A method for operating a cooking appliance in the form of a combi-steamer which has a cooking compartment, a heating device, at least one fan for circulating a cooking compartment atmosphere present in the cooking compartment, at least one temperature sensor, a control or regulating device and a device for introducing water of an adjustable volume flow into the cooking compartment, the water being directed towards the fan and being converted into steam by means of fine dispersion, wherein a period of time depending on the amount of load is determined in such a manner that the temporal change of a temperature over a certain time segment dT/dt in the cooking compartment is determined, characterized in that frozen foods can be selected by a user using an input option, wherein, if frozen foods are not selected in a operating mode of "cooking/steaming" at the beginning of a cooking process, a predetermined volume flow of water, depending on the respective type of appliance, is guided into the cooking compartment to the fan, wherein, depending on the cooking compartment temperature sensed by means of the at least one temperature sensor, the control or regulating device determines the period of time which corresponds to a time that elapses after loading the cooking compartment with food to be cooked until a desired temperature of the cooking process is reached and then the volume flow of water is decreased or reduced, wherein, after input of the frozen foods selection at the beginning of the cooking process in the operating mode of "cooking/steaming", a predetermined volume flow of water depending on the respective type of appliance is guided into the cooking compartment to the fan impeller, and wherein, depending on the cooking compartment temperature sensed by means of the temperature sensor, the control or regulating device determines the period of time which corresponds to the time at which, after loading of the cooking compartment with frozen foods, no further dropping of the temperature in the preheated cooking compartment takes place and then the volume flow of water is greatly decreased or reduced in comparison to the cooking process when frozen foods are not selected. wherein a period of time depending on the amount of load is determined in such a manner that the temporal change of a temperature over a certain time segment dT/dt in the cooking compartment is determined, characterized in that frozen foods can be selected by a user using an input option, wherein, if frozen foods are not selected in a operating mode of "cooking/steaming" at the beginning of a cooking process, a predetermined volume flow of water, depending on the respective type of appliance, is guided into the cooking compartment to the fan, wherein, depending on the cooking compartment temperature sensed by means of the at least one temperature sensor, the control or regulating device determines the period of time which corresponds to a time that elapses after loading the cooking compartment with food to be cooked until a desired temperature of the cooking process is reached and then the volume flow of water is decreased or reduced, wherein, after input of the frozen foods selection at the beginning of the cooking process in the operating mode of "cooking/steaming", a predetermined volume flow of water depending on the respective type of appliance is guided into the cooking compartment to the fan impeller, and wherein, depending on the cooking compartment temperature sensed by means of the temperature sensor, the control or regulating device determines the period of time which corresponds to the time at which, after loading of the cooking compartment with frozen foods, no further dropping of the temperature in the preheated cooking compartment takes place and then the volume flow of water is greatly decreased or reduced in comparison to the cooking process when frozen foods are not selected.