Prepping for an idyllic Thanksgiving feast is an involved chore. If you are like most holiday hosts, you will have every available cooking surface in use and all of them are going to require your attention to make sure all those fixings are fixed just perfectly. Sound familiar? I have a better idea. Today I am sharing the benefits of a slow cooker Thanksgiving.
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A slow cooker is a perfect tool to help you perfectly cook your meal with minimal effort, which means you will have more time to prepare for your journey.
Here are two more benefits of a slow cooker Thanksgiving: More time with the family AND time for a glass of wine! Works for me.
There Are Recipes For Every Meal
Imagine the night before Thanksgiving, preparing an overnight breakfast recipe in your slow cooker. When you wake up, you can serve your family while you watch the parade.
You can then start preparing Thanksgiving dinner or be ready to travel! Try making this a fun holiday tradition for everyone to enjoy. You can work on washing and packing and gathering your vacation essentials.
You Can Easily Carry the Dish to the Family Dinner
One great benefit comes when it is time to serve your holiday guests is that you can bring the final product directly to the dinner table even if you have to travel to get there. Most popular slow cookers are equipped with locking lids and can be separated from the heating element and used as a serving dish.
Slow cooker liners can also help make transport from home to you destination a little less sloppy. The appliance and bag will keep the food warm if needed, or you can easily turn it on low when you get to your relative’s house and keep it warm until it is ready to serve.
It Saves Time By Needing Less Attention
If you are bringing the holiday meal you are likely going to have multiple sides and courses cooking at once. Unless your kitchen is big enough to feed an entire football team you are probably going to run out of space on your host’s stovetop or oven, forcing them to limit how many things are cooked at one time.
With a slow cooker, there is no need to worry about it. It takes up little space on your countertop and all that is needed is an electrical outlet. Just plug it in and let it cook without needing space in the oven or a stovetop burner. To me, that is one of the best benefits of a slow cooker Thanksgiving.
Just Add Ingredients and Forget it
One of the greatest conveniences about using a slow cooker is the fact that there isn’t a need to continually stir or constantly adding other ingredients like some of the other dishes. This lets you focus on cooking other things or spending more time with family since you can usually just let it cook until it is time to serve.
You Can Do Other Things While it Cooks
Since you don’t have to worry about your slow cooker meal while the dish is cooking you can spend more time on other parts of the meal. If you are just making the one dish, you can start the slow cooker in the morning, while you do other tasks like clean your home, run errands, go shopping, wrap presents, or get ready for the party all while it is cooking. Slow cookers are an extremely low maintenance way to prepare a dish this holiday season.
So now that I shared all the benefits with you, let talk about the most important thing: slow cooker Thanksgiving recipes. I have them broken down into several categories, and you will see, there really IS a slow cooker for every need on Thanksgiving.
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Breakfast Recipes
Thanksgiving Slow Cooker Appetizer Recipes
- Crockpot Cherry Jalapeno Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
- Cheddar Bacon Beer Dip
- 4-Ingredient Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
Apparently meatballs are a HUGE hit for Thanksgiving appetizers. I love all these recipes that were shared.
Thanksgiving Drink Recipes In The Slow Cooker
- Crockpot Apple Cider
- Crockpot Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Spiced Mulled Wine
- Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Rum
- Crock Pot Cherry Pie Moonshine
Side Dishes For Thanksgiving You Can Make In The Slow Cooker
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Slow Cooker Whole Wheat Bread Stuffing
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
- Slow Cooker Brussel Sprouts
- Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes
Main Dishes For Thanksgiving In The Slow Cooker
- Blizzard Barbeque Beef Short Ribs
- Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Easy Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
- Easy Berry Cobbler Recipe
- Slow Cooker Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
- Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Crisp
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Some slow cookers even offer multiple containers so you can create several meals at once. Set up a buffet with a three pot slow cooker to cook even more during your big holiday!
So there you have some great suggestions about the benefits of a slow cooker Thanksgiving AND some amazing recipes to go in them. Happy Thanksgiving!
Awesome Tools For A Slow Cooker Thanksgiving
trekkingandtasting.com is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.
I love using a slow cooker for Thanksgiving, It frees up my oven and lets me keep things warm.
It does. Especially when you have a smaller kitchen too. You can set up a table in another room with the slow cookers, and still have counter space to work.