10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (2024)

Here are 10 quick and easy crockpot recipes you can make for under $5! Crockpot recipes are great because you can just toss the ingredients into the crockpot in the morning and then, when it’s dinner time, your meal will be done!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (1)

Summer is the perfect time to break out the crockpots because most of us are busy running around and it’s not only convenient, but won’t heat up the house!

Most of these are in our Dining On A Dime Cookbook but if you want more ideas check out our100 Crockpot Recipes eBook Bundle!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5

Here are 10 quick and easy crockpot recipes you can make for under $5! Just toss the ingredients into the crockpot in the morning for an easy meal at dinner time!

2023 Update about the prices – YES YOU CAN STILL make these recipes for under $5 in 2023. I just bought chicken for .97/lb.-$1.40/lb. and hamburger (ground beef) for $2.87/lb. in Wyoming. We have also had viewers from all 48 contiguous states in the United States say they HAVE found those prices also AND viewers in Ireland, UK, Germany and Finland.

It’s all about shopping the sales and ONLY buying your meat on sale or on clearance. When meat is on sale, buy extra and freeze it so you don’t have to buy it when it is expensive. Then use what is in your freezer until the next sales comes along.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (2)

3 Ingredient Chicken Tacos

4 bonelessskinless chicken breasts
taco seasoning to taste (homemade or 1 packet)
1 can Rotel tomatoes*

Place all of the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred and use in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or in a salad. You can also serveit hot or cold so it would be great as leftovers to take in a lunch.

*Rotel tomatoes are canned tomatoes with chopped green peppers or jalapeños.Any brand that is labeled “tomatoes and green chilies” should be OK or just used canned tomatoes and add the kind of peppers you would like.

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This quick and easy crockpot bean goulash recipe is tasty, will get you in and out of the kitchen fast and is ideal for when you’re having a rough day!

Crockpot Bean Goulash Recipe

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. bacon
1 stalk celery
1 small onion
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans or 2 cups cooked beans
1 (15 oz.) can butter beans
1 (15 oz.) can pork and beans
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Brown ground beef, bacon, celery and onion. If using canned beans, drain them. Mix the remaining ingredients together with the beef mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or put in the crockpot on low for 1-2 hours. Serves 8-10.

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (5)

Garlic Roasted Chicken Recipe

3-5 lb. chicken
salt
pepper
paprika
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
about 1/4 lb. butter
1/2 cup chicken broth

Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika. Rub the bird inside and out with garlic. Place in the crockpot. Lay a couple of pats of butter on top of the breast and pour in broth. Cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serve with the garlic butter sauce.

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Barbecue Beef Stew Recipe

1-2 lbs. stew meat
1 cup onion, sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups beef stock
1 can (8 oz.) tomatoes
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms
1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Saute onion, pepper and garlic in oil. Add salt, pepper, beef stock, tomatoes, mushrooms and barbecue sauce. Cook meat and all of the other ingredients in a crockpot on low heat for 8-10 hours. To thicken, mix 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water and add to stew before serving.

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Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Recipe

6 Large Bell Peppers
1/2 pound lean ground beef (cooked or uncooked – leftover works great)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 – 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup rice, cooked (any kind of rice will work)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup water
shredded cheese

Combine ground beef, onion, diced tomatoes, rice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper.Cut off each top of the peppers and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Stuff each bell pepper with mixture. Pour water on bottom of crock pot.Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours until peppers are tender and ground beef is cooked throughout.About 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle cheese and let it melt.

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Sour Cream Chili Bake Recipe

1 lb. ground beef, cooked, drained
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup American cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. instant minced onion
1 cup water
3 cups corn chips, crushed

Place all of the ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with sour cream, cheese and chips in summer or cornbread in the winter.

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Crockpot Cajun Pork And Beans

5 (15 oz.) cans Pork-n-Beans
2 (6oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 onions (chopped)
6 hot links or 8 hot dogs (sliced)
1/4 bottle barbecue sauce (about 1/2 -1 cup)

Add in extras to taste:

Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce
Cajun seasonings
Liquid smoke
Mustard
Brown sugar

Mix all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low 4-8 hours.

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (10)
If you are a chili connoisseur this recipe may not be for you but if you have picky eaters or children this chili recipe may be be a life saver. You can adjust the amounts of the ingredients to the size of your family without doing much harm. This is also a perfect recipe to make the day before and just warm up when you need it.Print

Quick And Easy Chili Recipe

Print Recipe
★★★★★4.5 from 2 reviews

Ingredients

Units

3 small cans tomato soup*
3 soup cans of water
1/2 to 1 lb. cooked hamburger
Chili powder, to taste
Garlic powder and onion powder, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Put everything into a large pan.
  2. Simmer at least 2 hours. It’s better to let it simmer all day if possible.

I usually use at least 2 teaspoons each of chili powder and garlic powder. You can also use onions.

You can add almost anything you want to this basic recipe. Beans work well or I like to crumble in some fried sausage for extra flavor.

*I have also replaced the soup with a large can (32-36 oz.) of tomato juice and it is good, too!

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Potato Bacon Chowder Soup Recipe

8 slices bacon, cut
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup water
1 can cream of soup base (regular small can)
1 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
2 Tbsp. parsley, optional

In a kettle, fry bacon until crisp. Add onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Drain. Add potatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add soup and sour cream. Gradually add milk. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Heat until warm. Do not boil. Makes 4 servings.

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Easy Baked Potatoes

Virtually everyone loves baked potatoes. With toppings, baked potatoes can be a meal all by themselves. Prepare your toppings the night or morning before and you can have a quick and easy dinner.

Check out these easy ways to bake potatoes:

  • When slowly cooked, baked potatoes have a much better flavor than when cooked quickly in the microwave.
  • Here’s a tip from one of our readers on perfect baked potatoes: Bake your potatoes in a crockpot. Scrub, pierce with a fork, rub some butter on the potatoes and cook on low all day. You will have perfectly baked potatoes when it’s time for dinner.
  • If you like the taste of oven baked potatoes but forgot to put them in the oven in time, nuke them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Then finish them in the oven. The centers will be cooked and they won’t take nearly as long to bake in the oven.
  • To prevent a dry hard skin, rub your potato in butter or margarine, sprinkle with salt and wrap in foil.
  • It is usually best to prick a potato with a fork when cooking it in the microwave because at times potatoes have been known to explode. Big Mess. :)

Baked Potato Toppings:

Tomatoes, chopped
Broccoli, chopped
Peppers, chopped
Cheese, grated
Bacon, crumbled
Ham, cubed
Chili
Onion
Olives
Mushrooms
Ranch dressing
Sour cream
Yogurt

Taco themed baked potato: everything you would put on a taco including hamburger with taco seasoning

Pizza themed baked potato: pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage

For lots more cheap and easy crockpot recipes your family will love, check out our100 Crockpot Recipes eBook Bundle Here!

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

This post contains affilate links. If you purchase using this link we will get a small commission. Thanks for supporting us!

10 Crockpot Recipes Under $5 - Easy Meals Your Family Will Love! (2024)

FAQs

What foods should be slow cooked? ›

The Best Foods to Cook in Your Slow Cooker
  • Long-Cooking Cuts of Meat. Tough cuts of meat that turn out meltingly tender when cooked low and slow are made for this appliance. ...
  • Whole Chicken & Chicken Thighs. ...
  • Soups, Stews & Chilis. ...
  • Dips.
Jan 6, 2020

What is slow cook low and slow cook high? ›

The only difference between the HIGH and LOW setting on a slow cooker is the amount of time it takes to reach the simmer point, or temperature at which the contents of the appliance are being cooked at. The LOW setting takes longer than the HIGH setting.

Are slow cooker meals good? ›

A slow cooker can help create layers of flavor in any weeknight dinner, from hearty stews to satisfying chicken dishes. It can take your comfort food to the next level, like a fall-off-the-bone pulled pork sandwich, cozy chicken noodle soup, or sweet and sour brisket.

What is the best meat to cook in a slow cooker? ›

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

What cannot be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Is beef better at low or high in slow cooker? ›

The Benefits of Cooking 'Slow-and-Low'

Not only does it make the meat far juicier and more tender but it also works with all kinds of meats. No matter your preference, this cooking method works well with whole cuts of pork, beef, lamb, and even veal.

Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in CrockPot? ›

Always cook your boneless skinless chicken breasts on LOW for the best results. I do not recommend cooking boneless chicken breast on HIGH, as it will become very dry and tough, even if you check it early. On high, the chicken turns out drier; I consistently have the best results with low.

What cooks well in a slow cooker? ›

Slow cookers are great for cooking cheaper cuts like beef brisket, pork shoulder, lamb shoulder and chicken thighs. You can also use less meat, as slow cooking really extracts a meaty flavour that permeates the whole dish. Bulk up with vegetables instead.

Is it safe to put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it's safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker.

Can I put frozen chicken in the Crockpot? ›

Information. It is best to thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Frozen pieces will take longer to reach a safe internal temperature and could possibly result in foodborne illness. Frozen or partially frozen foods can also cool everything else in the slow cooker.

What are slow foods give an example? ›

Foods that are OK to eat sometimes are "slow" foods. Foods like hamburgers or pancakes aren't off limits — but they shouldn't be eaten every day. At most, you'll want to eat these foods just a couple of times a week.

What kind of food is slow food? ›

A slow food restaurant will often serve regional cuisine with a focus on quality not quantity. This kind of restaurant will often source their ingredients from local farmers and artisans instead of using processed or imported goods.

What foods go bad slowly? ›

Check out some of the longest-lasting fruits and vegetables to add to your shopping list and how to store them to maximize their longevity.
  • Apples. Fresh apples don't turn very quickly and can actually keep for almost four weeks without any special preparation. ...
  • Cabbage. ...
  • Pomegranates. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Lemons and Limes. ...
  • Carrots.
Jun 2, 2020

Can you slow cook everything? ›

Trust us, you can make everything from pizza to meatballs (like in our slow-cooker Tuscan chicken meatballs with gnocchi) to mac & cheese in yours! We also love how much easier a slow cooker makes cooking up all of your party faves.

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