What’s a dump meal?
It’s a silly name, but dump meals are pretty much just that. You dump everything into one cooking device—in this case, a Crock Pot—and leave it alone to cook until your food is ready. It’s the easiest type of meal to make, and probably the kind that uses the least amount of dishes.
Crock Pots are the GOAT of the kitchen
It’s true. They’re one of the greatest appliances of all time. Crock Pots are so easy to use. Throw everything in, head out for a day of fun (or work), and then your meal is ready to eat when you get home. There’s only one cooking dish to clean, and the slow cooker doesn’t heat up your kitchen like the oven does—which is a real treat when you’re cooking in summer. It’s a win-win.
How do I use a Crock Pot?
Crock Pots are among the easiest mostly-hands-off kitchen tools to use. You already know you put everything into it, right? So here’s what’s next. You set it, and forget it. Most Crock Pots have three temperature settings: High, Low and Warm. High covers the things that need extra heat to cook; low is great for foods that you let cook all day long; and warm is perfect for, well, keeping your food warm until you’re ready to eat. You can set the temperature and the number of hours it needs to cook, and then it’ll do its thing. On some models, you can set it to automatically switch to warm once the cook time is done. And once you get home, dinner is ready to go.
What can I serve with summer Crock Pot recipes?
You can serve anything you want with these summer recipes. But keep in mind that your Crock Pot food will be warm—so you might want to serve sides that are cooler, like cold pasta salad or fresh fruit.
You can use a Crock Pot in the summer?!
It’s true! Many people may think of the Crock Pot as a fall or winter thing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Who wants to cook over a hot stove when it’s a zillion degrees outside? Nobody. So throw the meat, vegetables and seasonings into the Crock Pot and it’ll do the cooking for you, without heating up your house. Make the most of your Crock Pot this season with these of summer Crock Pot dump meals that never disappoint, from Whiskey Meatballs and Chicken Cheesesteaks to Slow Cooker Beef Broccoli and Slow Cooker Chicken Parmigiana Meatloaf. Your summer just got easier—and you’re welcome! Up next: 100 Summer Dinner Ideas to Keep You Well Fed and Cool When Temps Start to Soar Get the recipe: Slow-Cooker Ginger Orange Beef Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meat Sauce Get the recipe: Easiest-Ever Slow-Cooker Meatloaf & Potatoes Get the recipe: Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs Get the recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Burritos Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Parmigiana Meatloaf Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Couscous Get the recipe: Garlic Parmesan Chicken Get the recipe: Whiskey Meatballs Get the recipe: Chicken Fajita Pasta Get the recipe: White Chicken Chili Get the recipe: Bourbon Chicken Freezer to Slow Cooker Meal Get the recipe: Mississippi Roast Get the recipe: Chicken Cheesesteaks Get the recipe: Crock Pot Ribs Get the recipe: Crock Pot Beef Stew Get the recipe: Crock Pot Tortellini Soup Get the recipe: Ham and Potato Cheese Soup Get the recipe: Lemon Garlic Chicken Get the recipe: Pepper Steak Get the recipe: Crockpot Ranch Chicken and Potatoes Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Broccoli Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Tacos Get the recipe: Smothered Pork Chops Get the recipe: Southwest Crockpot Quinoa and Veggies Get the recipe: Taco Soup