Three Ways Your Crockpot Saves Money

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

16 Feb 2007 07:42 AM

I love my crockpots. Let me say that one more time for emphasis. I LOVE my crockpots. Not only are they very convenient, but they are a great way to save money in the kitchen. Notice I said "they." Yes, I have two crockpots, and I use them both on a regular basis.

There are three main ways a crockpot will save you money and help you bring frugal but hearty meals to your table.

The first way your crockpot saves money is by using less energy that traditional cooking methods, such as an oven. The low steady heat cooks your food well, but without the large amounts of gas or electricity that is used by your kitchen oven. Its smaller size also focuses the heat, so you aren't wasting a thing. Modern crockpots usually have timer shut offs or keep warm functions on them, so you you won't waste extra cook time, even if you can't get to the crockpot when you anticipated. While it is true a microwave may use less energy than a crockpot, for the most part you can't use it to make meals from scratch, and those convenience foods are pretty expensive.

The second way your crockpot saves you money is by making it easier to cook from scratch. Cooking from scratch is a great way to save money in the kitchen. Eating out is a huge budget breaker. For the price of one modest meal out, I can feed my family for a week. All of those frozen and convenience foods can add up as well. With a crockpot, you can throw a bunch of ingredients in the crock, set it and walk away. Your meal will be ready when you need it, despite your busy schedule. Homeschoolers love the crockpot for just this reason.

The third way your crockpot saves you money is by allowing you to use cheaper ingredients and still get a great meal. Slow cooking in a crockpot will completely tenderize your meat, for example, so you can choose tougher (and less expensive) cuts of meat than you would have to use in traditional stove or oven cooking. Why open an expensive can or jar of of baked beans? Throw the raw beans, spices and other ingredients in the crockpot and let it do the work for a fraction of the cost.

Have you used a crockpot today?

Related Articles:

Frugal Food: Lentil And Rice Casserole for the Crockpot

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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Andrea Hermitt (5507) 16 Feb 2007 06:57 AM

I love my crockpots two... Just one was not enough to have soup and chili going at the same time.... now I just need a steamer for my brown rice.

Andrea Hermitt (5507) 16 Feb 2007 07:52 AM

oops... made a freudian slip! I meant I love my crockpots too!

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 16 Feb 2007 07:57 AM

That is funny Andrea! I wonder if there is a way to steam rice in a crockpot--does anyone know? I usually make rice in a crockpot, but i don't know if it can be considered steamed.

MassDreamsLaura (35) 16 Feb 2007 10:38 AM

I got a crockpot last year for Christmas. My husband and I work all day away from home, and I thought "how great will this be to come home and have dinner all ready." Normally, we are ravenous the minute we walk through the door, but dinner is still a half hour to an hour away. The issue I ran into-everything I made didn't taste right. It all tasted extra salty in my opinion, and my husband worded it as "it tastes as if the flavor was sucked out of everything." Does anyone else have issues with cooking in a crockpot? Suggestions? My only thought was maybe I cooked it for too long at first (some recipes did say 6 hours, but we are away from home for 8-9 hours), but even when I did an 8 hour recipe at 8 hours, it still tasted that way.

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 16 Feb 2007 10:54 AM

I love my crockpot--in fact, I think flavors tend to come out better because of the slow cooking. One recommendation I would suggest for recipes is the Fix it and Forget it cookbook. Some general tips: make sure the crockpot seals well at the top; use a crockpot with a warming feature (so the cooking stops, but the meal stays warm) when the cook time is done. Never use those frozen crockpot kits. They are awful!

Valorie Delp (49340) 20 Feb 2007 04:53 AM

The Fix It and Forget It Cookbooks are great and you're bound to find something in there that you could use. I also wrote a blog called 5 Recipes to Throw Together in the Crock Pot and these are my no fail recipes. They always work.

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 20 Feb 2007 04:59 AM

Thanks Valorie! I'm on my way to check them out.

Valorie Delp (49340) 20 Feb 2007 07:32 AM

You're welcome! I am addicted to my crock pot. With toddling twins in the house it is one of the only ways that I can get a home cooked meal done!

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 20 Feb 2007 09:04 AM

Those recipes look so yummy. I think I have my week planned out!

shelbybear62 (70) 04 Sep 2007 07:05 AM

to answer the comment about food tasting too salty or overcooked in the crockpot. I have the same problem with being gone 9+ hrs before dinner. One solution is to use a timer to turn on the crockpot at a certain time. As long as it's not sitting for 2 hrs or more before cooking, then it should be ok. 2 hrs can make a HUGE difference between a good dinner and overcooked mush. Also, try cutting back on the salt in your recipes-I think seasoning food in the crockpot is totally different than regular cooking. Fresh herbs are best, use smaller amounts.

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 04 Sep 2007 09:45 AM

What a great idea, Shelby. A timer is brilliant. You can also get a crockpot with a built in timer or a warm feature (it lowers the tempertature when the cooking is done, so the dish stays warm but doesn't continue cooking).

serenitysmom (166) 29 Sep 2008 10:29 PM

I used to have a crockpot. I seriously need another one now that I'm working FT again.