20 Delicious & Healthy Family Friendly Slow Cooker Recipes to try this winter!
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Slow Cookers & Crock Pots
At this time of year nothing beats a warm and comforting family meal but as a busy parent I know it’s not always feasible to spend hours at the stove cooking dinner.
This is where one of my favourite kitchen gadgets comes in… the slow cooker or crockpot!
A slow cooker is an absolute life saver when you are short on time but don’t want to compromise on being able to enjoy tasty home cooked family meals.
If you don’t already have one then don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a fortune as even the simplest and cheapest model will do just as well. You can often pick one up for less than £15 in the supermarket.
The great thing about slow cookers is that you can chuck the ingredients in in the morning and later that day you have a delicious family meal ready to dish up.
It’s also great for using cheaper cuts of meat that need hours and hours of cooking, meaning you can make seriously indulgent meals on a budget!
Family Slow Cooker Recipes
I’ve put together a list of 20 of the Best Slow Cooker Recipes to help you too to get ahead this year!
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
A delicious Butter Chicken Curry recipe cooked in the slow cooker. Mild enough for kids and so easy to make.
Slow Cooker Mayflower Chicken Curry
The easiest Chicken Curry recipe cooked in the slow cooker using just 5 ingredients including Mayflower Curry Sauce Mix.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
My Slow Cooker Beef Stew really is slow cooker comfort food at it’s best!
Because there are already vegetables in this beef stew, you don’t have to serve it with any additional vegetables if you don’t want to making it a really easy dinner option!
You could just serve it up with some really nice crusty bread to mop up all the tasty sauce! Delicious!
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Meatballs With Hidden Veggie Sauce
If your kids like spaghetti and meatballs but you struggle to get them to eat veggies, then you’ll love this recipe!
The veggies are all cooked in the slow cooker making them easy to blitz into the sauce so the kids won’t even know they are there!
Slow Cooker Sausage Ragu
If you are looking for slow cooker meals for busy weeknights, then I’d totally recommend you try this Slow Cooker Sausage Ragu.
Even the pasta cooks in the slow cooker making it super simple and leaves you with less washing up too!
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Your favourite curry doesn’t have to only be on the menu at the weekend! With this slow cooker curry, you can enjoy it any night of the week!
This Tikka Masala Recipe is super mild making it kid-friendly so perfect for the whole family.
Slow Cooker Italian Meatball & Gnocchi Soup
This slow cooker soup really is more of a complete meal than just a soup! To call it a soup doesn’t really do it justice I don’t think!
It’s so hearty and filling, it’s perfect for those colder winter months when you want something warm and comforting for dinner without the faff!
Slow Cooker Ten Hidden Veggie Sauce
If you are after healthy slow cooker meals, then it doesn’t get much healthier than this recipe!
Packed with ten different vegetables that the kids won’t even know are in there, (hurrah for hidden veggie recipes!) this is the ultimate family friendly slow cooker meal!
Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
This is my favourite of my slow cooker chicken recipes! Chuck all the ingredients in with no need to peel or chop anything and leave it to do it’s thing!
It really is one of those dump-and-go slow cooker recipes that I guarantee you’ll make time and time again!
Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese
Mac and Cheese has seriously got to be the ultimate in family comfort food!
I have several macaroni cheese recipes like this One Pot Mac & Cheese With Hidden Veg which is great for the kids, or this Buffalo Mac & Cheese that’s my lunch guilty pleasure!
But this slow cooker version is just the thing if you want a really cheesy, filling comforting mac and cheese recipe that is easy to cook!
Easy Slow Cooker Lamb Curry
Made with lamb shoulder, the slow cooker transforms the meat in this curry into deliciously tender chunks of comfort food perfect for cold winter’s nights!
Lamb should is one of the cheaper cuts of lamb making it an economical choice when you need to feed a large family!
Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli
If you want a recipe that doesn’t require too much slow cooker meal prep, then this is the one for you!
I can get this all prepped and in the slow cooker in 3 minutes (Yes, I did time myself!) and then just leave it to cook all day! So easy!
Slow Cooker Hidden Veg & Lentil Sauce
I do have a few vegetarian slow cooker recipes which you can also find in our Meat Free Monday Recipes Collection.
The first one is this Slow Cooker Hidden Veg & Lentil Sauce. Not only is this vegetarian friendly, it’s also really budget friendly so great if you have a large family to feed!
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Another of my slow cooker chicken recipes, is this Slow Cooker Fajita Recipe.
This is a really healthy slow cooker meal. And I’ve kept it mild so that it is child-friendly too, but if you like your fajitas hot, then feel free to up the spice levels!
If you try any of the recipes, then please do leave me a comment below. You can also share your pictures with me on Instagram. I always love to see your creations!
SLOW COOKER RECOMMENDATION
I absolutely love this Slow Cooker because you can remove the inner pot and use it on the hob.
So if a recipe requires you to sear the meat before cooking, you can do it in the inner pot meaning less washing up!
If you enjoyed this recipe collection, you might also enjoy:
15 Ways To Use Your Slow Cooker This Christmas – 15 Ways To Use Your Slow Cooker This Christmas That Will Make Cooking For A Crowd Much Easier!
Family Friendly Comfort Food – Hearty casseroles (that the kids will actually eat!), One Pot Pasta Recipes, Pies and Kid-Friendly Family Curry recipes to name just a few! If you are looking for Family Friendly Comfort Food, then you’re going to love these recipes!
Harold Burton says
Second time I have tried this dish – absolutely delicious! Thanks ever so much for this!
Frances says
Amazing post! My slow cooker is probably one of the best kitchen things I’ve ever bought and I can’t wait to try some of these.
Edwina says
These all look delicious but I’m really keen to try the Apricot Chicken. I’d forgotten that recipe even existed! Time to try a new and improved version. Looks good.