Why Choose a Slow Cooker?
Everyone knows what a slow cooker is. Maybe you have one; maybe you do not. Is a slow cooker worth the effort it takes? What kind of results does it give?
Nutritious Meals
Often, there is not a lot of time after work to prepare a nutritious supper. It is much easier to simply throw a frozen meal in the microwave and be done. However, frozen meals tend to have a lot of grease, the calorie count is high, and the meals do not contain fresh vegetables. When it comes to nutritional value, and flavour, slow cookers win. Most of their flavour comes from the fresh vegetables and meat that ooze taste throughout the dish as it cooks during the day. These vegetables are prepared in a delicious way that makes the slow cooker meal healthier than a normal frozen meal.
Preparation Time
While frozen meals are often chosen for their quick preparation, a slow cooker can also provide this benefit. You will still need to do some prep; however, the prep time is lessened, and you can do it in the morning; depending on your schedule, this may fit in a lot better. Most people have the fifteen to twenty minutes it would take to cut the vegetables, throw them in the pot, and sprinkle in some seasoning. The benefit of having the meal ready for you when you get home from work is worth setting aside this prep time in the morning, and You will be able to eat at a much more reasonable hour.
Year-Round Use
You can use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker to make your meals all year round. While hot meals in the cold, winter months is how you may normally picture using a slow cooker, it can also be used in the summer. You can use the slow cooker to keep the temperature level in the kitchen down, whereas with oven use, the temperature in the kitchen always rises to an uncomfortable heat when baking in the summer.
Clean Up
The amount of clean up required with a slow cooker is relatively low. You do not need to clean multiple pots and pans used for mixing, combining, and cooking. Additionally, when a dish is cooked in the oven, food usually sticks to the pan even when oiled, requiring a lot of elbow grease to make the pan clean again. In contrast, a slow cooker does not have the food stuck to the sides. Because of the liquid in the meal and high, constant temperature, this dish is easier to clean. When using a slow cooker, you will normally only have a cutting board and knife to clean. This makes your clean up go a lot more quickly in the evening.
Energy Use
The amount of energy needed to keep a slow cooker running is very low compared to a conventional oven. You will save money and energy in this area.
In the end, slow cookers have many benefits. You will have an easily prepared, nutritious meals without a lot of clean up or energy use.