Comparison: Best Slow Cooker Meals For Kids (Updated | Dec 9th)
As a parent, you know the struggle of balancing nutritious meals with a packed schedule. Enter the slow cooker: your secret weapon for wholesome, kid-approved dinners that practically cook themselves! We’ve tested dozens of recipes to bring you the ultimate collection of slow cooker meals that will have your little ones asking for seconds. From hearty pasta dishes to hidden-vegetable wonders, these recipes are designed to please even the pickiest eaters while saving you precious time and energy in the kitchen.
- Best for restaurant-quality meals: The Stay-at-Home Chef Slow Cooker Cookbook: 120 Restaurant-Quality Recipes You Can Easily Make at Home
- Best for ultimate one-pot guide: The Complete One Pot: 400 Meals for Your Skillet
- Best for classic family recipes: Crockpot Family Favorites
- Best for meal prep pro: Meal Prep Magic: Time-Saving Tricks for Stress-Free Cooking
- Best for compact party helper: Bella 1.5 QT slow cooker
- Best for portable lunch warmer: Crock-Pot 28-Ounce Mini Electric Heated Lunch Box
- Best for family-friendly classics: Crockpot Family Favorite Recipes
- Best for quick paleo prep: Quick Prep Paleo: Simple Whole-Food Meals with 5 to 15 Minutes of Hands-On Time
- Best for real food, fast: Real Food Weeknights: Fast & Flavorful Dinners
- Best for family-sized simplicity: Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Slow Cooker with 3 Cooking Settings
Product Comparison: Best Slow Cooker Meals For Kids
The Stay-at-Home Chef Slow Cooker Cookbook: 120 Restaurant-Quality Recipes You Can Easily Make at Home
The Complete One Pot: 400 Meals for Your Skillet, Sheet Pan, Instant Pot®, Dutch Oven, and More (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series)
Meal Prep Magic: Time-Saving Tricks for Stress-Free Cooking, A Weelicious Cookbook
Bella 1.5 QT slow cooker, Black
- Perfectly Sized for Petite Options: Enjoy cooking small meals effortlessly with the BELLA 1.5qt slow cooker and mini crock pot. Its compact size is ideal for solo dining or cozy gatherings, making it a useful kitchen essential for many occasions
- Customizable Cooking Convenience: With three temperature control settings, Low, High, and Warm, you can cook your meals just the way you like them. From slow-cooked stews to quick appetizers, our simmer pot adapts to your culinary needs with ease
- Party Food Warmer: Keep your guests always satisfied with tasty appetizers like queso, spinach dip, or personal-size chili, served directly from the removable stoneware pot. The Warm setting ensures your dishes stay heated until it’s time to serve
- Safety First: Designed with cool-touch side handles and knobs, the BELLA mini rice pot and multi cooker prioritizes your safety while cooking and serving. Say goodbye to burns and hello to hassle-free entertaining
- Effortless Cleanup: After the party’s over, cleaning up is a breeze with the dishwasher-safe stoneware pot and tempered glass lid. Spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying the memories you’ve made with your BELLA small portable cooker
Crock-Pot 28-Ounce Mini Electric Heated Lunch Box, Portable Food Warmer, Perfect for Travel, Car, On-the-Go, Keeps Food Warm, Spill-Free, Dishwasher-Safe, Ideal Gift for Men and Women, Gray
- Portable and Personal Size: This portable food warmer holds more than 3.5 cups, so it’s perfectly sized for leftovers, soups, salads, and more, and lets you take your home-cooked meals with you to work or virtually anywhere
- Faster Warm Up: Heats to 195°F within 2 hours, so lunch will be hot and ready when you’re ready to eat
- Thermal insulated to keep food hot or cold for hours: Keeps food hot for up to 2 hours or cold up to 3 hours for picnics, sporting events, tailgates, and more
- Tight-Seal Lid and Container: No more messes—the removable storage container has a tight-seal lid, with steam-release valve, for less food spills when you’re on the go
- Less Waste Solution*: The removable inner food container is durable stainless steel for sustainability and lets you say goodbye to throwaway containers for good *Less waste vs using single use containers
- This product contains Aluminum, Stainless Steel (Iron, Chromium, Nickel, Manganese, Copper, Phosphorus), Titanium Dioxide, Carbon black, Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane
Crockpot Family Favorite Recipes
Quick Prep Paleo: Simple Whole-Food Meals with 5 to 15 Minutes of Hands-On Time
Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Slow Cooker with 3 Cooking Settings, Dishwasher-Safe Stoneware Crock & Glass Lid, Stainless Steel (33140G)
- EASILY COOK FLAVORFUL MEALS: This Hamilton Beach slow cooker has simple manual controls that make it easy to create flavorful meals with minimal effort and great results. Just turn the dial. No watching needed.
- FEEDS THE WHOLE FAMILY: The 4 quart slow cooker has a stoneware crock that’s perfect for one-pot meals, meat and poultry. It will hold a 4 lb. chicken or a 2 lb. roast. Serves 4+ people.
- MAINTAIN THE IDEAL TEMPERATURE: This slow cooker lets you cook your meal on Low or High, and then switch to Keep Warm when cooking is complete to maintain the ideal temperature until you’re ready to eat.
- EASY SERVING: The removable stoneware crock makes it easy to carry meals from the slow cooker to the table.
- SIMPLE TO CLEAN: This slow cooker has a removable stoneware crock and glass lid that are dishwasher safe and easy to clean. The crock can also be used in the oven or microwave
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Buying Guide
FAQs
Should I buy a slow cooker cookbook or a new appliance?
If you already own a slow cooker, a cookbook like ‘The Stay-at-Home Chef’ or ‘Crockpot Family Favorites’ can expand your meal repertoire with kid-friendly recipes. If you need an appliance, consider your family size: the Hamilton Beach 4-Quart is great for families, while the Bella 1.5 QT is perfect for smaller portions or side dishes.
What’s the difference between the Bella 1.5 QT and the Hamilton Beach 4-Quart slow cooker?
The main difference is capacity and intended use. The Bella 1.5 QT is a compact slow cooker ideal for single servings, appetizers, or small households, while the Hamilton Beach 4-Quart is designed for family-sized meals, capable of cooking a 4 lb. chicken or serving 4+ people.
Which cookbook is best for families with picky eaters?
For families with picky eaters, ‘Crockpot Family Favorites’ and ‘The Stay-at-Home Chef Slow Cooker Cookbook’ are excellent choices as they focus on crowd-pleasing recipes that appeal to kids. ‘Meal Prep Magic’ also offers strategies for making meals ahead of time, which can help you have kid-friendly options ready when you need them.
Is the Crock-Pot Lunch Box a good option for kids’ meals?
The Crock-Pot Lunch Box is perfect for warming up meals for kids at school or during outings, as it heats food to a safe temperature and has a tight-seal lid to prevent spills. Its compact size and portability make it ideal for sending warm lunches with your children when microwaves aren’t available.
Are these cookbooks suitable for beginners to slow cooking?
Yes, most of these cookbooks are beginner-friendly, with ‘The Stay-at-Home Chef’ and ‘Crockpot Family Favorites’ offering clear instructions and approachable recipes. ‘The Complete One Pot’ is especially versatile as it covers multiple cooking methods, making it a great investment for those new to various cooking appliances.
What features should I look for in a slow cooker for cooking kids’ meals?
Look for a slow cooker with multiple temperature settings (Low, High, and Warm) to give you flexibility with different recipes, as seen in both the Bella and Hamilton Beach models. A removable stoneware insert that’s dishwasher-safe makes cleanup much easier, and cool-touch handles are essential for safety when cooking with kids around.
Which option offers the best value for a family on a budget?
For budget-conscious families, ‘The Complete One Pot’ cookbook offers excellent value with 400 recipes for various cooking methods, reducing the need for multiple specialized cookbooks. If you need an appliance, the Hamilton Beach 4-Quart provides family-sized capacity at a reasonable price point, with the versatility to cook a variety of meals for your kids.
Are there options for families with specific dietary restrictions?
Yes, ‘Quick Prep Paleo’ is specifically designed for families following a paleo diet with whole-food meals that require minimal prep time. ‘Real Food Weeknights’ focuses on wholesome ingredients for nutritious family dinners, while most of the other cookbooks include adaptable recipes that can be modified to accommodate various dietary restrictions.
