Slow Cooking Money Saving Tips and Time Saving Tricks

Slow cooking is fast becoming a weapon in the kitchens of families looking to save money. Slow cooking money saving tips and time saving tricks can help you combat the rising cost of food. When you save money in the kitchen, you often save time as well. This allows you to get more of what you need done…well, done. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started:

Layer Complete Meals

A slow cooker is great for making stews and roasts, but it also work well for other meals. When you want to cook baked or mashed potatoes with your meal just cover the potatoes in aluminum foil and put the potatoes on top of the meat on the bottom of the slow cooker. You can also put a small pie tin in the slow cooker on top of the meat and cook your vegetables in it. Save even more money by reusing the pie tin or aluminum foil after you clean it.

Keep the Heat In

Many people don't realize how much heat they waste with their slow cooker. Each time the lid is removed, heat is let out. It can also escape from the area where the lid and pot meet. Place a towel on top of the lid to help hold in the generated heat. Allow the food to cook as long as it is supposed to. Only lift the lid to stir or add ingredients.

Add to Leftovers

When making a large portion of meat, don't even take the leftovers out of the slow cooker. Instead, cut the meat up for shredded beef or pork and add sauce. You can also add vegetables for a stew the next day. Just be sure to put the pot in the refrigerator until you use it the next day and never reheat meat more than once.

Make More than One Meal at a Time

A slow cooker can handle multiple layers of food. Why make only one meal when you have room for two? Even if you can only fit part of the second meal in there it is still one less thing you have to do the next day. Potatoes are especially great for this because you can bake them in the slow cooker and then slice or mash them as needed for future meals.

Enjoy Dried Beans

Dried beans are less expensive than canned ones and you get to decide what ingredients are put into them. All you need to do is give them an overnight soak. Before you leave or get busy for the day put the beans in the slow cooker. Add your water and other ingredients before turning the slow cooker on. Enjoy your meal when you get home.

Your slow cooker saves you money just by keeping you from using the stove. It saves you time because you can make an entire meal at once. The more you use it, the more slow cooking money saving tips and time saving tricks you will come up with.

Do you have other slow cooker tips to share?