5 Day Slow Cooker Meal Plan

😉Why we like slow cooker meal planning

Really, slow cooking is the only cooking method that rewards you for leaving the kitchen. Using a prepared meal plan makes the whole 'set-it and forget- it' slow cooking adventure even easier!

Here is what else we like.

• The recipes in the meal plan can be prepped in advance and then set to cook when we are ready.
• Slow cookers come with a crock that can be easily removed and a lid for covering, making it easy for refrigerating leftovers in.
• It is almost impossible to overcook a meal in your slow cooker.
• Slow cookers allow for flavors to meld together and meats to tenderize resulting in the ultimate comfort food creations!

🍲 5-Day Slow Cooker Meal Plan

Plan, shop, prep, and you are ready to go!

Day 1 – Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

• Main: Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Dinner – creamy one-pot dinner with chicken, peas & carrots, and tender dumplings cooked right in the crockpot.
• Side: Light green salad with vinaigrette
• Tip: Serve with warm bread or dinner rolls.

1

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Dinner, a delicious and easy crockpot recipe made with chicken breasts slow cooked to perfection.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Dinner, a delicious and easy crockpot recipe made with chicken breasts slow cooked to perfection.

SEE THE RECIPE

Day 2 – Crockpot Barbecue Chicken

• Main: Crockpot Barbecue Chicken – juicy shredded chicken cooked in BBQ sauce.
• Serve With: Steamed rice or sandwich buns
• Side: Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Potatoes (as a starchy side)

2

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken Recipe, an easy recipe for chicken breast slow cooked to perfection in barbecue sauce.

This Crockpot Barbecue Chicken Recipe is about as easy as it gets. Made with chicken breast that is slow cooked in barbecue sauce, and then slow cooked to perfection, this sweet and tangy chicken is perfect for dinner or for sharing with others.

SEE THE RECIPE

Day 3 – Slow Cooker Taco Soup

• Main: Slow Cooker Taco Soup – hearty soup with seasoned meat, beans, corn, and broth slow cooked until flavorful.
• Serve With: Tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions
• Side: Simple Mexican rice

3

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe, a simple and delicious crockpot recipe for hearty and flavorful soup made with simple ingredients.

This Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe is both easy and tasty. Made with ground beef, beans, and corn, this soup is slow cooked to savory and spicy perfection.

SEE THE RECIPE

Day 4 – Crock Pot Beef Tips

• Main: Crock Pot Beef Tips Recipe – tender beef in rich savory gravy.
• Serve With: Egg noodles or mashed potatoes
• Side: Steamed broccoli or roasted carrots

4

Crock Pot Beef Tips Recipe, a simple and delicious recipe for tender beef tips slow cooked to perfection in rich and savory sauce.

This Crock Pot Beef Tips Recipe takes about 10 minutes to put together. Made with stew meat slow cooked to perfection in beef broth and onion soup, this hearty and savory dish is perfect as a weeknight dinner or for sharing with others at a gathering.

SEE THE RECIPE

Day 5 – Slow Cooker Sausage Potato Casserole

• Main: Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Potato Casserole – hearty hash-brown, sausage, and cheesy comfort casserole.
• Serve With: Fresh fruit or a crisp side salad
• Dessert/Bonus: Easy Crockpot Candy as a treat (sweet snack).

5

Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Potato Casserole, a simple and delicious crockpot recipe made with hash browns and ground sausage.

This Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Potato Casserole can be enjoyed about any time of the day. Made with hash browns and ground sausage, this crockpot recipe is a hearty and flavorful making it a perfect comfort food.

SEE THE RECIPE

🛒 Weekly Grocery List (based on plan)

Proteins

• Chicken breasts (for Days 1 & 2)
• Ground meat for taco soup
• Beef stew meat (for beef tips)
• Sausage (for casserole)

Produce

• Carrots, celery, green onions, lettuce
• Broccoli, roasted carrots
• Potatoes (baby + russet or hash browns)
• Corn (fresh or frozen)
• Salad greens

Dairy

• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Butter

Pantry

• BBQ sauce
• Taco seasoning
• Beans (for soup)
• Beef broth & chicken broth
• Condensed soups (for chicken & dumplings)
• Noodles, rice, or buns

Snacks/Dessert

Peanuts, chocolate bark, peanut-butter chips (for crockpot candy)

🍽️ Tips for Success

✔ Label your slow cooker pots with day and recipe name so you stay organized.
✔ Start beans/meats in the morning so overnight or workday cooking results in tender, ready meals.
✔ Leftovers from BBQ chicken or beef tips can be used for sandwiches or tacos another day.

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips for Slow Cooking

1. Use the right sized slow cooker! Most slow cooker recipes are made for large slow cookers . That's 6-10 quart sized.
2. Most recipes that involve meat need that meat to be pre-cooked. It would take a long long long time for a slow cooker to cook the meat that can be precooked on the stove in a few minutes.
3. Opt for higher fat cuts. The fat in these foods are what will slow cook your meal to a moist and tender goodness! Choose beef chuck, pork shoulder, or chicken thighs.
4. Layering Matters. While it is easiest to dump your ingredients into the slow cooker all at once and set it to cook, some recipes need to have the ingredients added in a certain order. This is because heat is transferred from the bottom and sides of the pot which means that ingredients that take longer to cook closer to the bottom.
5. Two Thirds. For optimal slow cooking, your slow cooker should be filled ⅔rds of the way full. This allows for accurate heating and cooking whatever you are slow cooking.
6. Sauce. When your slow cooker reaches about 80% of the recommended slow cooking time for a recipe, check on it. This is a great time to stir some recipes or to check on the sauce. For sauce that is too thin, you can remove the lid in the last half hour of slow cooking or make a slurry by whisking together a equal parts cornstarch and cold water and stir it in during the last 30 minutes on the "High" setting.
7. Best Recipes for Slow Cooking. The best recipes to make in a slow cooker are recipes made with food that have a higher fat content or tough cuts (corned beef, ribs..), hearty food such as chili or soup, beans and legumes, and shredded foods such as chicken. Recipes that do not work so well in a slow cooker include lean meats, delicate food such as certain vegetables, and seafood.