Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners for Fall
I’ve found 8 healthy slow cooker dinners perfect for your busy life. Healthy and delicious soups, chicken recipes, and lots more to keep it simple and fresh every day.
Never have a dull dinner with these whole food recipes, even when you’re crunched for time.
Crockpot Dinners are Perfect for EVERY Season!
Do you like using a slow cooker? It’s amazing. You prep your food either the night before, or in the morning before really getting into your day; throw it all into one huge pot together (which saves a bunch of electricity when compared to using an electric stove… eek.); and come back to it around dinner time to have everything done! In one dish.
Less time spent cleaning, less money spent on electricity, and a delicious and healthy home-cooked meal at the end. These healthy slow cooker recipes are going to tantalize your taste buds.
Every Busy Mom Needs a Good Slow Cooker
It’s no wonder that in our busy lives the Crock Pot has become a staple kitchen item in America. I didn’t start using one until motherhood, but now I love it! I wouldn’t be without.
Not to mention in summer it is sooo nice not to have to heat the whole house up with the stove! Barbequing in great but not every night. So my slow cooker gets used all year long!
So that being said, I’ve created an amazing roundup just for you guys of 8 wonderfully delicious, healthy, fast, easy, and affordable slow-cooker meals!
1. Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup
This is a great recipe brought to you from dinneranddessert.com. It is so simple, it has only six ingredients and the rest are herbs for the perfect taste. I love ham and white bean soup. It’s simple, hearty, and reminds me of a recipe of my dad’s from my childhood.
2. White Beans With Spinach and Sausage
White Beans with Spinach and Sausage
Let’s stay on the white bean motif for a bit and try out this mouthwatering recipe that is even simpler than the last! Thank you to It’s My Side of Lifefor bringing us this delectable idea. The recipe calls for Kielbasa sausage but I’m sure it would be delicious with any of your favorite choices for sausage as well.
3. Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken and Veggies
Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken and Veggies
The Magical Slow Cooker has supplied us with an amazingly affordable and simple slow cooker recipe sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. One of my kids even at six years old is still very set on not having “mixed” foods. It’s a little frustrating at times as I am the utter opposite and love soups, salads, and basically anything with the more ingredients the better! I know this recipe would delight even her!
4. The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken
The Best Crocpot BBQ Chicken
Barbequed chicken is a summer staple. Plus barbeque sauce is amazing, has so many different flavor options, and can be a wonderful low-calorie flavor enhancer. (Just remember to check your ingredient labels for high frustose corn syrup and go for a healthier option!) This slow cooker recipe really couldn’t be any easier and is simply perfect for sliders or to top off your salad! Thank you so much to familyfreshmeals.com for this yummy and versatile dish.
5. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pot Roast
Melt in Your Mouth Pot Roast
I’m convinced pot roast was made to be cooked in a slow cooker. I’ve never had it turn out more tasty, moist, and fall apart at the touch of a fork quite as well when cooked any other way. Atasteofhome.com has gifted us with this easy and fast home-cooked meal that’ll be sure to leave your family full, happy, and well nourished.
6. Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
This recipe from cookingclassy.com is so easy and delicious! It’s light enough to be enjoyed on a hot summer’s night, and hearty enough to have throughout the winter. Plus like most slow cooker recipes it makes your house smell AMAZING! I absolutely love the smell of onion and pepper cooking together.
7. Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef
Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef
Lecremedelacrumb.com has provided us with this wonderfully quick and healthy recipe for broccoli beef! My husband adores Chinese food so I wanted to include a slow cooker recipe just for him. I cannot wait to try this one, I had no idea such yummy food could be so simple to make at home!
8. Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
I can’t look at this picture without my mouth absolutely watering! It sure makes me miss living in Southern California and at the beach! Stopping by the taco shops on the way home from work and picking up 2 tacos for $1! Those were the days. This recipe is completely healthy; made with whole foods and turns out so moist and delicious! You have to give this one a try.
A Little Secret: I Have a Slow Cooker Obsession!
But the great thing about that is that you totally get to benefit! Keep the healthy, fast, delicious, home cooked meals going for your family with these additional recipes:
- 7 Healthy Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes
- ALL Your Thanksgiving Favorites in the Crockpot
- Mouthwatering Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Delicious Vegetarian Slow Cooker Soups
Whether you’re crunched for time, it’s too hot to cook, or you simply love your crockpot all ways around it, I know some of these recipes will knock your families’ socks off!
Don’t forget to pin this for those busy days and nights this summer! I BET you’ve already got one of these awesome devices but if not pick up a Crock-Pot 7-Quart to make these fast and healthy meals! It’s the same type of slow cooker I have and am super happy with it and the price!
I hope I was able to help give you some delicious, healthy, and time-saving recipes here that you just can’t wait to try. So don’t hesitate to let me know how these go over at home in the comments below. Which was your absolute favorite? Want more slow cooker recipes? I’d love to know!
MORE HEALTHY RECIPES FROM VIGOR IT OUT:
- Death By Chocolate Protein Bites
- Super Smooth Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Dark Chocolate Chia Superfood Loaded Energy Bites
Related
FAQs
Vegetables – Any type of vegetable works great for this recipe. Great options include potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, asparagus, bell peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, squash and zucchini.
Can you overcook soup in a slow cooker? ›
"When a slow cooker is too full, it may not heat the food evenly," explains Leal. As a result, some parts of the dish may overcook, while others remain undercooked. "This can also increase the risk of foodborne illness, because the food might not reach a safe temperature throughout," she says.
How to cook in a slow cooker for beginners? ›
Just plug in your slow cooker, add your chosen recipe's ingredients, set the cooker to low or high, depending on the recipe's instructions, add the lid and let it cook. Once your dish is done cooking, you can either switch the slow cooker off to turn off the heating element, or warm if you're not ready to enjoy it yet.
How to use a slow cooker for meat? ›
Layer ingredients: Firm veggies (potatoes, carrots, turnip) should be placed on the bottom. Meat goes in the middle and lighter vegetables on the top. Pay attention to the liquid: Too much liquid is not ideal. A slow cooker is designed to be used with a low amount of liquid because there is little evaporation.
What cannot be cooked in a slow cooker? ›
10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
- Raw Meat.
- Seafood.
- Pasta.
- Rice.
- Delicate Vegetables.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
- Dairy.
- Wine and Other Liquor.
Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.
What happens if you don't brown meat before a slow cooker? ›
"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."
Is it safe to put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›
Research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it's safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker.
Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›
The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.
What goes in first in a slow cooker? ›
Slow cooker recipes have (obviously) long cook times, and it's the meat—not the carrots—that benefit from it. By placing the protein at the bottom (closest to the heating element), and vegetables at the top, you can keep your plant parts a little more toothsome, while ensuring your meat is fall-apart tender.
On some occasions, you'll want to leave food in the slow cooker to keep warm, during Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner, for example, or any other event or holiday. While it's perfectly ok to use your crock pot in this way, try to avoid leaving food on the warming setting for more than four hours.
Do I put water in the bottom of my slow cooker? ›
You DO NOT have to put water in your crockpot in order to use the liners, HOWEVER, it is HELPFUL if you are cooking certain foods for a long period of time(like set- up in the morning, then return after work) such as rice for instance, putting some water at the bottom of the slow cooker and the liner prevents the food ...
Is it better to cook meat on high or low in a slow cooker? ›
Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting. It's safe to cook foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.
Does meat have to be fully submerged in slow cooker? ›
There is no need to cover the meat in liquid when cooking with a slow cooker, you only need enough liquid to cover the base of the slow cooker as the meat and vegetables will release liquid as they cook. Slow cooking beef is a simple and soothing winter option that never goes out of style.
Can you cook chicken from raw in a slow cooker? ›
Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!
Is cooking vegetables in a slow cooker healthy? ›
: I know that boiling vegetables makes them lose some of their nutritional value. But what if you cook them in a slow cooker and eat the liquid the vegetables stewed in? Answer: Done right, veggies prepared in slow cookers can deliver disease-fighting nutrients and a delectable meal all in one bowl.
When should I add vegetables to a slow cooker? ›
Tender vegetables such as zucchini and beans can be added to your dish in last ¾ - 1 hour of cooking when cooking on High, or 2 hours if cooking on Low. Hard, starchy vegetables like potato and carrots are best added around 3 hours before the meal is done if cooking on High, and 4 hours on Low.
Do vegetables go mushy in slow cooker? ›
Certain vegetables: Delicate herbs and veggies like fresh tomatoes, zucchini, and peas won't fare well in the slow cooker, as their individual textures may become mushy and flavorless if left for too long. If your recipe calls for these vegetables, try adding them close to the end of cooking time.
Should liquid cover vegetables in slow cooker? ›
Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker
It should just cover the meat and vegetables. Don't overfill your slow cooker, or it may start leaking out the top, and the food won't cook so well.
White Beans with Spinach and Sausage
Melt in Your Mouth Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef
to make these fast and healthy meals! It’s the same type of slow cooker I have and am super happy with it and the price!