30 Healthy Crock Pot Recipes for Weight Loss That Lasts (2024)

If you’ve been struggling to lose weight, why not consider something other than going to the gym more often? Did you know that a kitchen appliance can actually help you lose weight? That’s right – we’re talking all things crock pot in this post, along with 30 crock pot recipes for weight loss! These skinny crock pot recipes are easy, peasy to whip up and they’re so delicious you won’t be able to tell they’re low calorie recipes!

What is a Crock Pot?

A crock pot is an electric kitchen appliance that cooks food at a lower temperature over a longer period of time. It’s used to cook dishes like stews, casseroles, and pot roasts slowly, so you can go to work and come home to a home-cooked meal. Crock pots feature a lid, pot and heating elements all along the side and bottom, with the heat surrounding the food and bringing it up to a high temperature safely.

How Can Cooking With a Crock Pot Help Me Lose Weight?

Weight loss can be a tricky thing, and many people think the key to losing weight is going to the gym every day and eating less food. Sure, in an ideal world that might work, but most people have crazy busy schedules that don’t always allow them to get to the gym. And the thought of taking the time to prepare and cook a healthy meal just isn’t in the cards.

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That’s where the crock pot comes in. This handy appliance does all the work for you, allowing you to make incredible food with almost no effort or cooking experience. All you have to do is throw a bunch of healthy ingredients into the crock pot, let it cook while you go about your day, and come home to healthy and delicious meals that will help you lose weight! Weight loss crock pot meals are one of the most efficient ways to trim down your waist line!

Are Crock Pots and Slow Cookers the Same Thing?

Not exactly. Crock pots and slow cookers aren’t quite the same thing, although they’re often used interchangeably. They’re very similar, but you can think of it like this: A crock pot is a type of slow cooker. All crock pots are slow cookers, but not all slow cookers are crock pots. They both use moist heat to cook food over a lengthy period of time, and are used to cook the same types of foods, but they’re not exactly the same.

Take a look at some of the differences between crock pots and slow cookers

1. Heat Settings: Crock pots have two heat settings (Low and High) with some of them having a “warming” option. Slow cookers, on the other hand, often have a range of five heat settings.

2. How They Cook: Crock pots cook continuously while slow cookers can work in cycles, powering on and off during cooking. Some crock pots and slow cookers have the option to cook for a specific amount of time.

3. Position of the Pot: All crock pots feature a ceramic or porcelain pot that sits inside the heating unit, so they’re heated from the bottom and all around the pot. Some slow cookers also have the pot sit inside the heating unit, but others feature a pot that sits on top of a heating unit. These types of slow cookers make it more likely that the food on the bottom will scorch, and it will also cook more slowly this way.

5 Things to Consider When Buying a Crock Pot

1. Shape
Crock pots come in round and oval shapes. The shape of your crock pot won’t affect the way it cooks, so it’s really up to you, your cooking needs and what fits best in your kitchen. Your cooking needs are the most important out of the three, so think about what you’ll be cooking with your crock pot and let that lead your decision. If you’ll be cooking things like a whole chicken or ribs, you’ll want to go with the oval shape, but meals like stews and soups can be made in either.

2. Lid Material
Go for glass when it comes to the lid material of your crock pot. Plastic lids or lids that are more opaque make it more difficult to see how your food is cooking. Since you want to avoid opening the lid because it lets heat out, being able to see what’s going on inside is key.

3. Size
The size you choose for your crock pot will depend on your household needs. They come in a range of sizes, however most recipes are meant for the average size crock pot, which is six quarts. If you’re going to be making smaller meals and don’t want leftovers, you can opt for a smaller one. If you’re going to be cooking for a larger group on a regular basis, go bigger!

4. Timer
If there’s one function you want in a crockpot, it’s a built-in timer! This allows you to set a cook time for your meal so it turns off at just the right time. Otherwise, you always have to be home to turn it off.

5. Warming Function
The warming function is key to a good crock pot! All crock pots have high and low temperature cooking settings, but only some have the warming function. This keeps your food warm at a lower temperature once it’s done cooking, so it will be warm and ready when you are!

15 Keto Approved Healthy Crock Pot Recipes

1. Gluten Free Beef Bourguignon | One Clever Chef
2. Keto Chili Chicken | Fit to Serve Group
3. Chinese Beef Short Ribs | Eat Beautiful
4. Green Curry Chicken | Two Sleevers
5. Pork Chops with Apples and Onions | A Clean Bake
6. Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs | All Day I Dream About Food
7. Paleo Mississippi Pot Roast | The Rising Spoon
8. Crock Pot Chicken Marsala | Sugar Free Mom
9. Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole | All Day I Dream About Food
10. Paleo Beef Stew | Peace, Love and Low Carb
11. Butter Chicken | Becomingness
12. Cuban Style Pork | Fit to Serve Group
13. Low Carb Lasagna | Well Plated
14. Balsamic Chicken Drumsticks | Mashup Mom
15. Beef and Broccoli | Low Carb Yum

15 Weight Watcher Crock Pot Recipes (With Points)

1. Balsamic Pork Roast (5 Points) | Skinny Taste
2. Sweet and Sour Chicken (7 Points) | Kitch Me
3. Cauliflower Fried Rice (3 Points) | Skinny Ms
4. Balsamic Pork Tenderloin (5 Points) | Skinny Kitchen
5. Artichoke Chicken (1 Point) | Simple Nourished Living
6. Turkey Chili (7 Points) | Carrie Elle
7. Chicken Stroganoff (7 Points) | Kitch Me
8. Honey Balsamic Pork (5 Points) | If You Have an Egg
9. 3-Ingredient Italian Beef (2 Points) | Simple Nourished Living
10. Tomato Beef Macaroni Stew (6 Points) | Skinny Kitchen
11. Beef, Tomato and Acini Di Pepe Soup (5 Points) | Skinny Taste
12. Pineapple Pork (4 Points) | Simple Nourished Living
13. Chicken Tortilla Soup (5 Points) | Simple Nourished Living
14. Chicken Chili (5 Points) | Kitch Me
15. Vegetable Crock Pot Pizza (6 Points) | Simple Nourished Living

Try these low calorie crock pot recipes to get your weight loss back on track! It’s the easiest way to weight loss that lasts!

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30 Healthy Crock Pot Recipes for Weight Loss That Lasts (2024)

FAQs

Are slow cookers healthy for weight loss? ›

Slow cooking, on the other hand, typically requires minimal added fats. This reduction in unhealthy cooking methods supports your weight loss goals by cutting down on hidden calories without diminishing flavour.

What is a healthy alternative to a crock pot? ›

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can slow cook right on stovetop using a cooking pot that has a heavy build (like a Dutch oven) so it can disperse heat evenly to the food cooking inside. You should cover it well with a lid, keep the heat low and keep checking food in between so it does not run out of liquid.

Is cooking in a crock pot healthy? ›

The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.

Will liquid reduce in a crock pot? ›

But because there is no evaporation, the liquid isn't able to reduce and thicken naturally in a slow cooker, often resulting in watery sauces and loose gravies. The common solution? Using a thickener. But not just any old thickener will do.

What happens to fat in a slow cooker? ›

Normally when you fry meat, a lot of the fat drains away, but this won't happen in a slow cooker so trim it off – otherwise you might find you have pools of oil in your stew. Removing the fat will give you a healthier result, and it'll still be tasty.

What are the disadvantages of slow cooking? ›

While there are some disadvantages to using a slow cooker, such as the risk of overcooking food or forgetting to turn it off, these generally pale in comparison to the benefits. For busy families or those who enjoy coming home to a hot meal, a slow cooker can be a great addition to any kitchen.

Is there something better than a Crockpot? ›

Investing in a pressure cooker or Dutch oven is likely the better bet for most cooks.

What is the lightest weight Crockpot? ›

Calphalon Digital Sauté Slow Cooker

It was so light at 8.7 pounds (the lightest full-size model on our list), that we could pick it up with one hand.

What vegetables should not be added to a slow cooker? ›

Tender vegetables

Vegetables such as peas, asparagus and peppers can become a flavorless, mushy mess in a slow cooker.

What is difference between crockpot and slow cooker? ›

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

Are vegetables still healthy when slow cooked? ›

Slow cookers cook food at a low temperature (usually around 93c) for anywhere between 4-8 hours. Because of the lower temperature, the nutrients in the food remain more stable than other methods of cooking.

What is the best meat to cook in a slow cooker? ›

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Do slow cookers take nutrients out of food? ›

Because of the lower temperature, the nutrients in the food remain more stable than other methods of cooking. By virtue of being in sealed unit, whether using an electric slow cooker or in a casserole dish in your oven, any of the nutrients usually lost in the liquid from heat are simply reabsorbed into the meal.

Are slow cooked meats healthy? ›

Yes. Slowly cooking a brisket over an open fire on a camping holiday and serving it with pickled vegetables then eating it while watching the sun go down. Slow cooking is not just for wintertime, it is a great way to include a range of important nutrients in our diets at any time in the year.

What are the benefits of slow cooker meals? ›

Slow cooker benefits.

They use less electricity than an oven and can be used year-round. Because of the long, low-temperature cooking, slow cookers help tenderize less-expensive cuts of meat. They usually allow for one-step preparation; putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker saves time and reduces cleanup.

Are slow cookers safe to have on all day? ›

Slow cooker recipes are often designed for an eight-hour cook so that the food is ready when you return home after a long day. Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it.

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