Nothing is better than waking up or coming home to a kitchen that smells amazing and a meal ready to go…especially when you didn’t have to spend hours at the stove to make it happen. 

Slow cookers can be meal prepper’s best friend! Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite slow cooker meal prep tips and recipes.

slow cooker meal prep

5 Benefits of Using a Slow Cooker

  1. Slow cookers allow for a “set it and forget it” approach to meal prep. Just throw all your ingredients in your crock pot, set the temperature and time, and get on with your day. Whether you use that time to relax, get some work done, hit the gym, or read a book, you can rest (or cook or train) assured, knowing a healthy meal will be ready for you when you’re done.

  2. Slow cookers are easy ways to cook large cuts of meat or larger recipe sizes. Cook once, and use the output for multiple meals throughout the week.

  3. Slow cookers are a low-cost way of cooking. They are energy-efficient and allow you to purchase cheaper, tougher cuts of meat and cook them tenderly.

  4. Slow cookers (usually) make your food more delicious. The slower cooking method pulls out the flavors and distributes them deeply and evenly throughout the dish.

  5. Slow cookers provide minimal clean-up!

Tips for Slow Cooker Meal Prep 

Prep Once, Cook Twice.

When prepping your ingredients, double the recipe and split the ingredients into two even portions. You’ll have plenty to cook immediately, and you can freeze the rest when you’re in a meal prep pinch. Leave out the wet ingredients and write measurements and instructions on the Ziploc bag to remember what you need. Pull the bag out in the morning if you want to cook your next meal overnight. Pull it out before bed if you're going to cook in the morning!

Pro tip: Freeze prepped ingredients flat so they thaw faster, and run under cool water to speed up the process.

Prep Protein

If full recipes are not your thing, using a slow cooker can still be a game changer. Pick a protein source, add enough stock to cover it by about one inch, and allow it to cook until you can easily flake it with a fork. Add your protein to dishes throughout the week or utilize it as a snack when you need a little protein pick-me-up.

Here are some rough cooking guides:

  • Chicken Breast: 5-6 hours on medium
  • Beef Cubes: 4 hours on medium
  • Large Roast (beef or pork): 8 hours on medium
  • Pre-cooked Legumes: 3 hours on low

Utilize Your Tracking App for Slow Cooker Meal Prep

Do you want to track your slow cooker recipe once it is done? Luckily, popular food-tracking apps like MacrosFirst and MyFitnessPal have taken the guesswork (and macro math) out of tracking recipes. Learn to create a recipe and log a single serving in MacrosFirst here. Learn how to do it in MyFitnessPal here.

Get 10% off a MacrosFirst Premium subscription with the code TEAMWAG. Already a WAG member? Message your coach for your exclusive member discount!

Hold the Seasonings

For one-food meals that reduce as you cook (e.g., meat), avoid adding salt until you finish cooking to avoid overcooking. If you’re following a recipe, you should be fine adding the suggested seasoning portions, as the author has taken the final volume into account.

Customize Cooking Time

If you’re in a pinch and need to reduce cooking time, use smaller chunks of meat. As long as you keep an eye on them, they won't dry out!

 

Slow Cooker Meal Prep Recipes

Here are some of our favorite slow cooker recipes

Final Thoughts on Slow Cooker Meal Prep

Making healthy choices as easy as possible is one of the best ways to reach your goals, and slow cooker meal prep is one way to ensure you have healthy meals ready to go when you need them! 

For more meal prep tips, check out our Ultimate Meal Prep Guide or work with a 1-on-1 nutrition coach who can provide specific recommendations based on your macros, schedule, and food preferences!