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Family favorite crock pot meals1/21/2024 ![]() ![]() Spicy Black Bean Soup Image via Cookie and Kate Because when you’re a parent, the less thinking you have to do, the better. Ready to get cooking? Here are 16 easy-to-prepare Crock-Pot recipes sure to become staples in your home. “When I get home with my girls in the evening, the house smells amazing and we all immediately feel relaxed and ready to eat.” “I work later on Thursdays, so I’m always sure to run home mid-afternoon to throw dinner into the Crock-Pot,” says Annie Garland, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado. If hygge were a smell, it would probably be a Crock-Pot dinner, because few things feel more welcoming after a long day than the aroma of a home-cooked meal. “I use a slow cooker at least once a week, because not only does it make for less cleanup, it (also) lets me sit down with my children to hear about their days and to get a head-start on homework.” Home-cooked meals are the embodiment of cozy ![]() “When I pick up my kids from school and after-school activities, I love knowing dinner is already underway,” says Michele Lee, of Garwood, N.J. “Once they leave home, they will have to prepare meals for themselves, so it’s a perfect training ground.” You get more time with the kidsīy swapping out a multi-step (multi-pan) meal for a one-pot wonder, you’re getting more quality time in with the kids than with the stove, which - need we even say it? - is important. ![]() “Kids who help prepare meals learn responsibility and an important life skill: how to cook,” Jacobsen says. Also, by outsourcing dinner prep, you’re not only lightening your load, you’re also fostering your child’s kitchen confidence. While asking your tween or teen to julienne carrots and stuff a chicken is probably unrealistic, having them portion out ingredients and dump them into a slow cooker is not. “Also, having kids dish out their own meals makes them feel empowered and teaches them how to portion food for themselves.” Kids can do the prep work “Eating together as a family gives parents a chance to role model good eating habits and positive eating behaviors, while demonstrating balanced nutrition and meal planning,” says Suzanne Farrell, RD, owner of Cherry Creek Nutrition. It’s the best of both worlds: bonding and nutrition.”įamily dinners are also an opportunity for parents to teach kids healthy habits without a lecture. “Numerous studies have shown that kids who eat regular meals with their family eat more nutritious foods and are at a decreased risk for developing eating disorders,” says Maryann Jacobsen, author of “ The Family Dinner Solution: How to Create a Rotation of Dinner Meals Your Family Will Love.” “Family meals teach kids that both food and family time is important. But by resisting the urge in favor of having everyone come together at the end of the day for an easy meal, your family is reaping countless emotional and physical benefits. Sure, having everyone pick at leftovers on their own schedule can be tempting when you’re pressed for time. Family dinners are important for your kids’ well-being Still not convinced? Check out these easy Crock-Pot dinners and try to not become a convert. Whether you get the slow cooker going in the morning before school or have the kids or caregiver do the prep work in the afternoon, Crock-Pot dinners take care of themselves. Relentless schedules make family dinners notoriously difficult, but when you have an arsenal of minimal prep Crock-Pot dinners for the family, you’re hard-pressed to find an excuse. And it also doesn’t mean everyone can’t sit down to eat together. But just because you don’t have the time - or, let’s face it, the inclination - to dice, chop and simmer after a long day, doesn’t mean your family has to forgo a hot, tasty meal. Whipping up an elaborate dinner is rarely more than a Pinterest pipe dream. When you have school-aged kids, afternoons and evenings can be jam-packed. ![]()
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