A slow cooker meal plan for families.
A slow cooker is the closest thing to having dinner cook itself. Ten or fifteen minutes of prep in the morning gives you a hot, ready meal when you walk through the door, and the low, gentle heat makes legumes creamy, chicken tender and stews deeply flavored. It’s especially useful on long days and busy weeks.
This sample week uses the slow cooker for four dinners, with one quick stovetop meal for variety. Proteins are slow-cooker friendly: chicken thighs, dried or canned beans and lentils, and chickpeas. Fish isn’t slow cooked, because it overcooks easily, so the stovetop night is the fish night. Recipes use fresh herbs, citrus or yogurt to finish, because slow-cooked food can taste flat without a bright final touch. Prep can be done the night before and stored in the fridge, so mornings are just a matter of turning the cooker on.
Free to start. No card.
A sample week of five dinners.
One idea for Monday to Friday, with roughly how long each takes and why it earns its place. Swap any night; ARK Table rebuilds the list.
- Monday15 min
Slow cooker chicken and white bean chili
Ten minutes of prep, eight hours on low, and dinner is ready with toppings.
- Tuesday10 min
Slow cooker red lentil and coconut dal
Lentils turn creamy and spiced, with lime and cilantro to finish.
- Wednesday20 min
Pan-seared salmon with lemon and couscous
The quick stovetop night, since fish is best cooked fast.
- Thursday15 min
Slow cooker Moroccan chickpea and vegetable stew
Warm spices and chickpeas, finished with yogurt and herbs.
- Friday15 min
Slow cooker chicken tinga for tacos
Smoky, tender shredded chicken for a build-your-own taco night.
Sample dinners for planning inspiration. Times are approximate and include prep.
Making this week your own.
Slow cookers vary in size and heat, so the first few recipes may need adjusting. Note how long dishes take in your cooker, and whether they need more or less liquid. Most slow cookers have low and high settings; low is better for all-day cooking, and high works if you’re home by midday. A slow cooker with a timer and keep-warm setting is especially useful for families.
Slow cookers are also useful in hot weather, because they heat the kitchen far less than an oven. In summer, try lighter dishes, like a chicken and white bean stew with lemon and herbs, served with salad rather than bread. A large slow cooker can also hold a double batch, with half going straight into the freezer.
Tips that make this week work.
Prep the night before
Chop vegetables and measure spices into a container the night before. In the morning, add everything to the cooker and switch it on.
Finish with something bright
Lime, lemon, fresh herbs, yogurt or a drizzle of good oil lift slow-cooked food at the end.
Use the right proteins
Chicken thighs, legumes and chickpeas suit long cooking. Keep fish and shrimp for quick cooking.
Don’t overfill
Fill your slow cooker between half and two-thirds full for even cooking, and avoid lifting the lid.
Brown for extra flavor
If you have time, brown onions and chicken in a pan before adding them to the cooker. It deepens flavor, though it’s optional.
Questions, answered.
Can I put raw chicken in the slow cooker?
Yes. Raw chicken thighs cook safely in a slow cooker. Check that chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Can I cook dried beans in a slow cooker?
Yes, but soak them first, and boil red kidney beans hard for ten minutes before slow cooking to make them safe to eat.
Does ARK Table include slow cooker recipes?
Yes. You can ask ARK Table for slow cooker dinners, and Noah can adapt stovetop recipes for the slow cooker.
Related meal plans.
See all 50 meal plans- Pressure cookerA pressure cooker meal plan for weeknightsA weeknight pressure cooker meal plan: fast-cooked legumes, curries, risotto and chicken dishes using an electric multicooker. Five sample nights.
- Soups and stewsA soups and stews meal plan for cold weatherA cold-weather meal plan of soups and stews: lentil, chickpea, fish and chicken one-pot dinners that reheat well and stretch further.
- New parentsA meal plan for new parentsEasy dinners for new parents: one-handed meals, freezer stockpiles and minimal-cleanup recipes for the newborn months. Sample week and tips inside.
- Working parentsA meal plan for busy working parentsWeeknight dinners for working parents: 30-minute recipes, a 45-minute Sunday prep and a plan that survives late meetings. Five-night sample week.
Plan your own week, free.
Tell ARK Table who’s at the table and how much time you have. It plans the dinners, sizes every portion and builds one grocery list for any store.
Savings meter: up to $4,400/yr*
*Illustrative family-of-four budgets. Your savings will vary.
ARK Table by ARK Wellness is a food-planning tool, not medical advice. If you follow a diet set by your doctor or care team, their guidance comes first.