The New Year is an ideal time to reset your budget and get creative with ways to save money. By utilizing your trusty slow cooker, you'll get more bang for your buck, ultimately saving time and money in the short-and long-term. Not to mention, the delicious possibilities to experiment with from carnitas to lasagna are endless.
To help alleviate meal-time stress -- and help you stick to money-saving resolutions in 2016 -- we’ve partnered with Campbell’s to round up easy and tasty slow cooker recipes that will satisfy all different palates and help you skip the takeout line.
1. Spinach and Feta Lasagna
Image: Katerina Petrovska/Diethood
Liven up pasta night with a twist on an Italian classic: mix spinach and feta in between layers of lasagna noodles in your slow cooker for a cheesy, guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Buon appetito!
2. Texas Roadhouse Pot Roast
Image: Lauren Greutman/I Am That Lady
Save money while you hibernate with this saucy, hearty pot roast, perfect for a cozy winter night in with friends or loved ones. Bookmark the recipe here.
3. Enchilada Quinoa Bake
Image: Jaclyn Bell/Cooking Classy
Fans of color, veggies and unbelievable easiness will drool over this protein-rich, quick-cooking (as in 3.5 hours) slow cooker casserole. Moms on the go: stop here for the recipe.
4. Mozzarella Meatballs
Image: Tiffany Edwards/Creme de la Crumb
This mouth-watering appetizer literally bursts with flavor, especially when topped with your family’s favorite sauce. Get rolling here.
5. Chicken Tortilla Soup
Image: Lauren Allen/Tastes Better From Scratch
Stress and mess-free and Pinterest-worthy? Oh yeah -- and all you’ll need is chicken broth, chicken breasts, seasonings including paprika and cilantro, and four to six hours. Get inspired here.
6. Ground Beef Chili
Image: Corey Valley/Family Fresh Meals
Is chili the ultimate comfort food? Be sure to make a batch large enough to test this theory all season long, with leftovers that can be stowed in the freezer and thawed at your leisure. Get the full recipe here.
7. Mexican Carnitas
Image: Kati Kiefer/True Couponing
Pork shoulder cutlets plus your choice of healthy toppings plus eight to 10 hours of slow cooker magic yields a carnitas feast just as savory as a restaurant burrito bowl but at a fraction of the price. Your Mexican fiesta starts here.
8. Pizza Bread
Image: Amanda Carlisle/Moms With Crock Pots
Instead of ordering from your usual takeout spot, whirl this dish together for your next pizza party. Doughy and delectable, feast your eyes on the complete recipe here.
9. Thai Peanut Chicken
Image: Corey Valley/Family Fresh Meals
To satisfy your cravings for Asian-fusion, try this to-die-for Thai Peanut Chicken recipe. The chicken breasts, onions, peppers, and Thai sauce can all be thrown into the slow cooker at once and garnished with crushed peanuts and cilantro. Get the full recipe here.
10. Chicken Tacos
Image: Lauren Allen/Tastes Better From Scratch
Taco Tuesday (or Thursday) just got a thousand times easier. Put chicken breasts in the slow cooker with seasonings and toppings, and let it all simmer for 2.5 hours. This recipe couldn’t be more effortless (even if it tried).
11. Chicken Lo Mein
Image: Kelly Kwok/Life Made Sweeter
Consider your prayers for a lo mein(tenance) yet healthy dinner option answered thanks to this recipe. Get the full lo-down here.
Break out your slow cooker and stay on track in the New Year. Campbell’s wants to help you stick to your resolutions in 2016. Their Real Solution Generator has meal ideas that will help you save time and money.