Preparing meals certainly creates some stress when juggling family and work life.  It’s common today for families to rely on the convenience of take-out foods or commercial frozen dinners. However, from a nutritional point of view, these foods can provide a lot more fat, calories, and sodium than you bargained for, while lacking many other important nutrients.  Also, convenient choices won’t necessarily inspire healthy eating habits within your family.

There are solutions to building healthy meals without feeling time pressure.  Why not try preparing a couple of meals each week with a slow cooker or Crock Pot®?  It’s a great way to serve a balanced, home-cooked meal and plan on using the leftovers for another meal.

A slow cooker is one of the greatest time-saving, countertop appliances.  It cooks food at a relatively low temperature over a longer period of time.  All you have to do is add the ingredients, put the lid on, and turn it on before leaving for work. You will return at the end of the work day to a meal that’s ready-to-serve.  Low-fat meals are not a problem with this type of cooking; there’s no need to add any fat.  The steam formed during the gentle heating process condenses into liquid, keeping the food moist and soaking in flavour.

There are a couple of key requirements when using a slow cooker.  Be sure to add the right amount of liquid.  The liquid acts as a heat conductor and also helps distribute flavours.  The end result of this long, moist cooking method is a very tender and flavourful meat, even if you start with a tougher cut.  Also, be sure to leave the lid in place during the cooking process.  Each time you lift the lid to take a peek, enough heat is lost to extend the cooking period for another 20 minutes.  Here are some more basic tips about using a slow cooker:

• Be sure to fill the slow cooker at least half full and no more than two thirds full to allow for proper cooking.
• Add longer-cooking vegetables, like carrot, potato, and turnip first.  Tender vegetables, like mushrooms, tomato, and zucchini can be added during the last 45 minutes.
• Trim meat of excess fat and remove skin from poultry.  Fats will melt during the long cooking process and provide an unpleasant texture to the dish.
• Be sure to allow at least 8 hours of cooking time for meats.  Always begin with fresh or thawed meat, not frozen.
• Stir in spices during the last hour of cooking, otherwise they will lose their flavour.

A slow cooker might just be the solution for quick and easy meals you’ve been seeking.  Most come with a basic recipe booklet, and you can find many more recipes in slow cooker cookbooks or online. 

Enjoy family meals from a slow cooker.  It’s another step closer to building healthy eating habits in your household.

Written by Kristine Nohavicka RD, as published in the Windsor Star, November 2006.