How to Make a Pizza Box Solar Oven

Last Updated: February 8, 2023

Have you ever wanted to make sure you got an A+ on that assignment on heat energy? You can experiment with solar power, just by using an ordinary pizza box or any normal box with a flap.

Steps

1
Obtain a pizza box. Order a pizza and save the box, or just ask for one at the local pizzeria.
2
Line the bottom with black construction paper. You can also paint it black. The color black absorbs heat well.

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3
Line the top with aluminum foil. This reflects sunlight on to the food.
4
Select the food you want to cook. Don't use raw meat. It might not cook all the way through. Try a slice of pizza or a hotdog. Put the food on a preferably dark colored plate. Put it in the bottom of the pizza box.
5
Wrap plastic wrap on top of the bottom and secure with tape. This makes it so no bugs land on your food.
6
Go outside and using string, fix the top side of the pizza box to reflect the most sunlight on the food.
7
Wait an hour or so. Solar ovens work slowly, so don't do this on an empty stomach.
8
Pull the food out and test for being cooked. Make sure it isn't raw.
9
If it is cooked, eat it. If not put it back in and check at 30-minute intervals.
10
To reuse, just put new plastic wrap on and occasionally change the black construction paper or recoat the paint.

Community Q&A

Question

What can I bake in the oven?

Community Answer

Try s'mores. Do not put in uncooked meat.
Question

How do solar pizza boxes lose heat?

Community Answer

Sometimes, there might be small cracks in the cardboard pizza box and heat escapes. Also, the flap on top does not always reflect the sunlight into the box.
Question

Are the hot dogs real?

Community Answer

Not in the images obviously, but you could use real hot dogs if you built a pizza box solar oven yourself.