10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (2024)

Here are 10 quick and easy crockpot recipes you can make for under $5! Crockpot recipes are great because you can just toss the ingredients into the crockpot in the morning and then, when it’s dinner time, your meal will be done!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (1)

Summer is the perfect time to break out the crockpots because most of us are busy running around and it’s not only convenient, but won’t heat up the house!

Most of these are in our Dining On A Dime Cookbook but if you want more ideas check out our100 Crockpot Recipes eBook Bundle!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5

Here are 10 quick and easy crockpot recipes you can make for under $5! Just toss the ingredients into the crockpot in the morning for an easy meal at dinner time!

2023 Update about the prices – YES YOU CAN STILL make these recipes for under $5 in 2023. I just bought chicken for .97/lb.-$1.40/lb. and hamburger (ground beef) for $2.87/lb. in Wyoming. We have also had viewers from all 48 contiguous states in the United States say they HAVE found those prices also AND viewers in Ireland, UK, Germany and Finland.

It’s all about shopping the sales and ONLY buying your meat on sale or on clearance. When meat is on sale, buy extra and freeze it so you don’t have to buy it when it is expensive. Then use what is in your freezer until the next sales comes along.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (2)

3 Ingredient Chicken Tacos

4 bonelessskinless chicken breasts
taco seasoning to taste (homemade or 1 packet)
1 can Rotel tomatoes*

Place all of the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred and use in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or in a salad. You can also serveit hot or cold so it would be great as leftovers to take in a lunch.

*Rotel tomatoes are canned tomatoes with chopped green peppers or jalapeños.Any brand that is labeled “tomatoes and green chilies” should be OK or just used canned tomatoes and add the kind of peppers you would like.

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This quick and easy crockpot bean goulash recipe is tasty, will get you in and out of the kitchen fast and is ideal for when you’re having a rough day!

Crockpot Bean Goulash Recipe

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. bacon
1 stalk celery
1 small onion
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans or 2 cups cooked beans
1 (15 oz.) can butter beans
1 (15 oz.) can pork and beans
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Brown ground beef, bacon, celery and onion. If using canned beans, drain them. Mix the remaining ingredients together with the beef mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or put in the crockpot on low for 1-2 hours. Serves 8-10.

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (5)

Garlic Roasted Chicken Recipe

3-5 lb. chicken
salt
pepper
paprika
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
about 1/4 lb. butter
1/2 cup chicken broth

Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika. Rub the bird inside and out with garlic. Place in the crockpot. Lay a couple of pats of butter on top of the breast and pour in broth. Cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serve with the garlic butter sauce.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (6)

Barbecue Beef Stew Recipe

1-2 lbs. stew meat
1 cup onion, sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups beef stock
1 can (8 oz.) tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms
1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Saute onion, pepper and garlic in oil. Add salt, pepper, beef stock, tomatoes, mushrooms and barbecue sauce. Cook meat and all of the other ingredients in a crockpot on low heat for 8-10 hours. To thicken, mix 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water and add to stew before serving.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (7)

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Recipe

6 Large Bell Peppers
1/2 pound lean ground beef (cooked or uncooked – leftover works great)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 – 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup rice, cooked (any kind of rice will work)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup water
shredded cheese

Combine ground beef, onion, diced tomatoes, rice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper.Cut off each top of the peppers and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Stuff each bell pepper with mixture. Pour water on bottom of crock pot.Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours until peppers are tender and ground beef is cooked throughout.About 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle cheese and let it melt.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (8)

Sour Cream Chili Bake Recipe

1 lb. ground beef, cooked, drained
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup American cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. instant minced onion
1 cup water
3 cups corn chips, crushed

Place all of the ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with sour cream, cheese and chips in summer or cornbread in the winter.

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Crockpot Cajun Pork And Beans

5 (15 oz.) cans Pork-n-Beans
2 (6oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 onions (chopped)
6 hot links or 8 hot dogs (sliced)
1/4 bottle barbecue sauce (about 1/2 -1 cup)

Add in extras to taste:

Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce
Cajun seasonings
Liquid smoke
Mustard
Brown sugar

Mix all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low 4-8 hours.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (10)
If you are a chili connoisseur this recipe may not be for you but if you have picky eaters or children this chili recipe may be be a life saver. You can adjust the amounts of the ingredients to the size of your family without doing much harm. This is also a perfect recipe to make the day before and just warm up when you need it.Print

Quick And Easy Chili Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 2 reviews

Ingredients

Units

3 small cans tomato soup*
3 soup cans of water
1/2 to 1 lb. cooked hamburger
Chili powder, to taste
Garlic powder and onion powder, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Put everything into a large pan.
  2. Simmer at least 2 hours. It’s better to let it simmer all day if possible.

I usually use at least 2 teaspoons each of chili powder and garlic powder. You can also use onions.

You can add almost anything you want to this basic recipe. Beans work well or I like to crumble in some fried sausage for extra flavor.

*I have also replaced the soup with a large can (32-36 oz.) of tomato juice and it is good, too!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (11)

Potato Bacon Chowder Soup Recipe

8 slices bacon, cut
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup water
1 can cream of soup base (regular small can)
1 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
2 Tbsp. parsley, optional

In a kettle, fry bacon until crisp. Add onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Drain. Add potatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add soup and sour cream. Gradually add milk. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Heat until warm. Do not boil. Makes 4 servings.

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Easy Baked Potatoes

Virtually everyone loves baked potatoes. With toppings, baked potatoes can be a meal all by themselves. Prepare your toppings the night or morning before and you can have a quick and easy dinner.

Check out these easy ways to bake potatoes:

  • When slowly cooked, baked potatoes have a much better flavor than when cooked quickly in the microwave.
  • Here’s a tip from one of our readers on perfect baked potatoes: Bake your potatoes in a crockpot. Scrub, pierce with a fork, rub some butter on the potatoes and cook on low all day. You will have perfectly baked potatoes when it’s time for dinner.
  • If you like the taste of oven baked potatoes but forgot to put them in the oven in time, nuke them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Then finish them in the oven. The centers will be cooked and they won’t take nearly as long to bake in the oven.
  • To prevent a dry hard skin, rub your potato in butter or margarine, sprinkle with salt and wrap in foil.
  • It is usually best to prick a potato with a fork when cooking it in the microwave because at times potatoes have been known to explode. Big Mess. :)

Baked Potato Toppings:

Tomatoes, chopped
Broccoli, chopped
Peppers, chopped
Cheese, grated
Bacon, crumbled
Ham, cubed
Chili
Onion
Olives
Mushrooms
Ranch dressing
Sour cream
Yogurt

Taco themed baked potato: everything you would put on a taco including hamburger with taco seasoning

Pizza themed baked potato: pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage

For lots more cheap and easy crockpot recipes your family will love, check out our100 Crockpot Recipes eBook Bundle Here!

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

This post contains affilate links. If you purchase using this link we will get a small commission. Thanks for supporting us!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (2024)

FAQs

What foods should be slow cooked? ›

The Best Foods to Cook in Your Slow Cooker
  • Long-Cooking Cuts of Meat. Tough cuts of meat that turn out meltingly tender when cooked low and slow are made for this appliance. ...
  • Whole Chicken & Chicken Thighs. ...
  • Soups, Stews & Chilis. ...
  • Dips.
Jan 6, 2020

What is slow cook low and slow cook high? ›

The only difference between the HIGH and LOW setting on a slow cooker is the amount of time it takes to reach the simmer point, or temperature at which the contents of the appliance are being cooked at. The LOW setting takes longer than the HIGH setting.

Are slow cooker meals good? ›

Slow cooker benefits.

Because of the long, low-temperature cooking, slow cookers help tenderize less-expensive cuts of meat. They usually allow for one-step preparation; putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker saves time and reduces cleanup.

What is an alternative to slow cooking? ›

Oven-Baked Magic: Another option for slow cooking without a slow cooker is to utilise your oven. Choose an oven-safe dish with a lid or tightly cover a regular baking dish with foil. This method is excellent for roasts, casseroles, and baked dishes.

What foods should not go in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

What is the best meat to cook in a slow cooker? ›

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Can you overcook in a slow cooker? ›

Keeping the slow-cooker on the high setting for that long may result in overcooked, dried-out food.”

How long can you leave a slow cooker on low? ›

Slow cooker recipes are often designed for an eight-hour cook so that the food is ready when you return home after a long day. Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it.

Do potatoes go on top or bottom of meat in a Crockpot? ›

Slow cooker recipes have (obviously) long cook times, and it's the meat—not the carrots—that benefit from it. By placing the protein at the bottom (closest to the heating element), and vegetables at the top, you can keep your plant parts a little more toothsome, while ensuring your meat is fall-apart tender.

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? ›

While there are some disadvantages to using a slow cooker, such as the risk of overcooking food or forgetting to turn it off, these generally pale in comparison to the benefits. For busy families or those who enjoy coming home to a hot meal, a slow cooker can be a great addition to any kitchen.

Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Can you put meat straight into a slow cooker? Meat can be added directly unseared and not browned. However, browning meat and caramelising the beef is a great way to add depth of flavour and improve the visual appearance of the final dish.

What's better than a slow cooker? ›

An Instant Pot is a countertop appliance that slow-cooks—and then some. It is a brand of multicooker, an appliance known for having lots of features, typically including slow cooking, pressure cooking, rice cooking, steaming, searing, fermenting, and more. In sum, multicookers do more than slow cookers.

What Crockpot doesn t get hot on the outside? ›

Crock-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker

While the interior vessel is pretty hefty, it's balanced out by a lightweight steel exterior that doesn't get too hot while in use.

What is slow cooking in water called? ›

What is sous vide cooking? Sous vide is a cooking technique that involves vacuum-sealing food in a bag and cooking it in a precisely regulated water bath. This low-temperature, long-time cooking method produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method.

What are SLOW foods to eat? ›

While they may have some GO food qualities (e.g. veggie pizza has cheese and vegetables, ice cream has milk, apple juice is a fruit juice), they are considered SLOW foods because they can also be higher in fat and sugar. Examples: Veggie pizza, ice cream, and 100% fruit juice.

Which types of meats are better when cooked slower? ›

  • Brisket is one of the most popular cuts of meat for Low and Slow BBQ. ...
  • Pork shoulder, also known as pork butt, is another popular cut of meat for Low and Slow BBQ. ...
  • Ribs are a classic BBQ food and are perfect for Low and Slow BBQ. ...
  • Beef chuck roast is a cut of meat that comes from the shoulder of the cow.

What foods go bad slowly? ›

Check out some of the longest-lasting fruits and vegetables to add to your shopping list and how to store them to maximize their longevity.
  • Apples. Fresh apples don't turn very quickly and can actually keep for almost four weeks without any special preparation. ...
  • Cabbage. ...
  • Pomegranates. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Lemons and Limes. ...
  • Carrots.
Jun 2, 2020

Which food must be cooked at least? ›

All food products containing raw animal foods such as eggs, fish, meat, poultry or any combination of these items must be sufficiently cooked until all pathogens are destroyed.

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