I often hear people share that they do not use a slow cooker because they generally cook for one or two and it just makes too much food. If you have thought this way before, I would like to encourage you to rethink if the slow cooker might actually be a useful tool. Bear with me!
I typically cook for one or two and I almost always cook full recipes. My reasoning is that a lot of ingredients come in package sizes designed for four to six and when I try to cook one or two servings I end up with wasted ingredients. Also, I love to cook, but I do not want to have to cook every night. I choose to make multiple servings at a time, and I am careful about how I manage leftovers. I factor leftovers into my meal plan a couple of nights per week and I pack away leftovers in single-serve containers so defrosting and reheating is easy. If I do not want to eat something within four days, I freeze the leftovers and I love having a wide variety of leftover meals in my freezer from my past self’s efforts. A piece of tape on the lid of the container with the date and the name of the dish can help you prioritize eating what has been frozen the longest. I do not stash things in the freezer and forget about them. Each week I take a dish or two out so there is a constant rotation of new things being added.
If this approach sounds possible for you, I encourage you to try some slow cooker recipes. You can save yourself time in the kitchen and make some really delicious meals. Here are some of my favorites!
Even if you have a small household, I hope you will give your slow cooker a try!