When the weather gets chilly, we tend to turn to creature comforts to keep us toasty. Our minidresses are swapped in for cozy knits, long days at the beach turn into long nights on the lounge and our daily smoothies are replaced with hot chocolates. This is especially the case when it comes to food. While summer is all about light, fresh salads, these simply don’t cut it in the colder months. In autumn and winter, our meals need to be like the food equivalent of a good hug – warm, hearty and comforting.
Ironically, these types of meals tend to take the longest to make — and the last thing you feel like doing on a cold night after a long day is slaving over the stove! For this reason, it’s far too tempting to hit a few buttons on your phone and order takeaway. But we know we don’t need to tell you that this isn’t the healthiest and most cost-effective option.
There is another option that’s almost as easy as ordering takeaway — but way healthier, cheaper and tastier! Thanks to the ridiculously convenient gadget that is the slow cooker (aka the crock pot) you can have your dinner ready by the time you get home. You simply chuck in your ingredients, set your timer and voila, all the hard work is done for you.We guarantee you won’t feel like ordering takeaway once the tantalising aroma of your slow cooker greets you at the door. It also makes it super easy to book in bulk, so you’ll have leftovers for lunches!
Scroll through our gallery for our favourite slow cooker dinner recipes for cold AF nights:
Slow Cooker Lamb Korma
Lamb is one of those meats that taste best when prepared in a slow cooker and this yummy gluten-free, dairy-free recipe from The Cooks Pyjamas is a prime example!
See the recipe.
Skinny Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
This sweet-and-savoury dish from The Recipe Critic puts a healthier (and tastier) spin on a Chinese takeaway staple.
Check out the recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken, Kale And Sweet Potato Stew
With only six ingredients, this stew from Real Food Whole Life is ridiculously simple — but it still packs some serious punch when it comes to taste! It’s the perfect health-boosting meal for when you feel like you’re picking up a winter cold.
Learn to make it.
Slow Cooker Coconut Quinoa Curry
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or just trying to eat more veggies, you can’t go past this creamy curry from Simply Quinoa as an effortless mid-week dinner option.
Check out the recipe.
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
Mexican is one of those cuisines that’s great to eat all year round, but this recipe from Two Peas And Their Pod makes it slightly more hearty and autumn-friendly.
See the recipe.
Crock Pot Veggie Lasagna
When it comes to comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than lasagne! This recipe from Well Plated uses zucchini and eggplant in place of the noodles to make a low carb, high protein vegetarian option.
Check out the recipe.
Slow Cooker Luau Pork Rice Bowls
As delicious as slow cooker meals are, they’re usually not the prettiest. This colourful pork dish from Le Creme De La Crumb is definitely the exception — and it tastes just as good as it looks!
Learn to make it.
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
Sometimes, you just need some hearty carbs to get you through the cold nights. This recipe from Well Plated hits just the right spot — and you can swap the baked potato out with sweet potato to make it healthier!
Check out the recipe.
Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese
It’s no secret that we love zoodle bolognese as a healthy, simple meal. But did you know you can also make it in the slow cooker? Yep, your easy dinner just got even healthier, thanks to this recipe from Little Bits Of!
See the recipe.
