15 Slow Cooker Hacks for Meal Prepping & Saving Time

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Pin image credit goes to JeffreyW, Janine, Reynolds, and The Family Freezer. Changes were made to the original images.

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Your slow cooker is probably one of the most useful cooking appliances in your kitchen. It’s a great way to easily make healthy and tasty meals, and when you’re having a busy day, it makes your life so much easier.

Now ordering delivery can be nice. You barely have to think, it takes only a few minutes, and of course there aren’t any dishes to clean! But if you want to save money, then UberEats isn’t always an option. And that’s where slow cooker hacks come in.

These tips and tricks are great for helping you with slow cooker meal prep, making your favorite treats (without the grocery store price tag), and making more food in less time.

So if you’re dreading the idea of cooking dinner every night, and meal planning sounds overwhelming, then I think these Crock-Pot hacks are exactly what you need.

Check out some of the slow cooker uses down below and see which ones will keep you from ordering another just ok, overpriced meal off of the delivery app.

Side Note: If you don’t have your own, then I’d recommend this Hamilton Beach slow cooker. I’ve used it plenty of times and it’s always been reliable!

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1. Cook Two Dips at Once

If you’re hosting a party you’re running out of time to make those tasty dips you know everyone loves, then try using tin foil to create a divider and place a liner on the bottom. Then you can have the two cook side by side or just keep the dips hot.

2. Use Mason Jars as a Double Boiler

Did you know that your crock pot can serve as a double boiler too? I honestly didn’t, but I’m glad I know now!

Just fill up 1-4 mason jars with different types of chocolate (or whatever you want to melt), fill your slow cooker up with water, turn the cooker onto high, and don’t cover. In less than an hour, you’ll have some nice, smooth, and melted chocolate.

You can read more on how to use mason jars to melt chocolate in your slow cooker here.

3. Pre-Prepped Frozen Slow Cooker Meals

One of the best things about crock pot meals is that they’re often freezer-friendly, meaning you can prep them in advance, put them in your freezer, and then throw one in your slow cooker whenever you want.

This is a great idea for busy days when you don’t have much time to spend in your kitchen. Also, having a slow cooker meal plan will keep you from ordering takeout and make sure your dinners are ready to go.

If you want to learn more about this process and crockpot meal planning, then here’s the original article on 28 slow cooker freezer meals.

4. Put Dairy and Pasta in at the End

When cooking a slow cooker recipe that requires dairy or pasta, make sure you always add these ingredients at the end. This will keep your pasta from getting mushy, and your dairy from curdling!

5. Get Rid of Residue With Vinegar and Baking Soda

If you’re someone who uses their slow cooker often, then you’ll probably start to get a bit of a residue buildup over time. But thankfully, some water, vinegar, and baking soda can take care of this problem.

And if you’d like the full tutorial for this, you can read this step-by-step guide on how to clean you slow cooker with vinegar and baking soda.

6. Bake Some Bread

You could spend $5+ on artisanal bread, or you could use your slow cooker to make it with the ingredients you already have. Just place your dough ball on a sheet of parchment paper, and place it into the slow cooker. It’s fresher, cheaper, and doesn’t take up too much of your time.

Get the recipe for slow cooker bread here!

7. Rescue Runny Soups & Sauces

If you notice that your soup or sauce is kind of runny, quickly remove the lid. This will reduce the moisture content in the slow cooker, and help give your soup or sauce a much thicker consistency.

8. Cook Main Dish and Sides at the Same Time

If it’s a slow cooker day, then this is a great hack to try!

There’s nothing as satisfying as knowing your dinner is gonna be done on time thanks to your slow cooker. And if you want to have more than one dish done by the time dinner arrives, then try using aluminum foil.

You can wrap two different recipes in foil, cook them at the same time, and still retain their original flavors. So for instance, you could cook up some spiced chicken and a side of buttered veggies using this slow cooker hack.

Also, this is just great when it comes to meal-prepped foods.

9. Sear Your Meat First

If you want to have a much richer meat flavor for your dish, brown the meat first in a pan before placing it in the Crock-Pot. This will release the meat’s natural flavors and crisp up any extra fatty parts.

10. Try a Simmer Pot With Your Slow Cooker

Make your home smell amazing by simmering ingredients in your slow cooker.

Just choose your scent ingredients, (like cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, apple peels, oranges, etc.), put them in the water and leave all the work to your cooker. Before you know it, your house will start to smell amazing and inviting.

Here’s a recipe for making your own simmer pot in a slow cooker.

11. Choose Bigger and Fattier Cuts of Meat

Large and fattier cuts of meat like short ribs, shanks, or shoulder, are best for slow cooker recipes. They cook slowly at a low temperature, and the fat melts into the meat which keeps the it moist and delicious

12. Make Slow Cook Lasagna

Did you know that you can also make pasta dishes in your slow cooker? All you have to do is make a layering just like how you do with a normal oven baked lasagna, and top with cheese, sauce, and any other ingredients you want to add. It’s such a simple way to make a really tasty dinner without heading to your local Italian restaurant.

And if you’d like to make one yourself, then here’s my personal favorite slow cooker lasagna recipe. It hits every time.

13. Slow Cooker Liner

If you want mess-free cooking, then try using a slow cooker liner. It’s a great way to be efficient with your food preparation methods and cut down on cleanup time.

When you’re done eating, you can simply just remove the bag and throw it away. No scrubbing needed. This is seriously perfect for your soups, sauces, or probably just about anything else you want to make.

You can get a slow cooker liner here! I haven’t tried it myself yet, so make sure to check out the reviews and see if this is something you want to get.

14. Use a Tea Towel to Catch Condensation

Condensation is no good when you’re cooking things like brownies or bread in your slow cooker. So try placing a tea towel under the lid of the cooker to catch the moisture buildup. This will help you to avoid sogginess and keep your “baked” goods firm when doing low and slow cooking.

15. Make Some Brownies

If you’re only using your slow cooker for dinner recipes, then you’re definitely missing out. And if you’re craving something sweet and you want some dessert tonight, then try making brownies in your slow cooker.

Just mix all of the ingredients together, pour the brownie mixture into the cooker, and follow the heat and time instructions. Oh, and make sure to line the slow cooker with foil and spray with nonstick spray before putting the brownie batter in!

Here’s a recipe for slow cooker brownies if you want to make them!

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If you’re ready to be efficient with your food preparation methods and start spending less, then these slow cooker hacks are so good to keep in mind.

You’re gonna have a delicious dinner waiting for you even on your busiest day. So give them a try and see how much easier your life gets.