Slow Cooker for Meal Prep: Easy Freezer Meals for Families

Slow Cooker for Meal Prep: Easy Freezer Meals for Families

If you’re looking for a slow cooker for meal prep that actually works for real family life, this is how I batch cook.

I focus on slow cooker freezer meals that are simple, repeatable and realistic for busy weeks. I cook one large meal, serve it that evening and freeze the rest. It reduces takeaways, lowers stress and means there is always a family dinner ready to reheat.

These are slow cooker meals for families that freeze well, reheat well and stretch into multiple dinners. They’re also easy slow cooker family meals you can cook in bigger batches if you choose the right size slow cooker. If you don’t already own one, I’ve linked the sizes I recommend further down.

To speed things up, I also use a vegetable dicer for chopping large amounts of veg quickly and evenly. It makes meal prep much faster and keeps vegetables small enough for fussier eaters.

Slow Cooker Bolognese – A Simple Freezer Meal for Families

Bolognese is one of the easiest slow cooker meals for families to batch cook and freeze.

I brown the mince first and drain the fat, then transfer it to the slow cooker. I add lots of mushrooms and peppers. If you use raw onions or peppers, microwave them first for around six minutes with a little oil so they soften properly.

We’ll have it with pasta one night. Another night I’ll serve it on a jacket potato with cheese and salad. It freezes beautifully and tastes just as good reheated, which is exactly what you want when using a slow cooker for meal prep. This is why it’s one of my favourite slow cooker freezer meals for busy weeks.

If you prefer following a step-by-step version, this slow cooker bolognese recipe is very close to how I make mine.

Image description: Slow cooker bolognese in a large family-size slow cooker, served with pasta, cheese and garlic bread as an easy freezer-friendly family meal.

The Best Vegetable Dicer for Faster Slow Cooker Meal Prep

If you want slow cooker freezer meals to feel manageable, cutting vegetables quickly makes a huge difference.

I use mine for carrots, peppers, mushrooms, cucumber and onions. It dices everything evenly, which is brilliant when you have younger kids because the vegetables are small and mixed in. They’re far less likely to complain when they can’t see huge chunks of vegetables.

I also use it to make carrot and cucumber sticks as a side dish. We’ll dip them in guacamole or sour cream, which makes it feel less like you must eat your vegetables and more like part of a fun meal.

A quick warning though. Potato is too hard for most manual choppers. You’ll damage the blades if you try. You still need to do a bit of prep first. If the carrot is large, cut it in half or quarters. Peppers need chopping into chunks so they fit inside the grid. Used properly, it makes vegetable prep much faster.

Image description: Vegetable dicer used to quickly chop mushrooms and peppers for slow cooker freezer meals, with freshly diced vegetables ready for batch cooking.

See the Vegetable Chopper I recommend on Amazon

Slow Cooker Chilli – One of the Easiest Slow Cooker Meals for Families

Chilli is one of my go-to slow cooker freezer meals because one pot gives you options.

We’ll have it with rice on the first night. Another evening it becomes tacos or wraps. On a different day, it goes on a jacket potato. One batch can easily turn into two or three completely different dinners.

It’s also one of the easiest ways to add extra vegetables without anyone noticing. It’s another reliable option when you’re building a rotation of easy slow cooker family meals that freeze well.

If you’d prefer a step-by-step version to follow, this slow cooker chilli recipe is very similar to how I make mine.

Image description: Homemade slow cooker chilli with minced beef, beans and sweetcorn cooking in a family-size slow cooker, ready to portion and freeze for later.

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry – A Flavour-Packed Freezer Favourite

This is one of our favourites and the one I make most often. I coat the chicken, red lentils and part boiled sweet potato in curry paste before it goes into the slow cooker. Always soften the sweet potato first so it cooks properly.

The ingredients I use are simple. Chicken, coconut milk, mild curry paste, chicken stock, sweet potato, lentils and peas or green beans. We’ll have it with rice on the first night. Then I freeze the extra portions. On a busy work from home day, I just defrost, reheat and serve with naan bread.

If you prefer a recipe to follow, this coconut chicken curry recipe is very similar to mine.

Image description: Slow cooker coconut curry cooking in a family-size slow cooker, served with rice and fresh tomatoes as a simple freezer-friendly family meal.

The Best Large Slow Cooker UK for Meal Prep and Freezer Meals

If you’re searching for the best large slow cooker for meal prep, size matters. I currently use a 3.5L slow cooker and it works well for a family of four. We usually eat twice from one pot, however, if I was buying again specifically for slow cooker freezer meals, I would choose a 6.5L.

With a 6.5L you can eat three times from one cook. You can add more vegetables. You can freeze three to four family portions. You don’t feel like you’re cramming ingredients in. If your goal is to cook once and freeze properly, the larger size gives you more flexibility and better long term value.

3.5L Slow Cooker - Perfect if you cook for two to four people and don’t want huge batches. This is very similar to the one I currently use and it’s ideal if you’re just starting with slow cooker for meal prep ideas.

See the 3.5L Slow Cooker I Recommend

6.5L Slow Cooker - Ideal if you want to cook once and freeze multiple family meals. Upgrade to a 6.5L for bigger freezer batches. If I was buying again specifically for meal prep and batch cooking, this is the size I would choose.

See The 6.5L Slow Cooker I Recommend

Slow Cooker Gammon

Gammon is one of the easiest slow cooker meals for families, especially when you don’t have the energy to think. Take it out of the packaging, add a little apple juice and leave it to cook. Serve with potatos and veg for a roast style dinner. Slice and freeze the leftovers for another meal later in the month.

If you want a simple guide to follow, this slow cooker gammon recipe is similar to how I cook mine.

Image description: Gammon joint cooking in a slow cooker, served with roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy as a hearty family freezer meal option.
 

Slow Cooker Chicken

This one is simple and incredibly useful. Defrost the chicken overnight, add a spice mix and a little water and cook on high for three to four hours. We’ll have it plain with chips, use it for chicken burgers, wraps or rice bowls.

On busy days working from home, having cooked chicken ready makes dinner manageable instead of stressful. If you’d like a basic starting point, you can use a simple slow cooker shredded chicken recipe and adapt the seasoning to suit your family.

Image description: Seasoned chicken cooking in a slow cooker, served with chips and salad as a simple, family-friendly freezer meal.

The Storage Containers That Make Freezer Meals Work

Slow cooker freezer meals only work if you store them properly. Cheap containers crack, lids warp and meals leak before they freeze. I use clip lid freezer containers because they stack neatly, seal properly and survive being shoved in and out of the freezer drawer.

Label everything clearly with masking tape and a pen. Write the name and the date.

You don’t want to defrost chilli and realise it’s bolognese halfway through prepping tacos. These are the type I rely on when I’m batch cooking for my family and freezing multiple portions at once.

Image description: Portioned slow cooker coconut curry stored in sealed freezer containers, labelled and ready for easy family meal prep.

See the Freezer Containers I recommend

How to Batch Cook and Freeze Meals Successfully

If you want a slow cooker for meal prep to genuinely save time, choose the right size from the start. A larger slow cooker makes slow cooker freezer meals far more practical for families. Use stackable clip-lid containers, cook once and freeze at least two extra portions, and label everything clearly. Keep your meals simple and repeatable.

Cook once. Eat twice. Freeze the rest.
That’s how slow cooker meals for families become easier week after week.

FAQs

Q. What size slow cooker do I need for a family of four?

A 3.5L works for a family of four if you’re eating twice from one pot, but a 6.5L is better if you want to cook once and freeze several portions.

Q. Which slow cooker meals freeze well?

Bolognese, chilli, coconut chicken curry and gammon all freeze well and reheat properly for busy weeks.

Q. Are slow cooker freezer meals good for busy families?

Yes. They reduce takeaways, lower stress and make sure there’s always a family dinner ready to reheat. Cook one large meal, serve it that evening and freeze at least two extra portions for later.

Q. How can I speed up vegetable prep for slow cooker meals?

Use a vegetable dicer to chop mushrooms, peppers, carrots and onions quickly and evenly before adding them to your slow cooker meals.

Q. What containers are best for freezing slow cooker meals?

Use stackable clip-lid freezer containers that seal properly, stack neatly and don’t crack in the freezer. Always label them with the name and date.

Now read: 11 Daily Habits to Improve Life and Feel Better Working from Home

And Read: Can You Work From Home With Kids?