Budget Friendly Weekly Dump and Go Crockpot Dinner Plan for Busy Families
Are you looking to simplify your weeknight dinners without breaking the bank? Say goodbye to stress and hello to delicious, budget-friendly meals with our Weekly Dump-and-Go Crockpot Dinner Plan. These recipes are not only easy to make but also designed to save you time and money. Let's dive into a week of hearty, family-friendly dinners that practically cook themselves.
Monday: Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Kick off the week with a fiesta! Our Crockpot Chicken Tacos are a breeze to prepare. Simply toss seasoned chicken into the slow cooker with salsa, and let the flavors meld throughout the day. Come dinnertime, shred the chicken, fill your tortillas, and top with your favorite fixings.
Tuesday: Crockpot Beef and Vegetable Stew
Warm up on Tuesday with a hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew. Load up your crockpot with succulent beef, an array of vegetables, and savory broth. Let it simmer to perfection, and enjoy a comforting and nourishing meal without the fuss.
Wednesday: Crockpot Vegetarian Chili
Embrace a meatless marvel on Wednesday with our Crockpot Vegetarian Chili. Packed with beans, tomatoes, and spices, this chili is not only flavorful but also wallet-friendly. Set it, forget it, and savor a bowl of goodness when you're ready.
Thursday: Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Thursday brings a taste of barbecue to your dinner table. Throw pork, onions, and a tangy sauce into your slow cooker for mouthwatering Pulled Pork Sandwiches. Serve on buns with optional coleslaw for a satisfying and economical meal.
Friday: Crockpot Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cap off the workweek with a creamy and comforting Chicken and Rice Casserole. A concoction of chicken, rice, and vegetables cooked to perfection in your crockpot. Effortless and delightful—perfect for a Friday evening with the family.
Saturday: Crockpot Spaghetti Bolognese
Saturday nights call for something classic. Our Crockpot Spaghetti Bolognese delivers rich, meaty goodness with minimal effort. Let the crockpot do the work, and serve this timeless favorite over a bed of perfectly cooked spaghetti.
Sunday: Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Curry
Wrap up the week with an exotic twist. Our Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Curry infuses your home with aromatic spices and tender chicken. Serve it over rice for a satisfying and budget-friendly way to end the week.
Ease your evenings and delight your taste buds with this weeklong Crockpot Dinner Plan.
Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting, leaving you more time to enjoy the moments that matter.
Budget-friendly weekly dump-and-go crockpot meal plan for dinners, including recipes with measurements and a grocery shopping list:
Monday: Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 jar salsa (16 ounces)
- Tortillas
- Taco toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream)
Instructions:
1. Place chicken breasts in the crockpot.
2. Sprinkle taco seasoning over the chicken.
3. Pour salsa over the chicken.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
5. Shred the chicken using forks.
6. Serve in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.
Tuesday: Crockpot Beef and Vegetable Stew
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 4 cups mixed vegetables (carrots, potatoes, celery)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Place beef stew meat, mixed vegetables, chopped onion, and minced garlic in the crockpot.
2. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
4. Serve the hearty beef and vegetable stew.
Wednesday: Crockpot Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients:
- 2 cans black beans (15 ounces each), drained and rinsed
- 2 cans kidney beans (15 ounces each), drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet chili seasoning
- 4 cups vegetable broth
Instructions:
1. Combine black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, corn, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, and minced garlic in the crockpot.
2. Add chili seasoning and vegetable broth.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
4. Serve the vegetarian chili with your favorite toppings.
Thursday: Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds pork shoulder or butt
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Hamburger buns
- Coleslaw (optional, for topping)
Instructions:
1. Place pork shoulder or butt and sliced onion in the crockpot.
2. In a bowl, mix barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard. Pour over the pork.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
4. Shred the pork and mix with the sauce.
5. Serve on hamburger buns, topped with coleslaw if desired.
Friday: Crockpot Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (10.5 ounces)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Frozen peas (optional, for added veggies)
Instructions:
1. Place chicken thighs, long-grain rice, chopped onion, and chopped bell pepper in the crockpot.
2. In a bowl, mix cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour over the chicken and rice.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
4. If using frozen peas, add them in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve the creamy chicken and rice casserole.
Saturday: Crockpot Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked spaghetti
Instructions:
1. In a skillet, brown ground beef with chopped onion and minced garlic. Drain excess fat.
2. Transfer the beef mixture to the crockpot.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
5. Serve the Bolognese sauce over cooked spaghetti.
Sunday: Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Curry
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 can coconut milk (14 ounces)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Cooked rice
Instructions:
1. Place chicken chunks, sliced onion, and sliced bell peppers in the crockpot.
2. In a bowl, mix coconut milk, diced tomatoes, curry powder, grated ginger, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
4. Serve the chicken and vegetable curry over cooked rice, garnished with fresh cilantro.
Tips for Easy Dump-and-Go Crockpot Meals:
1. Prep Ahead: Chop vegetables and measure out ingredients the night before for quicker assembly in the morning.
2. Frozen Ingredients: Use frozen vegetables for added convenience.
3. Double Batch: Some recipes can be easily doubled and frozen for future meals.
4. Versatile Proteins: Swap proteins based on preferences or what's on sale (chicken thighs, beef, pork).
5. Adjust Seasonings: Feel free to adjust seasonings according to your family's taste preferences.
Grocery Shopping List:
Proteins:
- Chicken breasts (2 pounds)
- Beef stew meat (2 pounds)
- Black beans (2 cans, 15 ounces each)
- Kidney beans (2 cans, 15 ounces each)
- Pork shoulder or butt (3 pounds)
- Chicken thighs (2 pounds)
Dairy:
- Cheese for tacos
- Coleslaw ingredients (if making)
Vegetables:
- Mixed vegetables (carrots, potatoes, celery)
- Onion (3)
- Garlic (2 heads)
- Bell peppers (4)
- Tomatoes (for topping tacos)
- Lettuce (for topping tacos)
- Corn (frozen or canned)
- Potatoes (for beef stew)
- Celery (for beef stew)
- Mushrooms (for beef stew)
- Peas (optional, for chicken and rice casserole)
Canned Goods:
- Salsa (16 ounces)
- Taco seasoning packet
- Beef broth (4 cups)
- Diced tomatoes (3 cans, 14 ounces each)
- Tomato paste (1 can, 6 ounces)
- Black beans (1 can, 15 ounces)
- Kidney beans (1 can, 15 ounces)
- Cream of chicken soup (1 can, 10.5 ounces)
- Crushed tomatoes (1 can, 28 ounces)
- Coconut milk (1 can, 14 ounces)
Grains and Carbs:
- Tortillas (for tacos)
- Rice
- Hamburger buns
- Spaghetti
- Long-grain rice (1 cup)
- Spaghetti (for spaghetti Bolognese)
- Cooked spaghetti (for serving)
Baking Supplies:
- Bread or rolls (for pulled pork sandwiches)
Condiments and Sauces:
- Barbecue sauce (1 cup)
- Apple cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
- Brown sugar (1/4 cup)
- Mustard (1 tablespoon)
- Soy sauce (for vegetarian chili)
- Chili seasoning packet (1)
- Dried thyme (1 teaspoon)
- Dried oregano (1 teaspoon)
- Dried basil (1 teaspoon)
- Curry powder (3 tablespoons)
- Ginger (for curry)
- Fresh cilantro (for garnish)
Frozen:
- Frozen peas (if not using canned)
Feel free to adjust quantities based on your family size and preferences. Happy crockpot cooking and enjoy your budget-friendly family dinners!
