Life is busy. When dinnertime rolls around, many families either go out to eat or pick up fast food. They don’t want to figure out what to cook for dinner. Forget doing that. With the help of a slow cooker, any family can have a nutritious meal every night of the week.
What are the benefits of using a slow cooker? How can a person make amazing Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice? What tips will ensure these meals turn out great? The following guide provides answers to these questions and more.
The Benefits of Using a Slow Cooker
Using a slow cooker includes several benefits. The following are a few of these benefits.
Eat at Home
With the rising cost of groceries, going out to dinner might not be an option. One fast food meal can consume a large chunk of the family’s weekly food budget.
A family member can put the meal in the slow cooker in the morning, so everyone comes home to a hot, home-cooked meal that smells and tastes delicious. Knowing this meal is waiting at home makes it easy to drive past fast-food restaurants or pick up takeout food.
The money saved can be used for other purposes, and the health of all family members will improve, as home-cooked meals are healthier than those found in fast-food restaurants.
Read Also:
Less Time Spent Cleaning Up
After a delicious meal, family members often want to sit down and relax. However, they must clean the kitchen before doing so. With a slow cooker, cleaning the kitchen takes less time. Only one pot has been used to prepare the meal, meaning there are fewer dishes to wash.
In addition, the cook may choose to use a slow cooker liner, so cleaning up is a breeze. As a result, the family spends more time together doing things they enjoy.
More Flavorful Foods
One reason people love slow cookers is they bring out the different flavors in foods. A slow cooker marinates the food as it cooks. The ingredients simmer together over several hours, so they absorb the different flavors. The meal, when completed, tastes as if it came from a five-star restaurant. In addition, the food tastes great the next day.
Plenty of Leftovers
People can cook one meal in a slow cooker and eat it for several days. Using a slow cooker is an excellent way to prepare lunches for the family so they don’t have to stop and grab something when they have a few minutes.
They can pull a meal from the freezer and reheat it for lunch. Again, having meals prepared at home not only saves money but is better for the family’s health.
Save on Groceries
Slow cookers are ideal for preparing inexpensive cuts of meat that would otherwise be tough once prepared. The cooking process tenderizes the meat by breaking down the connective tissue in it. More expensive cuts of meat are best prepared by cooking at high heat quickly.
Less Energy
Slow cookers require little energy. This not only saves money but also helps to keep the home at a comfortable temperature during the summer months. The house won’t heat up when a slow cooker is used.
Tips for Using a Slow Cooker
Make the most of a slow cooker with the help of the following tips. Using these tips ensures this appliance gets used regularly, as they make cooking effortless.
Prepare Ingredients in Advance
Don’t rush around in the morning trying to prepare a full meal while handling other daily tasks. Prepare ingredients ahead of time whenever possible to save time as the family tries to get out the door.
Beans can be soaked and vegetables chopped over the weekend when life isn’t so rushed. Cut ingredients into uniform pieces so they will cook evenly in the slow cooker. Place these ingredients in storage bags and keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days.
This simple step will make using a slow cooker easy, even on those mornings when nothing seems to go right.
Prepare the Meal in Advance
Another option is to prepare a meal the night before and place the slow cooker insert in the refrigerator. This meal prep can take place as family members clean up after dinner, allowing everyone to work together toward a common goal.
Leaving the meal in the refrigerator overnight may increase the cooking time, but families often find the meal is still ready when they get home from work.
Make Leftovers
Many portions of meat suitable for a slow cooker make excellent leftovers. For example, you can cook a roast one night and use any leftovers the following night to make sandwiches so the family enjoys two outstanding meals from one cooking session.
Safety and the Slow Cooker
Ensure the cooker is clean before using it, and never take perishable foods out of the refrigerator until they are ready to be prepped. Slow cookers take time to reach a temperature that will kill bacteria, so it’s best not to give the bacteria a head start by taking food out too early.
Avoid putting frozen foods in the slow cooker, and choose foods with high moisture content. Vegetables need to go in the cooker first, and the lid must be properly secured. Only remove the lid when the food needs to be stirred or it is time to see if the meal is done.
Never attempt to finish cooking food if the power goes out with a meal in the slow cooker. The only exception is if the power outage is very short, such as under five or ten minutes.
Slow cookers are a wonderful addition to any kitchen. These appliances make preparing home-cooked meals effortless, even on busy days. With countless recipes to choose from, a person might decide to invest in multiple slow cookers.
Doing so allows them to come home to a fully cooked meal, including appetizers, the main dish, side dishes, and desserts. These appliances are incredibly versatile, making them an essential part of any well-stocked home.
