place the cooker in a sunny spot, and experiment with the front flap to get the best angle for concentrating the sun. Cookit recommends using a dark-colored pot inside a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect that will help trap and keep the heat concentrated. You could also use an ordinary glass casserole. Cookit recommends dark-colored lidded pots, such as speckled enamelware. The bottom line is that your cooking container needs to be one that will trap and hold the solar heat your cooker is concentrating on it.
  
  

Sheet Metal Cooker

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  If you are really handy, a more durable cooker can be made from lightweight sheet metal using the same plans that are provided for the cardboard and foil cooker. There are also more elaborate and durable cooker plans at Cookit. This is the same kind of metal that is used for heating ducts or roofing. You will need a pair of tin snips to cut the metal into the appropriate shapes. If you know how to weld, the pieces can be welded together. The less adventurous do-it-yourselfer may prefer to use brads or pop-rivets. Always use heavy gloves when cutting sheet metal. Since the sheet metal will heat up more than the foil, it may be advisable to create an insulating base or backing made of wood. In some models, the cooker may look more like a box with its sides folded out wide.
  
  

Impromptu Cooker

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  Although these cannot be truly considered solar cookers, it is fun to let a troop of boy or girl scouts or other youth group experiment with informal solar cooking. The hood or roof of an automobile, a child's slide or other metal surface can be used for quick-cooking small amounts of snack food. On a hot summer day, an old-fashioned metal playground slide that faces south will heat up sufficiently to melt chocolate and marshmallows for s'mores or to fry an egg. Cut the side out of an aluminum soft drink can, prop it securely on the hood or roof of a vehicle that is parked in the sun, and the resultant heat is enough to warm up a hot dog. Set a pan or heat-resistant bowl on the dashboard of any parked car with an unwrapped large bar of chocolate in it. Stir in crisp rice or other crunchy cereal for fast, no-bake cookies.
  
  

Solar Cooking Safety and Other Notes

• Solar cooking takes a while; so don't plan to put dinner on and have it ready in 15 minutes. Solar cookers work more like a slow cooker or dutch oven than a stove burner or campfire. Use an oven or meat thermometer to make sure foods are being heated to safe temperatures. The cookers can get really, really hot, so clear combustible materials from around them and use a pot holder to move food containers.