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Let’s face it: food is expensive. Whether you’re feeding two or a large family of hungry tummies, the price of food has risen, and cooking a meal for the whole family can certainly eat away at your budget. That’s why you need a crock-pot or any type of slow cooker.
A slow cooker can ease the cost of food because you only need a bunch of pantry staples to feed your family for one or even two meals. Once you get that crock pot, you’ll need some recipes.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of 12 easy and low-cost crock-pot meals the whole family can enjoy.
Low-Cost Crockpot Meals: Creamy Potato Soup
Your slow cooker will be your best friend when cooking a rich and creamy soup. This creamy potato soup will have your family reaching for seconds. The main ingredient, potatoes, are, of course, a very affordable vegetable. This soup also has salty bacon for added richness and is made with celery, leeks, fresh garlic, and delicious chicken stock. Leave to cook for 6 to 8 hours.
Crock-Pot Chili
Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of steaming hot chili? This dish is super affordable and easy to make, and it’s also packed with fiber and proteins from the beans. Serve your cooked chili with cheese, sour cream, corn tortilla chips, or just chips. This meal can be left to cook on low for 6 hours so that the beef is tender and the flavor is rich.
A Hearty Beef Stew
A hearty beef stew is an easy meal. You have whatever vegetables you have in your pantry and cubed beef coated in flour to be seared and seared beef stew with your choice of rice or mashed potato, or just enjoy it on its own with a slice of fresh homemade bread.
Chicken Tacos
Did you know that you can cook chicken tacos in your crock pot? All you need to do is add spiced boneless chicken filets to the slow cooker with your tomato mixture of salsa, taco seasoning, and canned tomatoes, and let it do all the work. Serve your taco mix with homemade taco shells, wraps, or on a salad.
Tender Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is so versatile that it can be served with many different sides and stretched into multiple meals, making it a great low-cost meal. You can use the pulled pork in fresh sandwiches, tacos, and even in s, and even use a bone-in pork shoulder or a pork butt without any bone, but the bun gives added flavor.
Split Pea Soup
Soup and slow cookers are a combination that is just hard to beat. Split pea soup is a great low-cost recipe that provides the body with much protein and fiber to promote heart health. Add diced ham to your soup for a smoky aftertaste, and serve with warm bread.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
This chicken tortilla soup is so easy to make. All you need to do is dump everything in your slow cooker and relax. Not only is this recipe easy to make, but the ingredients, including the black beans and the protein from the chicken, have so much beneficial fiber. If you’ve got fussy children, this recipe is great for “hiding” their vegetables.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This butternut squash mac and cheese recipe is a fun twist to the family favorite: mac and cheese. Add a sweet fall flavor to this cheesy dish using butternut squash, vegetable stock, and herbs in your crock pot. Let it cook for 4 hours, and then add your pasta, salt, and cheese.
Jamaican Chicken Curry
This aromatic and delicious Jamaican chicken curry is a great, low-cost meal that will keep your whole family happy and full. This dish is perfect for a cozy evening indoors with a Caribbean flair. Unlike Indian curry, this recipe uses a brighter curry powder with a stronger turmeric flavor and hints of scotch bonnet for that Jamaican kick.
Pull-Apart Beef Brisket
Cooking a beef brisket in the slow cooker guarantees a tender roast that falls apart easily. Because brisket tends to be a tough cut of meat, the slow cooker with a soup mix and the vegetables keeps it juicy and tender. Once done, slice up your brisket and serve with rice and gravy, or make a delicious brisket sandwich.
Cheesy Breakfast Sausage Casserole
Slow cookers aren’t just for cooking lunches and dinners; this is cheesy. This breakfast casserole is a great recipe to start your day, especially if you have many mouths to feed. You only need hash browns, shredded cheese, eggs, and a breakfast sausage. This casserole can be cooked on low for 8 hours the evening before breakfast.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is a favorite among many households and is a comfort meal. Nicknamed Jewish penicillin because it was used to fight off infections, soup is full of antioxidants as well as vitamins. You need boneless chicken filets, chicken stock, your favorite vegetables, and spaghetti.
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