One of the most exciting parts of becoming a sophomore was moving into my own apartment and finally having a kitchen again. I was beyond sick of dining hall food and couldn’t wait to cook again. However, once classes picked up, one major problem I ran into was having time to cook one to two meals per day depending on the day. I had a crockpot that I hadn’t used, but once I caught a seemingly never-ending cold and lost my voice, I was inspired to pull it out to make chicken noodle soup. It was then that I found how useful having a crockpot is.
Although the preparation for soups, meats, or whatever other meal takes as long as that of any other meal, or maybe even a bit longer, each recipe is generally 8 servings. This means that I’m spending the amount of time I would have to spend making one meal on making at least four meals. I’ve found that crockpot meals tend to reheat incredibly well. I’ll typically split up the leftovers and throw some in my refrigerator for the next few days or in my freezer for a much later date. Being able to heat up these leftovers in the microwave or on my stovetop in under 10 minutes ends up saving me several hours per week.
Furthermore, a crockpot makes cooking actually quite affordable. The total cost of ingredients for each recipe averages around $40, meaning that for eight servings I’m only spending $5 per meal. Non-slow-cooker meals probably cost me between $15 to $25, which can quickly add up. As a college student, managing my budget is quite important, but I also do not want to sacrifice health or food quality in exchange for affordability. Thus, the crockpot is the perfect solution.