slow cooker
Slow cooker family meals (UK weekly plan)
If you've got a slow cooker sitting in the cupboard gathering dust, this is the week to dig it out. Every dinner here goes in before 9am and is ready when the kids come home from school.
The trick with slow cooking is volume — once it's bubbling away, two portions take the same effort as eight. We've planned in a couple of deliberate "cook double, eat tomorrow" nights to make the week even less work.
Total weekly shop: £52 to £58
the plan
A week of meals
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Monday
Slow cooker beef stew
500g diced beef, carrots, onion, potatoes, beef stock. Eight hours on low, dumplings in for the last 30 minutes.
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Tuesday
Leftover stew, made into pie
Yesterday's stew, a sheet of puff pastry on top, 20 minutes in the oven. Brand new dinner.
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Wednesday
Slow cooker chilli
500g mince, tinned beans, tinned tomatoes, chilli powder. Six hours on low, served with rice.
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Thursday
Pulled pork burgers
A pork shoulder, BBQ sauce, ten hours on low. Shred with two forks and pile into buns.
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Friday
Leftover pulled pork tacos
The other half of the pork in tortilla wraps with cheese, lettuce and a squeeze of lime.
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Saturday
Chicken tikka
Chicken thighs, tikka paste, yoghurt, four hours on low. Serve with naan and rice.
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Sunday
Sunday roast lamb
A lamb shoulder, garlic, rosemary, eight hours on low. Falls off the bone, no skill required.
the trolley
Your shopping list
Grouped by aisle so you walk the shop once. Prices reflect a typical UK supermarket basic range.
Meat & fish
- Diced beef 500g £4.00
- Beef mince 500g £3.20
- Pork shoulder 1.2kg £5.50
- Chicken thighs 8 £4.20
- Lamb shoulder 1.5kg £9.50
Fresh fruit & veg
- Potatoes 2kg £1.80
- Carrots 1kg £0.65
- Onions 1kg £0.95
- Garlic £0.40
- Lemon £0.30
- Lettuce £0.65
- Fresh rosemary £0.85
Cupboard staples
- Beef stock cubes £0.70
- Suet (for dumplings) £1.20
- Self-raising flour £1.10
- Puff pastry sheet £0.95
- Tinned tomatoes 2 £0.90
- Tinned kidney beans £0.55
- Chilli powder £0.65
- Tikka paste £1.80
- BBQ sauce £1.50
- Long-grain rice 1kg £2.20
- Naan bread 4-pack £1.30
Bakery
- Burger buns 4 £1.20
- Tortilla wraps 8 £1.20
Dairy & eggs
- Natural yoghurt 500g £1.10
- Mature cheddar 250g £2.20
Prices are guides and may vary by store and region.
good to know
A few tips
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1
Brown the meat in a frying pan first. It takes 5 minutes and makes a massive difference to flavour. Worth the extra wash-up.
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2
Always cook a slow-cooker meal big enough for two dinners. Tuesday's pie-from-Monday's-stew is the cheapest trick in the book.
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3
Cheap cuts beat expensive ones in a slow cooker. Shoulder, shin, brisket — they go melt-in-your-mouth tender in a way fillet steak never will.
your own plan
Want a plan built for your family?
These ready-made plans are a great starting point. For a plan that fits your exact budget, your dietary needs and the kids' fussy bits, make your own in about five minutes.
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