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10 Slow Cooker Recipes Your Kids Will Love

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterCulinary Producer at The Kitchn
I'm a recipe developer, food writer, stylist, and video producer, with more than 10 years of professional experience. As an expert meal planner and avid home cook who loves grocery shopping and helping people figure out what to cook for dinner, I'm a natural fit as The Kitchn’s Dinner Therapist. Since graduating from The University of Scranton and The French Culinary Institute, I've authored three cookbooks: Buddha Bowls, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, and The Probiotic Kitchen. My kitchen superpower is turning a random assortment of ingredients into easy, delicious dinners that even my young son will eat.
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published Sep 5, 2024
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

If your meal planning goals include finding fuss-free dinners your kids will eat, it’s time to reach for your slow cooker. Here are 10 easy slow cooker recipes you can pull off with minimal prep and cleanup that, most importantly, your kids (and everyone else around the table) will actually devour.

1. Slow Cooker Chicken Parm Meatballs

When meatballs meet chicken parm, the results are nothing short of a hit bound to be a new family favorite. Serve these saucy meatballs up with a side of veggies or pile them on a roll for sandwich night. You can keep the meatballs stashed in the freezer so the prep is a matter of tossing them along with sauce into the slow cooker.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

2. How To Make Mac and Cheese in the Slow Cooker

This mac and cheese does double duty, pleasing both camps of mac and cheese lovers. Served right away, the result is creamy and scoopable (similar to a stovetop mac and cheese). But if you set the slow cooker to warm, the noodles soak up the sauce for a texture more akin to a baked, casserole-style mac and cheese.

Credit: Emma Christensen

3. Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

When you want to change things up, hold the bowls where they are and stuff this favorite saucy chicken, rice, and beans into soft tortillas.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

4. Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Chicken

Whether you partner this saucy shredded chicken with some veggies from the freezer, use it to fill tortillas for taco night, or pile it onto pillowy rolls for sandwiches, this two-ingredient recipe will be a hit with everyone around the table.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

5. How To Make Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls

This is a fun recipe to change things up on your next taco night. Serve it up with some crunchy tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream and you’re good to go.

Credit: Emma Christensen

6. Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Do yourself a favor and make a double batch of this recipe. Eat half right now, spooned over spaghetti or zucchini noodles, then stash the rest in the freezer for busy nights.

Credit: Diana Yen

7. Slow-Cooker Chicken Tacos

Add slow cooker shredded chicken to you weekend meal prep, then come taco night all you need to do is reheat the meat and let everyone load their tacos with toppings.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

8. Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

This is the perfect dinner to make when you pop in and out of the house for an hour or two at a time during a busy weekend afternoon. While it’s not spicy, you can skip the fresh ginger and chili flakes for a totally mild version.

Credit: Joe Lingeman

9. Slow Cooker Hash Brown Casserole

The only thing better than breakfast for dinner is when it includes a cheesy hash brown and egg casserole courtesy of the slow cooker. Round out dinner with some cut-up fresh fruit on the side.

Credit: Lauren Volo

10. Slow Cooker Veggie Pot Pie

To keep this family favorite easy as can be, grab a tube of refrigerated flaky biscuits to finish off each bowl.

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: 10 Slow Cooker Recipes Your Kids Will Love