Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, these are all in regular rotation at our house. Are they my absolute favorite meals? No. But any night dinner happens with no fuss, in a household with two working parents plus kids with activities, is a win for me.

https://belleofthekitchen.com/mississippi-pot-roast/

https://everyday-reading.com/dinner-is-served-crockpot-chicken-chili/

https://everyday-reading.com/crockpot-jalapeno-popper-chili/

http://www.themagnoliamamas.com/2022/02/kitchen-confessions-easy-crockpot.html

https://www.yellowblissroad.com/slow-cooker-asian-chicken-drumsticks/

I also highly recommend investing in a Zojirushi rice cooker. Set the timer before you head to work in the morning and it's done. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

which rice cooker do you have? there are so many models.

I have this one and it has seriously made life as a working parent easier: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0074CDG6C/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_ECQCMEJH7BNTHRXZ4J8N?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I reaLly don’t know if what you want exists OP. Even crock pot meals require you to make rice, pasta, a side, something to go with it. Sheet pan meals are just better. No one wants to eat crock pot mush every single night. Kids need to get used to dinner not being available immediately upon home entry. That is just life. Have a piece of cheese while you wait for dinner.

Piece of cheese while mom is dealing with ppd and hungry kids screaming and whining and trying to feed people doesn’t help. Your post doesn’t help. Fortunately some others are at least offering some options to try.

This is not what the OP put forth

Anonymous wrote:OP, these are all in regular rotation at our house. Are they my absolute favorite meals? No. But any night dinner happens with no fuss, in a household with two working parents plus kids with activities, is a win for me.

https://belleofthekitchen.com/mississippi-pot-roast/

https://everyday-reading.com/dinner-is-served-crockpot-chicken-chili/

https://everyday-reading.com/crockpot-jalapeno-popper-chili/

http://www.themagnoliamamas.com/2022/02/kitchen-confessions-easy-crockpot.html

https://www.yellowblissroad.com/slow-cooker-asian-chicken-drumsticks/

I also highly recommend investing in a Zojirushi rice cooker. Set the timer before you head to work in the morning and it's done. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

which rice cooker do you have? there are so many models.

We throw 1.5 lbs chicken breasts into the crockpot with a jar of tomatillo salsa on low. In the fridge are tortillas, pico, avocados (or TJs prepared guacamole), sour cream, shredded cheese. While the kids are pulling all of the fixings out the fridge, I shred the chicken with 2 forks and remove some of the sauce and then stir the shredded chicken back into the remaining sauce. If I have a minute extra I'll also cut up some melon or peppers or rinse a can of black beans. We can be eating within 5 minutes of walking in the door. A rice cooker would enable you to serve rice, too (as do the TJs microwavable frozen rice packets).

OP, these are all in regular rotation at our house. Are they my absolute favorite meals? No. But any night dinner happens with no fuss, in a household with two working parents plus kids with activities, is a win for me.

https://belleofthekitchen.com/mississippi-pot-roast/

https://everyday-reading.com/dinner-is-served-crockpot-chicken-chili/

https://everyday-reading.com/crockpot-jalapeno-popper-chili/

http://www.themagnoliamamas.com/2022/02/kitchen-confessions-easy-crockpot.html

https://www.yellowblissroad.com/slow-cooker-asian-chicken-drumsticks/

I also highly recommend investing in a Zojirushi rice cooker. Set the timer before you head to work in the morning and it's done. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

Unfortunately, I have found that the best crock pot meals require a lot of prep work (chopping, browning meat, etc.). So it is just finding a different time of day to do that work... That said, if you have NYT recipes, the slow cooker short ribs with Chinese flavors is quick and amazing.

OP I understand the hungry kids. What helped in our house is I would have veggies cut up in the fridge so I could pull those and a dish of hummus out as soon as we got home. The kids could snack on those while I finished making dinner. Most of the time they ate more veggies this way then they ever would if I had cooked them and served them with dinner.

Reheating meals was also faster then finishing to make the meal. So when you do cook a meal make sure you freeze enough for a 2nd meal. If you thaw that in the fridge and can warm it up in the microwave in 4 minutes you will have dinner ready much faster.

I really don't like slow-cooker meals but also struggle with needing food RIGHT NOW when we get home, so I focus on prep for a few hours on the weekend or during lunch on my WFH days. My young kids surprisingly love chili. I reheat, serve with spinach, avocados, cheese, tortilla chips, olives, etc. Another great fast meal is stir-fry. I make the sauce and prep/blanch veggies on the weekend. Use thin-sliced chicken and microwave trader joe's organic rice. Ready in 5 minutes.

I also have picky eaters who don't want foods to touch and with the above I can serve components separately.

I prefer the instant pot these days but I also look for one pot/skillet or 30 minute meals. Most of the popular food blogs have great ideas .. here’s a list of 100 of them: https://blog.feedspot.com/food_blogs/

My kids don’t eat crockpot stuff unfortunately - but we do have the super hungry right from school issue. I use leftovers for this purpose - heat up a couple leftover meatballs, noodles, etc from the night before the tide them over while I make dinner. Throw some baby carrots and fruit on the plate if they need more.

My kid is still in the stage of not wanting foods to touch. My most successful crock pot meal is refried beans. I make a huge pot once a month or so and then freeze portions for dinners. Kid eats a LOT of bean burritos.

Anonymous wrote:This is a favorite of ours: Beef stew
Stew beef
can of tomato soup
1/2 can of red wine
peas
potatoes cut up
any other veggies, I use green peppers, onions, and carrots

Also beef roast and 8 minutes to cook egg noodles.

Chicken breasts with jar of salsa, bag of steamed veggies

Hope this helps!

Wow, that's not sufficient to cook the alcohol out of the "stew".