Slow cooker recipes are most often served up in the Fall and Winter months. We think of them as warm and cozy meals in the cold and inclement months. I would like to inspire all of us to think about the Slow Cooker as a great way to fix a meal any time of year, particularly in the hot summer months.
Here are 6 Reasons to Use a Slow Cooker in the Summer Months:
- No matter the time of year, slow cooker recipes make meal preparation easy. They are meals that are easy, one-recipe dinners that are great for low-maintenance grocery shopping. Plan ahead on Sundays for 2 or 3 slow cooker meals from salads, pastas and soups to tacos, stir-frys and sliders. Make this summer one where you spend more time outside than in the kitchen.
- Slow cookers can use a lot less energy than an oven or even a stovetop. This can really be helpful in peak energy use months in summer when the air conditioning is on and you are trying to stay cool. And many of us want to be more mindful about our choices and energy use in general. Slow cooker meals can be a great tool in helping us be mindful.
- You can assemble the slow cooker meal in the coolest hours of the day. Starting the day by putting together your slow cooker recipe can not only save you time but keep you cool. Who wants to fix a meal over a hot stove at the end of the day on a hot summer night? Not me. It is much more pleasant to get the meal prep done first thing when the air is still relatively cool in the summer.
- It’s a great way to combat summer doldrums, especially when it comes to cooking. How many of us just can’t face cooking or organizing another meal in the summer because we are too hot, too tired and too brain dead from the heat? Every summer I end up facing the doldrums. One way I have found to help alleviate the lethargy is to plan ahead and use the slow cooker so I get the organizing and prepping out of the way first thing before the doldrums set in.
- Slow cookers are a perfect way to serve up summer comfort food. Who says we don’t need comfort food in the summer? Actually, I know when I am hot and tired after a hard day’s work all I want is a meal that is easy, tasty and familiar. Something with carbs is especially satisfying like no-fuss “crockpot” vegetarian lasagna.
- They are a wonderful solution for not having to cook each day. Slow cooker recipes are generally for 4, 6 or 8 servings. This means there are always leftovers. Leftovers are ideal for summertime eating because they mean less cooking. I would gladly eat a meal of delicious leftovers instead of having to cook another meal in the heat. Besides, it is another way to free up your time for gardening, cycling or lazing on the lounge chair.
Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!
