Budget-Friendly Crockpot Cooking

A slow cooker might be the most underused tool in your kitchen – and it could save your family up to $200 a month in takeout costs. In this free nutritional education class, Kelsy Baker, MS, RDN of Sound Dietitians, LLC kicks off the 2026 Budget-Friendly Series with a live cooking demonstration and a breakdown of how crockpot cooking can stretch your grocery budget without sacrificing flavor or nutrition. Hosted by Kristina Wigren of Stilly Valley Health Connections, this class is part of the free monthly Budget-Friendly Series – explore more in our free class recordings library.

What’s covered in this class:

• Live cooking demo – Hamburger Soup – a hearty, one-pot crockpot meal built from ground beef (or turkey), Yukon gold and sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, fire roasted tomatoes, and kale, with tips for adapting it to your family and freezing leftovers
• Four budget-friendly slow cooker recipes with real cost breakdowns – Salsa Chicken Tacos (~$8.60 for 6 servings vs. ~$48 takeout), Beef Stew (~$13 for 8 servings), Slow Cooker Pinto Beans (~$2.60 for 10 cups), and Garden Vegetable Soup (~$7 for 8 large servings)
• Smart shopping for slow cooker meals – which cheaper cuts of meat (chuck roast, chicken thighs, pork shoulder) work best in a crockpot, why dried beans save about a third the cost of canned, and how to buy proteins on sale and freeze them to use all month
• Slow cooker tips and food safety – how full to fill it, why lifting the lid costs you 20 minutes of cook time, when to add fresh herbs and dairy, safe internal temperatures for different proteins, and when to use low vs. high settings
• Batch cooking and freezing – how to cook double batches, portion and label for the freezer, and reheat safely so you have ready-made meals available all month with minimal cooking nights