Cheap Slow Cooker Meals (Cheap Crockpot Meals) for under $5

Find information and links below to recipes for cheap slow cooker meals (Crock-Pot meals) that are easy and that you can make for your family for under $5!

Winter is fast approaching. And even though I am kind of dreading it and looking forward to spring, the cold weather is perfect for some of my favorite slow cooker (Crock-Pot) meals. These cheap and easy slow cooker meals are perfect for dinner after work and school or for an easy meal on a busy Saturday.

When it’s a cold, wintry day outside, these tasty, inexpensive slow cooker dishes will warm you up from the inside out!

Tip: Pin the image above so that you can easily find these recipes for cheap and easy slow cooker meals later!

Preparing Easy and Cheap Slow Cooker Meals (Cheap Crockpot Meals)

If you are looking to replace your old slow cooker, of if you do not have a slow cooker, one of the best ones that is a great value (budget friendly) and has really good reviews is this 7-quart, dishwasher safe programmable slow cooker from Hamilton Beach. Just click the image below for more information!

Or if you want to simplify your meal preparation even more (and possibly cut down on the number of gadgets you have in your kitchen!), consider getting an Instant Pot. We just got one of these last year, and they are so convenient! I love ours! Click on the image below to learn more about the benefits of getting an Instant Pot!

Cheap and Easy Slow Cooker Meals for under $5!

Below are 25 cheap and easy $5 Crock-Pot (slow cooker) meals that your family will love! With these recipes, you do simple meal prep, and your slow cooker does all the work!

1. Slow Cooker Taco Soup

This is a family favorite on cold days (or any day, really :)). To keep it to $5 (and keep it less spicy), omit the can of diced green chile peppers and use just one can of diced tomatoes. You can find this easy slow cooker taco soup recipe here.

2. White Chicken Slow Cooker Chili

This is another of our favorite winter meals. Omit the salsa verde, Monterey Jack cheese, and cilantro if desired to help keep costs low. (And I think it tastes better without those things—except for the cheese. :)) Find this tasty white chicken slow cooker chili recipe here!

3. Slow Cooker Meatloaf

If you love meatloaf but are leery of making it because it can sometimes get a little dry, then slow cooker meatloaf is the perfect solution for you! This slow cooker meatloaf is moist and yummy. And even better, you can make it as a freezer meal for even less prep time when you are ready to cook it. Check out this simple and satisfying slow cooker meatloaf recipe here.

4. 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

This meal is super quick, super easy, and super tasty. To save even more money (and make the dish less spicy), use regular diced tomatoes in place of the Rotel tomatoes. This base can be used for chicken tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, and more! You will find this easy slow cooker chicken taco recipe here.

5. Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This easy, tasty enchilada dish takes only 10 minutes to prepare! To save even more money, substitute the enchilada sauce with tomato sauce and taco seasoning (like we do; personally, I like the taste better, too! :)). Get the recipe for slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole here.

Related articles:

65 Must-Know Tips to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half!
7 Simple Steps to Use a Meal Plan to Save Money on Groceries
19 Top Tips to Save Money Eating Out
How to Use a Grocery Price Comparison Cheat Sheet to Save Big Bucks!
Eat Free for Your Birthday!
12 Best Tips to Save Money on Entertainment

6. Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

This classic Mexican dish is simple and quick to make; it can be ready to slow cook in just 15 minutes! To keep this dish to $5, you may want to stick with the less expensive peppers (like green peppers), and substitute carrots or another favorite vegetable for the other colored peppers. You can also substitute regular diced tomatoes for tomatoes with green chiles. Find this slow cooker chicken fajitas recipe here.

7. Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew

This is another yummy comfort dish. If you like garlic Parmesan (like me!), you will love this meal! The garlic and Parmesan give a fun twist to this dish. To save money, simply cut up regular russet potatoes in place of the smaller potatoes called for. Get this tasty slow cooker garlic Parmesan chicken stew recipe here.

8.  Slow Cooker Honey Lemon Chicken

This is another tasty chicken dish. It is a great way to use the more economical chicken thighs and drumsticks, too.  (Or you can substitute chicken breast, too, if you prefer.) Again, the small potatoes called for in the recipe can be replaced with cut up russet or other less expensive potatoes. Find this simple slow cooker honey lemon chicken recipe here.

9. Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice

This slow cooker recipe is the ultimate in comfort food! And it is easy peasy cheesy delicious. 🙂 If you want to save even more money, you can make your own cream of chicken soup (and even double the batch to freeze some for later!); a link for that recipe is included on the web page. Get this great recipe for Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice here.

10. Sour Cream Chili Bake

Sour cream chili bake is another great $5 Crock Pot recipe! If you do not have any enchilada sauce on hand, you can simply double the tomato sauce and add a package of chili or taco seasoning (that is generally what I do instead of using enchilada sauce). Get this sour cream chili bake recipe here.

11. Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Soup

This is a great way to make an inexpensive and hearty meal with leftover rotisserie chicken! All you need is the leftover chicken, chicken broth (the recipe includes simple instructions for how to make that while you make the soup), carrots, celery (or substitute another vegetable of your choice, such as brocolli, like I often do), rice, kidney beans (or your favorite beans), and seasonings. Find the recipe for leftover rotisserie chicken soup here. 

If you do not have any Italian seasoning on hand, no worries! You can easily make some with this recipe here. (Just substitute or omit any of the seasonings that you do not care for or do not have on hand.)

12. Crock-Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup is a great comfort food and is perfect for fall or winter (or anytime!). This recipe is packed with delicious veggies and is great to eat with your favorite crusty bread or your favorite dinner roll. To save money and keep this recipe to $5 per meal, you can substitute regular rice for the wild rice, and substitute whole milk (or whatever milk you have on hand) for the half and half.

Find this slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup recipe here.

 13. Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Noodles

This slow cooker Italian chicken and noodles recipe is great for busy days because it is very qucik to prepare. And it is also easy to make because you probably have virtually all of the ingredients in your pantry and freezer, so it is something you can make on short notice. Get the slow cooker Italian chicken and noodles recipe here.

14. Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

This slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs recipe is quick and easy to prepare. You even cook the pasta right in your slow cooker. If you do not have crushed tomatoes on hand, you can substitute additional diced tomatoes. You can also omit the Italian sausage and Panko to keep costs down, and you can substitute dried basil for fresh if you do not have any fresh basil on hand.

Get the slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs recipe here.

15. Pulled Barbecue Chicken

Pulled chicken is a great staple for making barbecue chicken sandwiches, serving over rice, serving in a salad, and more! You can get this easy pulled barbecue chicken recipe here.

16. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

We love making slow cooker pulled pork for barbecue sandwiches, to make taco salads and burritos and enchiladas, to serve over rice in Hawaiian type dishes, and more! And making the pulled pork is so easy; the slow cooker does all the work to make this tender, moist dish. This recipe from Betty Crocker takes just 10 minutes to prep and uses simple ingredients you will have on hand.

Get the slow cooker pulled pork recipe here.

17. Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

If you want a little bit healthier alternative to regular chili (and sometimes less expensive option), try slow cooker turkey chili. You can prep this dish in less than 20 minutes, and let the slow cooker do the work for you of blending the tastes of this hearty meal. (You can omit the tomato paste if you do not have any on hand; I generally don’t.) Find this easy slow cooker turkey chili recipe here.

18. Slow Cooker Goulash

Using a slow cooker is a great way to make goulash! This is another classic comfort food that is perfect for a chilly day! (Or a day when you do not want to heat up your kitchen in the heat of the summer! :)) This recipe from $5 Dinners is quick and easy to make. Get the slow cooker goulash recipe here!

19. Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

If you love macaroni and cheese, why not give it a try in your slow cooker?! This recipe is easy and cheesy. 🙂 (You can omit the dry mustard powder and simply use more of the cheddar cheese in place of the gruyere cheese if you do not have them on hand.) Find this simple and tasty slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe here.

20. Slow Cooker Curried Coconut Chicken

If you love curry, give this curried coconut chicken recipe a try! Prep time is less than 10 minutes, and then the slow cooker does all the work! You can find this easy slow cooker curried coconut chicken recipe here.

21. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

 This is another tasty and super quick to prepare slow cooker chicken recipe. It is another easy recipe that you can prepare in just 10 minutes or less! If you are not a fan of cilantro (like Ia m not), you can omit them and still have a great soup. You can find this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe here.  

22. Slow Cooker Sour Cream Chili Bake

This is another great Mexican inspired slow cooker dish. For this recipe, if you do not have enchilada sauce on hand, you can substitute with another can of tomato sauce. You can also substitute whatever cheese you have on hand for the American cheese, if you choose. Get this simple slow cooker sour cream chili bake recipe here.

23. Potato Bacon Chowder Soup

The bacon in this hearty slow cooker soup recipe gives it an awesome flavor. You can make this recipe more budget-friendly (and keep it to about $1 per person) by substituting generic cream of mushroom soup for the Campbell’s cream of potato soup called for. This recipe serves 10 people, so you can half it (and keep it to about $5) if you have a smaller crowd to feed. 🙂 Find the recipe for potato bacon chowder soup here.

24. Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

Another great way to serve up potatoes in the slow cooker is to make slow cooker baked potatoes. Simply wash the potatoes, prick them with a fork several times, and rub with a little oil and sprkinkle with salt if desired before wrapping in foil. Then bake on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. Then top with your favorite toppings like cheese, bacon, ham, chili, sour cream, salsa, ranch dressing, or other favorites. You can find a simple recipe for slow cooker baked potatoes here. 

25. Slow Cooker Garlic Roasted Chicken

For another easy slow cooker chicken recipe, try this slow cooker garlic roasted chicken recipe. Serve with baked or roasted potatoes or cooked rice to round out this simple meal.

Final Thoughts on Cheap, Easy Slow Cooker Meals

These cheap and easy slow cooker meals will help you to get dinner on the table fast on those cold, busy days! Feed your family quick, delicious, easy and cheap Crockpot meals every day of the workweek for under $5!

Join Our Facebook Group!

Join our closed Families for Financial Freedom Facebook group to get support and share ideas for how we can all improve our financial well-being by earning more, spending less, saving more, and investing more and reach our financial goals. You can do this! And we are here to help.