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    Home » Slow Cooker » Family Slow Cooker Recipes That Kids Love

    Published on Sep 15, 2018. Modified on Nov 9, 2019 by bakingqueen74. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

    Family Slow Cooker Recipes That Kids Love

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    The main reason I use my slow cooker so much is because it means I can do the food preparation in the morning or just earlier in the day, and then leave the food cooking all day so it is ready at dinner time.

    In this way I don’t need to start the cooking when I’ve just finished work and the children have finished school, everyone is tired and hungry. It is already done!

    I’ve gathered together my favourite family slow cooker recipes to make a resource to look at when I’m meal planning, making the shopping list, or just want to mix up the weekly menu a bit. I hope you will find it as useful as me.

    Crockpot cooking a family meal

    Using a slow cooker means I can take the children to their after-school clubs and activities, and I can serve up their meal as soon as we get home, without a lot of stress.

    You can make all your family favourite dishes in the slow cooker. Here I’ve gathered together my favourite family slow cooker recipes that are always a hit at dinnertime. They are all easy to make so you don’t have to spend hours preparing the food.

    Check out these sections below to find recipes to suit your family:

    • staple recipes
    • one-pot meals
    • slow cooker casseroles
    • slow cooker roasts
    • slow cooker curries

    Staple Recipes

    Slow cooker bolognese sauce is a regular on our meal plan. Whatever vegetables are in the fridge and need to be used up can be added too, and if your children don’t like veggies, you can grate them in so they won’t see them in there.

    Close up of pasta bolognese garnished with basil.
    Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce
    Simple slow cooker for bolognese sauce, ideal for batch cooking
    Get this recipe

    A lentil bolognese full of vegetables is a veggie alternative which is also very low-cost and goes down well with the family too.

    Slow cooker macaroni cheese is always a favourite.

    Close up of macaroni cheese in ceramic dish.
    Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
    A delicious recipe for slow cooker mac and cheese made from scratch using a roux-based sauce (made with butter, flour and milk) with no weird ingredients, in UK measurements
    Get this recipe

    For something a bit different, slow cooker paprika pork goulash can be served with mash, pasta or rice.

    Shredded pork with peppers in a white serving dish.
    Slow Cooker Goulash
    Slow cooker goulash made with a pork joint shredded in a red and yellow pepper sauce flavored with paprika, great for cold weather
    Get this recipe

    Chicken thighs in a tomato and pepper sauce are another massive favourite here, and so tasty from using flavourful chicken thighs, as well as very frugal.

    Chicken thighs in a tomato sauce in a slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Peppers
    An easy to make slow cooker meal with chicken thighs, tomatoes and peppers
    Get this recipe

    For something a bit different, you could try slow cooker teriyaki beef with a simple homemade sauce that soaks into the rice.

    Overhead view of bowl with beef and spring onions on top.
    Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef
    A delicious beef dish cooked in your slow cooker with a Japanese style teriyaki sauce made from scratch
    Get this recipe

    One-Pot Meals

    One-pot meals are of course a great family option. You can make them in your slow cooker too, saving time and on washing up!

    Slow cooker shepherd’s pie is one of the real favourites for family meals in our house.

    I love that it is a one-pot meal so once it is in the slow cooker basically dinner is done! I’ll just cook some vegetables to have on the side.

    Slow Cooker Shepherd's Pie
    A real family favourite made with minced lamb or leftover roast lamb, it can easily be made suitable for Slimming World too
    Get this recipe

    My family also like slow cooker cottage pie, this is always polished off really quickly. This is a favourite with me too as again you use less dishes than when you cook a cottage pie in the oven!

    Plus with a one-pot dish like this you can again just add some vegetables and your meal is complete.

    Slow cooker cottage pie
    Slow Cooker Cottage Pie
    Recipe for cottage pie, pie with mashed potato and a beef filling, made in the slow cooker, a great winter warmer
    Get this recipe

    Slow cooker lasagne is also another recipe which I make again and again for the family and which the kids love.

    In my recipe you don’t need to cook the meat sauce through first which adds more time, you just brown the meat, make up the sauce then get layering!

    Close up of lasagne in slow cooker dish.
    Healthy Slow Cooker Lasagne
    A more healthy version of a family favourite slow cooker dish 
    Get this recipe

    Slow cooker moussaka has also become a favourite with my family. The minced-lamb filling is layered with aubergine slices then topped with a lightened up white sauce and sprinkled with cheese.

    Another one-pot meal which is so simple to put together!

    Close-up of moussaka in serving dish, being served,
    Slow Cooker Moussaka
    Moussaka is a delicious Greek lamb dish with layers of aubergine and a creamy white sauce, ideal for a family meal. This slow cooker moussaka is excellent as a one-pot meal.
    Get this recipe


    Slow Cooker Casseroles

    When the weather gets cooler, casseroles and stews come to the fore, and the slow cooker is of course the perfect tool for making a casserole! If you are short on time and have hungry kids who need feeding as soon as you get home, you can serve your casseroles with crusty bread and vegetables.

    If you have a little extra time you can serve with mash, pasta or rice as well.

    Slow cooker beef stew with chorizo has a lovely smoky flavour from smoked paprika and chorizo so is a lovely warming dish.

    Bowl of beef casserole served with crusty bread on the side, with herbs and serving dish behind.
    Slow Cooker Beef Casserole with Chorizo
    A rich beef casserole with smoky flavours from smoked paprika and chorizo, to warm up the coldest day
    Get this recipe

    Slow cooker sausage casserole is a simple dish which just uses store cupboard ingredients, and is great for children of all ages.

    Brown off the sausages before adding them to the pot to stop them looking too anaemic. This is a great recipe for getting the children to eat more vegetables too.

    Sausage and vegetable casserole in a serving dish on a wooden background.
    Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
    Easy and delicious recipe for sausage casserole in your slow cooker, perfect for autumn and winter or a warming family dish all year round.
    Get this recipe

    We also love slow cooker lamb casserole for a change, and this dish also smells so good as it cooks.

    With rosemary and mint sauce to really bring out the flavour of the lamb, its one of those moreish dishes that make you need a second helping!

    Lamb casserole in slow cooker pot.
    Slow Cooker Lamb Casserole
    A delicious warming lamb casserole to make in the slow cooker, perfect for winter and full of vegetables.
    Get this recipe

    Pork, leek and apple casserole is great for toddlers as well as older children because the meat is made so tender by the long slow cooking time.

    Close up of white bowl of pork casserole with carrots and mash.
    Slow Cooker Pork Casserole with Apple and Leek
    A light and creamy slow cooker pork casserole with sweet flavours from apple and leek, and tender meat that the whole family will love. Great served with mash as a winter meal.
    Get this recipe


    Slow Cooker Roasts

    Ideal for when you want a Sunday or midweek roast dinner, pop a joint of meat in your slow cooker and it will usually just take minutes to prepare so you can get on with a busy day. Later your roast will be ready for you and you’ll only need to prepare the side dishes to go with it.

    Slow cooker gammon (or ham) is a recipe we come back to again and again. Cooked in apple juice and then glazed with maple syrup and then browned off in a hot oven, this is a winter staple for us, and great for Christmas as well.

    Gammon/ham with scored fat on a wooden board.
    Slow Cooker Gammon with Maple Glaze
    Make your Christmas gammon or ham in your slow cooker, maple syrup adds amazing flavour
    Get this recipe

    Slow cooker roast pork with sage and onion is perfect for a Sunday roast. Make the crackling while you prepare your roast potatoes and vegetables.

    Slow cooker roast pork with sage and onion
    A lovely slow cooker roast dinner perfect for any day, roast pork cooked in the crockpot with sage and onion 
    Get this recipe

    I also always find that lamb works so well in the slow cooker, whether a leg or shoulder joint. The classic rosemary and garlic combination, with mint sauce, is always a winner.

    Lamb joint with garlic and rosemary.
    Slow Cooker Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic
    Delicious leg of lamb (or shoulder) cooked in your slow cooker with sprigs of rosemary, cloves of garlic, and mint sauce if you like it, on a bed of red onions, for a delicious roast meal.
    Get this recipe

    Mild Slow Cooker Curries

    If your children enjoy mild curries, a slow cooker curry is a good option that can feed the whole family. For the adults you can add some fresh chilli on serving if you like it a bit spicier.

    Slow cooker chicken pasanda made with coconut milk and ground almonds to thicken the sauce is creamy and very tasty and great served with mini naan breads for dipping into the sauce.

    Similar to a mild korma, it will go down well with all.

    Curry with rice in a light blue bowl.
    Slow Cooker Chicken Pasanda
    A delicious mild and creamy slow cooker chicken curry with ground almonds and coconut milk
    Get this recipe

    Another mild curry option is slow cooker chicken saag with fresh spinach cooked into the sauce. The beauty of this is that it is a really healthy option too.

    Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Curry
    Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Curry
    A mild and tasty slow cooker curry your family will love
    Get this recipe

    You could also try my slow cooker coconut beef curry. 

    Serve plain for children and then add the spring onions and sliced chillies for those with more adventurous tastes!

    Slow Cooker Beef Curry
    A tasty beef curry full of delicious vegetables in a light coconut milk curry sauce, all made from scratch, which bubbles away in your slow cooker with delicious results.
    Get this recipe

    A lamb curry with meltingly soft and tender meat from slow cooking is also great for children. Again if needed, you can leave out the fresh chilli and add it later to make it milder.

    Close up of lamb curry in serving dish.
    Slow Cooker Lamb Curry (Lamb Bhuna)
    A delicious warming lamb bhuna curry cooked in your slow cooker, packed with vegetables and with a thick spiced sauce. Adjust the spice level to suit your household.
    Get this recipe

    I hope you have found some recipes to try here in my post on family slow cooker recipes that kids love.

    There are lots more recipe ideas in my slow cooker archives, along with slow cooker desserts you can make at the same time for pudding if you have a second slow cooker!

    Why not pin for later

    20 family slow cooker recipes kids will love - simple and time-saving too!

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    Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm a slow cooker addict, food blogger and also a busy working mum of two. I hope you'll enjoy the recipes I create and post which are perfect for busy families.

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