Ah, fall! The perfect season to dig your crockpot from the back of the cabinet and begin cooking up a storm. Not only can you enjoy the warm, savory classics of autumn, but you can also save time during a busy time of the year. Every family loves the option of easy to make dinners that cook all day long, but when you should purchase a crockpot if you need a new one? How can you get the best deal? Where can you find the tastiest recipes? And what’s the best way to care for your crockpot? Welcome to the ultimate guide for crockpots!
When to Buy Crockpots
If you’re in the market for a new sweet slow cooker, my best piece of advice is to wait if at all possible. The very best prices on crockpots arrive around Black Friday and continue through the end of the year. Over the years, I’ve purchased a number of $4 crockpots at big box retailers like Walmart and Target. They are workhorse slow cookers that amaze me year after year. If you really must purchase a new appliance right now, check Amazon for great deals. You can find a variety of styles and options to meet your unique needs and budget. If you don’t already, you’ll want to sign up for Amazon’s Gold Box Deal alerts to monitor the best bargains during the fall in case a slow cooker pops up in the rotation. A few of my favorite models out on the market and on my wish list right now include:
- Crock-Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock Manual Slow Cooker $34.86 currently on Amazon
- Proctor-Silex 33043 4-Quart Slow Cooker $14.21 currently on Amazon
- Crock-Pot Indianapolis Colts NFL Cook & Carry Slow Cooker $39.42 currently on Amazon
Where to Find the Best Recipes
Cookbooks, Pinterest, Recipe websites, oh my! There are literally limitless options of where you can find recipes to make your crockpot come alive with flavor. But it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the ideas. Here are a few of my favorite places to get ideas:
- Recipes That Crock: Not only does this website have a gazillion recipes for every meal, side dish, breakfast, and meat possible, but they have a fantastic YouTube channel featuring how to best prepare the recipes along with insider tips. A husband wife team serve up great insight along with a heaping help of humor. You should subscribe today.
- ALDI $50 Crockpot Meal Plan: Last year, I whipped up a meal plan good for 6 dinners for less than $50. Even if you don’t have an ALDI near you, you could easily replicate this plan at other stores for around the same price tag.
- Kindle Crockpot Reads: You know how much I love free! If you have an Amazon Prime Membership there are thousands upon thousands of books on Amazon that you can have access to for absolutely free. Even if you don’t have a membership, you can pick up many reads for a couple of bucks or less. And you don’t even have to have a Kindle to read them, just a phone, laptop or other device and the Kindle App. There are plenty of cookbooks available to inspire your crock potting skillz. A few of my favorites include:
How to Care for Your Crockpot
If you want to make your crockpot last longer, you need to take good care of it. And cleaning your crockpot can be a snap if you take a few simple steps first.
- Clean It Out As Soon As Possible: There is nothing worse than a sticky, crusty slow cooker. So the sooner you can clean your appliance, the better.
- Use a Non-stick Spray or Butter: For some recipes, you’ll want to consider greasing your crock just like you would a dish you’d place in an oven. Depending your flavor and cooking preferences, you might consider a non-stick spray, butter, or even a light oil.
- Use a Liner: You may want to consider purchasing crockpot liners to make clean up easier. Look for products like Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners or PanSaver EZ Clean Multi-Use Cooking Bags.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar: If you’ve really made a mess of things, you can fill it to the mess line with warm water. Then add 2 T baking soda, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, a squeeze of dish soap to the slow cooker slowly. Turn it on low for an hour and then come back to scrub.
I love my crockpots (I have 4!). I’ve made whole chickens, turkey breasts, baby food, breakfast, and more with my slow cooker. For more ideas, check out these posts:
- Save Money With Your Crockpot
- $50 Crockpot ALDI Meal Plan
- Think Outside the Crock: Creative Crockpot Recipes
Happy crocking!
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
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