Session topic
Picadillo
Cuban-style ground beef with olives and tomatoes - a reliable weeknight prep that stores well for 4 days.
Seminar Series
Meal Prepping
with a Slow Cooker
Live Sessions
Hands-On Methods
Nationwide Access
All Skill Levels
What the seminar actually covers
Program overviewSlowcookerjournal built this seminar around one observation: most people already own a slow cooker but use it for maybe three recipes. The program works through the full range of what the appliance can do - from a whole chicken in crock pot cooked overnight to a quick weeknight chicken and rice recipe that needs almost no prep. Sessions are structured around technique first, recipes second.
Recipe categories
Each session pairs a recipe category with a specific cooking challenge. Participants work through pulled pork crock pot methods to understand low-and-slow collagen breakdown, then apply the same logic to bean-based dishes. A dedicated session covers keto dinner ideas that work within the slow cooker's moisture-heavy environment - which rules out certain approaches and requires specific ingredient sequencing.
Session topic
Breakfast Casserole
Overnight breakfast casserole with eggs, potato and cheese - timed to be ready by morning.
Session topic
Whole Chicken
Whole chicken in crock pot - covers seasoning under the skin, safe internal temps, and reuse of the cooking liquid.
Session topic
Slow Cooker Chili
Slow cooker chili with dried beans - hydration timing, spice layering, and batch portioning for the freezer.
Format and access
Sessions run live with a recording available within 24 hours. Participants from any state join the same cohort, so the discussion reflects a wide range of kitchen setups - from studio apartments with one burner to full home kitchens. That variety tends to produce better troubleshooting conversations than a homogeneous group would.
Six-week session structure
Each week builds on the previous one. The schedule below reflects the current cohort - new groups start on a rolling basis throughout the year.
Weeks 1–2
Week 1 - Orientation
Equipment and temperature logic
Low vs. high settings, lid behavior, liquid reduction - the mechanics that underpin every recipe category.
Week 2 - Proteins
Pulled pork & whole chicken
Pulled pork crock pot technique alongside whole chicken in crock pot - two proteins, two different time requirements.
Weeks 3–4
Week 3 - Grains & Legumes
Chicken and rice, slow cooker chili
Chicken and rice recipe with absorption ratios covered in detail. Slow cooker chili with dried versus canned bean comparison.
Week 4 - International Bases
Picadillo and spiced braises
Picadillo as a case study in acid balance and fat rendering. Participants adapt the base to their own spice preferences.
Weeks 5–6
Week 5 - Diet-Specific
Keto dinner ideas & breakfast casserole
Keto dinner ideas that work within the slow cooker's environment. Overnight breakfast casserole timing and egg texture control.
Week 6 - Planning Systems
Full-week batch strategy
Building a repeatable weekly prep cycle using the methods from weeks 1–5. Storage containers, labeling, and reheating covered.