After all of the holiday cooking, I am pretty much d-o-n-e with thinking about food prep. I have a house full of hungry people, however, so I need to make a plan for January. I put together a list of 31 delicious, unique crock pot meals for the whole month, and no, it’s not just soups!
The Convenience of a Crock Pot for Dinner Meals
The crock pot is a game changer for dinner preparation, especially for busy families. It allows you to prepare hearty, nutritious meals with minimal hands-on time.
Simply combine your ingredients in the morning, set the desired cooking time, and let the slow cooker do the work. By dinnertime, your meal is ready, flavorful, and perfectly cooked.
Crock pots are ideal for everything from soups and stews to roasts and casseroles, making them an excellent choice for a variety of dietary needs and preferences. The slow cooking process enhances the flavors of your ingredients while tenderizing tougher cuts of meat, offering gourmet results with minimal effort.
If you are in a pinch and need something quicker for a day or two, consider these instant pot recipes.
The Importance of Meal Planning for Busy Families
For families juggling work, school, and extracurricular activities, meal planning is an invaluable tool. By deciding what to eat in advance, you eliminate the daily stress of figuring out dinner at the last minute.
Meal planning saves time and money by allowing you to shop strategically and avoid unnecessary purchases. It also encourages healthier eating habits, as you’re less likely to rely on takeout or unhealthy convenience foods.
A meal plan ensures everyone in the family knows what to expect, fostering better communication and less dinnertime chaos. For busy families, meal planning creates a smoother, more organized routine, leaving more time for quality moments together.
The Benefits of a 31-Day Crock Pot Meal List for January
Starting the year with a list of 31 go-to crock pot meals is a fantastic way to simplify your January. After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, having a ready-made plan helps you ease into a consistent routine.
This list ensures variety, with different dishes to suit every palate while reducing the monotony of repeated meals. It also saves time on weekly meal planning, giving you a comprehensive overview of the month.
Additionally, crock pot meals are generally budget-friendly, making them perfect for families looking to recover financially after holiday spending. With your meals pre-planned, you can enjoy warm, comforting dinners that bring the family together, even on the busiest days.
31 Crock Pot Meals - One for Every Day of the Month!
Plan for a month of delicious dinners with these 31 crock pot meals!
This perfect Crock Pot Chicken Fajita Soup is so tasty, warm and cozy. This is the best soup for those wintery nights, the perfect amount of spice along with the chicken, onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes and more just make this even better, topping with Monterey Jack cheese and scallions to give this even more flavor!
Add this Crock Pot Orange Chicken to your meal plan! This meal is easy and delicious, and will be ready when you need it for dinner.
Slow cooker carnitas are easy to make and great for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, sandwiches, and more!
This Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Stew is hearty and delicious!
Crockpot Tuscan Chicken is drenched in a creamy sauce loaded with great Mediterranean flavors. It's one easy and delicious make ahead weeknight dinner!
This healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup is gluten and dairy free! It's made in the crockpot with poblano peppers in a Southwest broth.
Slow cooker chicken gumbo is an easy dump and go recipe that will bring the bold flavors of Louisiana to your dinner table. Chicken breasts simmer with andouille sausage, the trinity of veggies, and a zesty blend of flavors for a hearty meal everyone will love.
This Slow Cooker Beef Dip tastes like a restaurant-quality meal. The beef is pull-apart tender and the au jus will have you dunking again and again.
Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Beef Sandwiches: delicious and tender beef slow cooked in a homemade BBQ sauce served on a toasted hamburger bun.
This easy to make and delicious Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe is perfect for serving a crowd without much work.
Slow Cooker Cuban Beef - A Tasty Cuban Shredded Beef Recipe!
This Crock Pot Cuban Beef is full of flavor!
These quick and easy Swedish meatballs in the crock pot have all the flavor of a great Swedish meatball, with none of the fuss for a truly set it and forget it meal that's ready in about 3 hours!
A vegan twist on this classic comfort food for those chilly days ahead makes for a healthy dinner packed with nutrients brimming with flavor!
Crock Pot chicken and gravy is a comfort food classic, pairing perfectly with mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles for an easy dinner idea.
Crock Pot Balsamic Beef recipe makes tender and juicy beef. Easy slow cooker beef recipe turns chuck roast into a delicious dinner with almost no work!
Love traditional chicken pot pie? Then you’re going to love this simpler slow cooker chicken pot pie that’s loaded with tender chicken and veggies in creamy gravy.
This hearty creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti is set to become your go-to dinner. With a little prep and just 5 minutes of effort to add the ingredients to the crockpot, you can sit back and watch dinner cook itself.
This crockpot ribs recipe recipe is super easy and finger licking good... Perfect for a make ahead, set it and forget it, dinner on a busy day!
This slow cooker whole chicken and vegetables creates a complete meal that's full of flavor. As it cooks, the meat takes on all the seasoning while the vegetables underneath catch the delicious juices.
This crockpot chicken wild rice soup is so healthy, hearty, and satisfying. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, it’s great for easy weeknight dinners and an ideal meal prep solution.
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Pasta is classic comfort food that will have your family begging for more! An easy and affordable meal that’s made in one pot.
Flavorful meat sauce filled with carrots, celery, onions, and fresh tomatoes as well as garlic and spices.
Crockpot Enchiladas (Ground Beef Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole)
Crockpot enchiladas combine ground beef, vegetables, enchilada sauce, spices, corn tortillas, and cheese for an easy enchilada casserole made entirely in the slow cooker. It's an easy dump and go crockpot meal that's perfect for weeknight family dinners or meal prep!
The bright citrus flavor of lemon combined with the fragrant aroma of rosemary makes these slow cooker rosemary Lemon Chicken Thighs a hit at the dinner table any night.
This one-pot dinner not only saves time on busy fall evenings, it also boasts a rich, tangy sauce that gets a special twist from the spice of apple butter.
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon features tender chunks of meat in a thick broth with mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes. A delicious classic French beef stew with so much beefy flavor!
Tender, flavorful and oh-so-easy to make, this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe is the ultimate comfort food. A simply delicious meal that you can set and forget.
