6. Chicken Alfredo
Chicken breasts, two cans of cream of chicken soup, a packet of Italian dressing mix, and cream cheese form this crowd-pleasing preparation’s freezer bag. The cream of chicken soup and cream cheese together produce a thick, creamy, richly flavored sauce that would be difficult to achieve with this few ingredients through any other method — the long slow cook allows the cream cheese to fully melt and blend with the soup into a unified, smooth sauce. The Italian dressing mix provides all the herb and seasoning the dish needs. Served over fettuccine, this is one of the most reliably popular slow cooker preparations for households with children.
Freeze in a bag: 3 lbs chicken breasts; 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup; 1 packet (1 oz) Italian dressing mix; 8 oz cream cheese, cubed.
Also needed at cooking time: 2 cups water.
To cook: Thaw overnight. Pour bag contents into slow cooker and add water. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir to incorporate the cream cheese into the sauce. Serve over fettuccine noodles.
7. Split Pea Soup
Dried split peas, diced bacon, yellow onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves combine in the freezer bag with chicken broth and water added fresh at cooking time to produce a thick, hearty, deeply flavored soup that is among the most satisfying and economical one-pot meals available from a slow cooker. The dried split peas rehydrate and cook down during the 7 to 8-hour LOW cook, thickening the broth naturally into the characteristic pea-green, spoonable consistency of a proper split pea soup. The bacon fat renders into the soup throughout the cook, contributing smoky depth to every spoonful.
Freeze in a bag: 1 lb dry split peas; 2 cups diced bacon; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 1 cup celery, chopped; 2 cups carrots, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon thyme; 2 bay leaves.
Also needed at cooking time: 32 oz chicken broth; 2 cups water.
To cook: Thaw overnight. Pour bag contents into slow cooker, add chicken broth and water. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.
8. Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Frozen or homemade meatballs, crushed tomatoes, and dried Italian seasoning produce the simplest and most universally pleasing of the ten preparations — a slow-cooked Sunday gravy that is done in three to four hours on HIGH rather than the all-day stovetop simmer of the traditional version. The meatballs cook through directly in the sauce, absorbing its flavors throughout rather than merely sitting in a sauce that was prepared separately, which produces a more cohesive finished dish. Over spaghetti, this is one of the most reliable crowd-pleasers in any household repertoire.
Freeze in a bag: One bag (approximately 24 oz) frozen or homemade meatballs; one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes; 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning.
To cook: Thaw overnight. Pour bag contents into slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Serve over spaghetti noodles.
9. Shredded Beef Tacos
Chuck roast seasoned with chicken bouillon, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper produces shredded beef for tacos that is as deeply flavored and tender as the best taqueria versions. The bouillon adds a savory, concentrated flavor base that would normally require hours of browning and aromatics to develop through conventional methods — the slow cooker’s long braise gives those flavors time to permeate the entire roast. The shredded beef is versatile beyond tacos — it works equally well in burritos, enchiladas, tortas, or over rice.
Freeze in a bag: Two 1.5-lb chuck roasts (approximately 3 lbs total); 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (granulated); 1½ tablespoons chili powder; ½ tablespoon cumin; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; salt and pepper to taste.
Also needed at cooking time: 2 cups water.
To cook: Thaw overnight. Pour bag contents into slow cooker and add water. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Shred beef with two forks. Serve with taco shells, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and shredded cheese.
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