I’m sure we can all relate to that moment where we realize that our couple minute break from studying to check facebook has turned into a couple hour binge on whatever catches our eye. For me that is most often videos of food. These videos, watched sometimes just for fun, are often the source of my most timesaving college tip, invest in a slow cooker. I, like most college students, have a very full schedule. To keep myself on track for the week I use the weekend to clean, do laundry, finish up homework and to cook food for lunches and dinners throughout the week. Since I don’t always have time to stand by the stove and cook or to even do a lot of prep, my slow cooker is my best friend.
One huge benefit of making meals for the week in a slow cooker is that you can put your ingredients in, turn it on, and then go about your day. You are able to do laundry, clean the kitchen, do homework or whatever else you need to get done and come back to a fully cooked and very yummy meal (I do not recommend leaving your slowly cooking meal unattended in an empty apartment, dorm or house). A second, and equally important, plus of utilizing a slow cooker is that you can make tons of food. For me, a college student on a tight budget, this means I can cook for the week and have some to stick in the freezer for a rainy day.
Now there is one downside to the slow cooker in some situations, and that is the “slow” portion. This is not something that you will want to use if you want the end result quickly. In most cases, especially for meat, the slower the better. These are meals that you will want to have planned out ahead of time if you intend to eat them right away. Since planning ahead for what food you’ll be in the mood for is not easy, this can be a small issue. My advice is to go with food you know you love and that can be used in many different ways! This will ensure that you have food you want to eat and that it doesn’t get boring.
So, next time you’re taking a “quick break”, take a look into the world of slow cookers! You’ll be hungry in no time!