55 Easy Fool Proof Aldi Slow Cooker Recipes

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Including a one month free Aldi slow cooker meal plan and Aldi shopping list

Do you struggle to cook family meals on a budget? It doesn’t matter how many kids you have, buying the food, making dinner and getting everyone to eat the same meal is a full-time job.

Keeping to a strict budget is nearly impossible if no one eats the same meals. The thought of prepping an evening meal can put most of us off meaning that we turn to easy yet expensive convenience food.

Having a slow cooker and a bunch of slow cooker family meals on tap is a great way to bring down your grocery food shop while feeding everyone a great meal. You don’t even all have to be there at the same time to enjoy the meal. The great thing about a slow cooker is that you can leave it in there for later. Perfect if anyone has evening clubs to get too or if anyone works shifts.

Family Meal Ideas

Being prepared is the key here. Meal planning and knowing what staples you have in the kitchen can really save you money.

Owning a slow cooker makes preparing food so much easier. You can even make them ahead of time to be ready when you get in and use them as leftovers if you too much.

Before you do anything though make sure you have a great slow cooker. We use a slow cooker that has different heat settings.

Then the week before you plan to use your slow cooker or even shop, start by using these 4 tips to really get your food shopping bill down.

Meal Plan

Depending on how comfortable you are, either find a spare pad or print out 8-10 copies of a weekly meal plan sheet.

You’ll need enough space to write down a simple menu for each day and a shopping list as you go.

You can make your own weekly meal plan or download my meal plans and shopping lists for free from the Resource Vault. Having several copies on hand will help inspire you to get started and keep up the meal plans for several weeks.

If you’ve never meal planned before then start here by reading how it can save you hundreds of pounds! 

Remember to come join our FREE Facebook Group for all the latest deals, freebies and quick family money saving tips!

Of course there are plenty of other ways to save money, and once you start seeking them out then you will be amazed at what you find.

Every time you buy online you could be getting cashback. Have a look at OhMyDosh. OhMyDosh is a great cashback site that gives you money back every time you shop online. 

Get £1 added to your OhMyDosh account here by signing up for free.

OhMyDosh is also great if you want to make some extra money. You can do free surveys and watch videos and earn money. You can cash out as soon as you teach £10.

Read more about how OhMyDosh works here.

Go to these sites first before you buy anything online and see if you can get money back. Anything goes from hotel stays to toys and train tickets.

Use apps to save money

Use an app like Plum* to keep track of your spending and to help you save. Using Plum* can help you build up your savings, pay off dent quicker and invest to make your money work harder. It’s free to join!

Snoop is a free money management app that was created to help you manage and save money. Snoop wants to help you make smarter choices and get on top of your money. You can download the Snoop app onto your Android or Apple device for free.

Join our 6-week FREE money saving course that walks you through how you can save your family money. No filler. Just real tips and advice from us on how we save money daily.

Use our recipe ideas

The good thing about a slow cooker is that you can set it off in the morning and leave it till you need it.

If you’re not convinced that it will work for you, why not try swapping two meals a week to one of our slow cooker recipes below.

All the ingredients for these recipes can be brought in Aldi and can be swapped and changed depending on your mood. All use your basic kitchen staples. Just remember to re-add them to your shopping list as you use them.

If you are looking for more Aldi meal ideas then try: 

Grab your free Aldi Dinner Meal Plan here – Our Resource Vault is packed full of meal plans and shopping lists that you can use to help save your family money. 

21 Budget Family Meals and a £16 Aldi Meal Plan – This isn’t a plan to use every week but it can help you to save money for a week. It has a meal plan as well. 

101 Aldi Recipes That Will Give You Dinner Ideas For Tonight – We love Aldi and you can make so many amazing meals with their discounted products. Use this to fill up your meal plan tonight. 

For £1 family meal ideas then have a look at:

The Ultimate £1 Per Head Budget Meal Planning List – This is our biggest list of £1 a head family meals that you can use to fill up your meal plan.

35 Extremely Cheap Meals For UK Families – Looking for really cheap meals to feed your family? Then our post here will help you to save money on your weekly meal plan. 

29 Easy and Kid Friendly Budget Recipes for Fussy Eaters That the Whole Family Will Enjoy – If your kids are a bit fussy, then it can be hard to find cheap meals to cook for your family. This post here will help you fill up your family meal plan on a budget. 

Save Money on Daily Life

If you’re struggling to save money then why not join our FREE money saving course that takes you step by step through saving money as a family. All simple steps to help you build an emergency fund or save towards that mega holiday.

Join our FREE Money Saving Course here and I can’t wait to see how I can help you!

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Can you put raw meat in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can put raw meat in the slow cooker. Chop the meat into chunks or into strips so that the meat cooks evenly. You can add the meat and the vegetables together at once, and cook slowly for 6-9 hours on low heat. It will make the meat nice and tender.  

Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the crockpot?

No, you do not need to brown the roast joint first. It can go straight into the slow cooker or crockpot with all the vegetables and any sauce and cook.

Can you put raw meat in slow cooker with vegetables?

Yes, you can put raw meat in the slow cooker with the vegetables. The slow cooker will cook over a long period of time which helps the meat to go tender. We cook our meat for around 6 – 9 hours on low. Remember to always check the middle of the meat before you eat. 

Do you have to put water in the bottom of a slow cooker?

No, you do not have to put water in your slow cooker. Because of how slow cookers work, they have trouble evaporating the water so do tend to make sauces a bit watery. We take our slow cooker lid off about an hour before the end of the cooking time which helps to get rid of any extra liquid. 

Aldi Slow Cooker Recipes

We all know that slow cooking food is a budget-friendly way to cook, but by adding frozen vegetables, pulses, and cheap cuts, the price of a meal really does plummet.

If you can’t handle thinking about a month’s worth of food then do a week and go from there. Try and think about the meats you are going to use. Is it cheaper to buy a bigger piece of meat if it does two meals? What food waste will you have? Can you use anything in the slow cooker recipe to make sure you have/haven’t got any leftovers?

If you need to be ultra-frugal this week then try one of these 31 Easy Family Slow Cooker Recipes. These are based on a family of four with a basic amount of kitchen staples to use. All prices are based on Aldi and are correct when published.)

All the meals below are bought from Aldi stores and use a mixture of fresh and frozen food. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

These are the best chicken slow cooker recipes that are easy to make and are under £1 a head for four people.

1. Chicken & Chorizo Jambalaya

This is a spicy sausage recipe that makes a great one-pot slow cooker meal for the whole family. Add the rice about 25 minutes towards the end of the cooking time so it sucks up the liquid. The meat will need about 6-8 hours on low heat.

1 tbsp olive oil 5p
2 chicken breasts £1.20
100g frozen onion 28p
100g frozen peppers 25p
2 garlic cloves 5p
75g chorizo 75p
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning 5p
250g long grain rice 50p
400g can plum tomato 28p
350ml chicken stock 5p

Total: £3.46 that’s 86p for four people.

2. Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

Pulled chicken is a great dinner for the whole family. It’s really simple to cook in the slow cooker and is really tender. You can have it with rice or in a bread bun. It all needs to cook for 6-8 hours to make the chicken really tender.

2 tbsp vegetable oil 5p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
2 red onions 50p
2 garlic cloves, 5p
2 tsp paprika 2p
2 tbsp chipotle paste 10p
250ml passata 25p
100g barbecue sauce 30p
1 tbsp light brown soft sugar 8p
Total: £2.55 that’s 63p for four people.

3. Slow Cooker Chicken Chasseur

This French chicken recipe is a great fakeaway meal for the whole family. It does need to cook for 8 hours in low so the chicken is tender. You can serve it with jacket potatoes or rice.

2 tbsp olive oil 5p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
100g frozen onion 28p
2 garlic cloves 5p
200g tin mushrooms 25p
200ml white wine £1.50
1 tbsp tomato purée 5p
200g chopped tomatoes 25p
400ml hot chicken stock 5p
Total: £3.63 that’s 90p for four people.

4. Slow-Cooker Chicken Casserole

This is a really easy slow cooker casserole that you can put all in together. It takes about 6 – 9 hours to cook on a low heat.

1 tbsp butter 28p
½ tbsp olive oil 5p
100g frozen onion 25p
1 ½ tbsp flour 5p
250g chicken breasts £1.20
3 garlic cloves 10p
400g tin baby new potatoes 28p
2 sticks celery 50p
400g tin carrots 28p
250gtin mushrooms 15p
500ml chicken stock cubes 5p
Total: £3.19 that’s 79p for four people.

5. Peri-Peri Chicken

This does take a bit of prep but is perfect for a weekend fakeaway. It takes about 30 minutes to cook and goes with wedges, rice and salad. You can also have this with tortillas and salad if you prefer.

4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40,

3 garlic cloves 9p,

Small piece of ginger 2p,

Rind of lemon 3p,

5 tbsp lemon juice 9p,

2 tbsp cooking oil 3p,

1 tsp salt 2p,

4 potatoes 40p,

180g Rice 24p,

Total: £2.32 that’s 58p for four people.

6. Firecracker Chicken

This firecracker recipe is based on four people. It takes only takes about 10 minutes to actually cook the sauce but the rice could take up to 20 minutes.

Read how to make our amazing Firecracker Chicken recipe here.

3 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (defrosted) £2.10

2 onions 20p

3 garlic cloves 15p

5g ground ginger 5p

1 red pepper 45p

1tbsp lemon juice 10p

1 bunch of spring onions 37p

2 tbsp tomato puree 5p

4 tbsp soy sauce 6p

2 tbsp hoisin sauce 6p

1 tbsp plain flour 10p

1 tbsp low cal cooking spray 5p

150g wholemeal rice 25p

Total: £3.99 that’s 99p for four people.

7. Tomato-Baked Chicken

This is great if you have toddlers in the house too. It’s healthy and will keep you all full up.

Chicken wings (1kg) £1.65,

Tomato & garlic pasta sauce (560g) 92p,

potatoes (1kg) 50p,

Baby button mushrooms (150g) 86p,

Total: £3.95 that’s 98p for four people.

8. One-pot Chicken Pepper Bake

With little washing up involved, this one-pot chicken pepper bake is one of my personal favourites. It’s great for Sunday lunch or if the extended family comes round.

Chicken Thighs (1kg) £2.75,

Green Pepper 50p,

Tin of Baby potatoes (550g) 32p,

Total: £3.99 that’s 99p for four people.

9. Sweet and Sour Chicken

This easy to make sweet and sour chicken recipe is perfect if you have friends coming over. Make a huge batch with brown rice and add as many vegetables as you like! Here’s how we make our sweet and sour chicken recipe here.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts £1.16,

1 x 425g can pineapple chunks in natural juice 50p,

2 tbsp cornflour 2p,

½ tsp dried chilli flakes 2p,

2 tbsp dark soy sauce 5p,

2 tbsp tomato puree 2p,

1 medium onion 8p,

300g frozen peppers 43p,

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 5p,

Total: £2.33 that’s 58p for four people.

10. Peanut Chicken

This Peanut Chicken is really easy to make. It takes 10 minutes to make and can be put into the slow cooker and takes about 4 hours. 

Start by cutting the chicken into chucks and add it to the slow cooker. Then add the rest of the ingredients and set our slow cooker to medium. 

When you are ready to serve, cook the rice in a pan for about 20 minutes or until the rice is soft. 

3 frozen chicken breasts £1.90,

100g frozen onions 19p,

2 garlic cloves 5p,

200g frozen mixed peppers 40p,

200g frozen carrots 10p,

120g Peanut Butter 31p,

1 tbsp cornflour 5p,

2 tbsp lemon juice 2p,

2 tbsp soy sauce 5p,

1 tbsp curry powder 2p ,

1 tbsp chilli flakes 2p ,

400ml tin tomatoes 28p,

300g wholemeal rice 48p,

Total: £3.87 that’s 96p per person. 

11. Slow Cooker Peach Chicken

This slow cooker recipe is great for those rush evenings. All of this can be prepped in the morning or the night before. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker pot (apart from the rice) and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. When you are ready to serve, cook the rice as per the packet instructions.

2 chicken breasts £1.20,

400g tin peaches 34p,

200g frozen peppers 40p,

1 red onion 28p,

2 tbsp brown sugar 5p,

4 tbsp soy sauce 7p,

1 tbsp ground ginger 5p,

250g rice 30p.

Total: £2.69 that’s 67p per person.

Slow Cooker Curry Recipes

These are best curry recipes that are simple to make and easy meals for the whole family to enjoy.

12. Chicken Korma

This is a mild and creamy korma curry that is perfect for kids who hate spice. Read how to make our Chicken Korma recipe here.

Put the slow cooker on and sear the chicken. Stir in the spices and cook for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock. Leave to cook for 6 hours. Add the cream then serve.

2 garlic cloves 5p,

Ground ginger 2p,

100g onions 25p,

3 chicken breasts £1.20,

2 tbsp tomato purée 5p,

1 tsp ground cumin 2p,

1 tsp paprika 2p,

1 tsp turmeric 2p,

1 tsp ground coriander 2p,

½ tsp chilli powder 2p,

2 tsp sugar 5p,

300ml chicken stock 35p,

150ml double cream 62p,

Total: £2.69 that’s 67p a person.

13. Thai Green Chicken Curry

Start by adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker, including the defrosted chicken, that needs to be cut into chunks. Leave to cook for 6 – 8 hours on low. You may need to remove your slow cooker lid near the end if your sauce is watery. Cook the rice as per the packet instructions.

300g new potatoes 50p
100g frozen green beans 25p
1 tbsp vegetable oil 5p
1 garlic clove 5p
4 tsp Thai green curry paste 28p
400ml can coconut milk 82p
2 tsp Thai fish sauce 5p
1 tsp caster sugar 5p
250g frozen chicken breasts £1.20
300g Rice 37p
Total: £3.72 that’s 93p for four people.

14. Chicken and Banana Curry

This chicken banana curry is a mild curry that is great for those nights when you really want a takeaway. It’s really easy to cook. You pretty much throw in all the ingredients and leave it to simmer. This curry recipe does take about 30 minutes to cook but it is well worth the wait! This chicken and banana curry below is made for four people but you can scale it up with more chicken and add some frozen vegetables.

Read how to make this Chicken and Banana Curry recipe here.

2 teaspoons vegetable oil 5p

400g chicken breasts £2

100g frozen onion 20p

50g apple 50p

10g cloves of garlic 5p

2 tablespoons korma curry paste 7p

400ml chicken stock 5p

25g raisins 15p

25g chopped ready-to-eat apricots 20p

300g easy-cook long-grain brown rice 40p

1 tablespoon cornflour 5p

100g banana 14p

60g fat-free natural yogurt 10p

1 tablespoon dried coriander 4p

Total: £4 that’s £1 a head per four people.

15. Katsu Curry

If you are looking for a fakeaway recipe that is also Slimming World friendly and easy to cook then this Katsu chicken curry is for you. This chicken Katsu curry comes in at under £1 a head for four people. It can seem a little spicy so if your family needs it toned down then add a little Greek yogurt to the side of the dish.

Read how to make our Katsu curry here.

3 frozen chicken breasts £1.20

1 onion 28p

2 carrots 10p

3 garlic cloves 5p

1 egg 10p

900ml chicken stock 5p

2tbsp soy sauce 5p

1tsp honey 7p

3tbsp plain flour 5p

100g breadcrumbs 15p

200g wholemeal rice 37p

Total: £2.19 that’s 54p for four people.

16. Chinese Chicken Curry

This family-friendly meal is a great fakeaway recipe for a Friday night. It’s not very spicy and you can use frozen vegetables if you are short of time. Here’s how we cooked our Chinese chicken curry.

2 frozen chicken breasts 65p,

125g frozen onions 16p,

Small piece of ginger 15p,

2 garlic cloves 6p,

400ml stock 3p,

2 tbsp low cal spray 10p,

3 tbsp plain flour 10p,

1 tsp sugar 5p,

180g Rice 24p,

Total: £1.54 that’s 38p for 4 people.

17. Chicken Tikka Masala

This serves four and is a medium heat. This really does just take 10 minutes to make but does take up to 40 minutes to cook so make sure you have some time as it’s worth it. We make our homemade naan bread with this too.

Make our Chicken Tikka Masala here.

4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40,

150g frozen onion 16p,

2 garlic cloves 6p,

1 small piece of ginger 15p,

200ml tinned tomatoes 28p,

100ml single cream 60p,

1 tsp lemon juice 5p,

4 tbsp low cal spray 20p,

1 tsp salt 3p,

180g Rice 24p,

Total: £3.17 that’s 79p for 4 people.

18. Chicken Balti

This serves four people and isn’t as spicy as it sounds. If you prefer it light then don’t add any chillis or paprika. This takes about 20 minutes to cook and does perfect with our egg fried rice recipe too.

4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40,

150g frozen onions 16p,

200ml tinned tomatoes 28p,

3 garlic cloves 9p,

Small piece of ginger 2p,

1 tbsp tomato puree 3p,

2 tbsp cooking oil 3p,

1 tsp salt 2p,

1 red chilli 5p,

Pinch of dried paprika 3p,

Total: £2.11 that’s 52p for four people.

19. Chicken Jalfrezi

This curry serves 4 people and is of medium spice. It takes 30 minutes to cook but you can make it in the morning and then throw it all in one pan when you get home. Make our Chicken Jalfrezi with egg fried rice and our homemade naan.

4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40,

150g frozen onions 16p,

1 red pepper 15p,

1 tomato 16p,

3 garlic cloves 9p,

Small piece of ginger 2p,

2 tbsp tomato puree 6p,

2 tbsp cooking oil 3p,

2 tbsp cooking oil 3p,

Total: £2.09 that’s 52p for four people.

20. Chicken Vindaloo

This is quite a spicy chicken curry recipe and does need a bit of prep work. Cut the chicken into cubes. Use the ingredients above and add the chicken to a bowl. Let it marinate overnight. In the morning, fry off the chicken cubes. Then add the rest of the ingredients with a can of water. Put on a slow heat for 6 hours and come home to a hearty meal.

1 tbsp lemon juice 5p,

3 chicken breasts £1.20,

2 tbsp white wine vinegar 6p,

2-3 garlic cloves 5p,

2 tsp finely grated ginger 5p,

1 tsp garam masala 5p,

1 tsp ground cumin 2p,

1 tsp ground coriander 2p,

½ tsp cayenne pepper 2p,

½ tsp black mustard seeds 2p,

For the sauce:

Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until it becomes a smooth paste.

½ tsp flaked cinnamon stick 2p,

½ tsp chilli flakes 2p,

½ tsp cayenne pepper 5p,

50g onion 25p,

½ tsp salt 2p.

Total: £1.90 that’s 47p for 4 people.

21. Easy Chicken Curry

This is a great creamy chicken recipe that is easy for beginners and can be spiced up if needed. Chop the chicken breasts into cubes. Sear in the slow cooker. Add the spices. Then add the chopped tomatoes and can of water. Leave to cook for 6 hours on low heat. Once cooked, add the yogurt for a creamy texture.

100g onion 25p,

2 garlic cloves 5p,

Dried ginger 2p,

3 chicken breasts £1.20,

3 tbsp medium spice paste 15p,

400g can chopped tomatoes 28p,

100g Greek yogurt, and a can of water. 19p.

Total: £2.14 that’s 53p for 4 people.

22. Slow Cooker Chicken Madras

This is a really easy curry to make and perfect for those nights when you can’t really be bothered to cook. It can all be chucked into the slow cooker and left until you are ready to eat. It normally takes about 6-8 hours and you may need to take the lid off the slow cooker during the last hour to stop the sauce going watery. Cut the chicken into chunks and sear in the slow cooker. Add the spices. the chilli powder is optional. Add the chopped tomatoes and a can of water. Cook on low for six hours. Once done, you can serve with rice, mango chutney, or poppadoms.

100g frozen onion 20p,

2 garlic cloves 5p,

Dried ginger 2p,

½ red chilli 2p,

½ tsp turmeric 2p,

1 tsp ground cumin 2p,

1 tsp ground coriander 2p,

1-2 tsp hot chilli powder 2p,

3 chicken breasts £1.20,

400g can chopped tomatoes 28p.

Total: £1.85 that’s 23p for 4 people.

23. Easy Butter Chicken

This takes a bit of prep the night before but is great for a fakeaway recipe for a weekend. Add the spices to the slow cooker and sear. Add the chicken including the puree and chicken stock. Cook on low for 6 hours and serve with the natural yogurt.

Soak the chicken in lemon juice, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground paprika, 1tsp hot chilli powder, 200g fat-free natural yogurt.

For the curry:

100g frozen onion 23p,

3 garlic cloves 5p,

1 green chilli 7p,

1 tsp garam masala 5p,

3 tbsp tomato purée 7p,

300ml chicken stock 5p,

3 chicken breasts £1.20.

Total: £1.72 that’s 43p for 4 people.

24. Slow Cooker No-Spice Chicken Curry

This is a great slow-cooking curry recipe that is great for leftovers too.

Cut the chicken breasts into cubes. Sear then in the slow cooker. Once cooked, add the spices and cook for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the slow cooker and cook on slow for 6 hours then serve.

100g frozen onion 20p,

3 tbsp mild curry paste 5p,

400g can chopped tomatoes 32p,

2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder 5p,

1 dried ginger 5p,

100g frozen peppers 10p

2 chicken breasts £1.20

Total: £1.97 that’s 49p for four people.

Slow Cooker Lamb Recipes

While lamb can be expensive, buying it frozen and in chunks means that you only need to use what you need.

25. Lamb Kebabs in Pitta

This is a great fakeaway recipe for a Saturday night. You can change this up and add any meat or even have this vegetarian.

Lamb & mutton mince (500g) £1.59,

Paxo natural breadcrumbs 65p,

Natural Greek-style yogurt (200g) 65p,

Garlic 25p,

Cucumber portion 38p,

White Pitta (6) 25p,

Total: £3.77 that’s 94p for four people.

26. Slow Cooker Lamb Curry

You can put all this in together and leave to cook for 6-9 hours on low heat. Make sure the lamb is fully defrosted before you start cooking.
100g frozen onion 28p
3 tbsp Madras curry paste 45p
400g can chopped tomatoes 28p
2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder 5p
25g red lentils 20p
210g can chickpeas (don’t drain) 23p
1 tbsp grated ginger 5p
1 tsp cumin seeds 5p
1 cinnamon stick 5p
75g curly kale 50p
240g frozen diced lamb £1.90
Total: £3.64 that’s 91p for four people.

27. Slow Cooker Lamb Tagine

Put all the chopped ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low heat. Defrost the lamb first.
240g frozen lamb chunks £1.90
1 tbsp olive oil 5p
100g frozen onion 25p
400g tin carrots 28p
2 tsp ras-el-hanout 5p
1 tsp ground cumin 5p
1 tbsp tomato purée 10p
1 lamb stock cube 5p
1 sweet potato 15p
30g dried cherries 35p
½ tsp honey 5p
Total: £3.28 that’s 82p for four people.

28. Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Stew

The slow cooker needs to be on low so that the lamb stays tender. Cook for 6-9 hours on low heat. You add the honey about 30 minutes toward the end of cooking. You can have this with rice or potatoes.
2 tbsp olive oil 5p
200g frozen lamb chunks £1.20
100g frozen onion 25p
5 garlic cloves 10p
1 tbsp giner 5p
1 tbsp ground cumin 5p
1 tbsp ground coriander 5p
1 tsp ground cinnamon 5p
1 tbsp tomato purée 8p
600ml lamb stock 10p
1 tbsp honey 10p
Total: £2.08 that’s 52p for four people.

29. Irish Stew

We don’t eat a lot of meat due to its cost, but when we do, we look for the middle neck of the lamb. This budget stew does need to be cooked on low to make sure its soft to eat but is tender after a day of cooking. This dish can be bulked out with potatoes, and the cooking liquor is optional.

1 tbsp oil 5p,

100g bacon 56p,

400g lamb £1.50,

Frozen onion 22p,

400g tin carrots 18p,

400g tin potatoes 46p,

2 stock cubes 12p,

Leek 52p,

Total: £3.61 that’s 90p a head.

30. Lamb Jalfrezi

This curry serves 4 people and is of medium spice. It takes 30 minutes to cook but you can make it in the morning and then throw it all in one pan when you get home. Make our lamb Jalfrezi with egg fried rice and our homemade naan.

2 lamb steaks £1.40,

150g frozen onions 16p,

1 red pepper 15p,

1 tomato 16p,

3 garlic cloves 9p,

Small piece of ginger 2p,

2 tbsp tomato puree 6p,

2 tbsp cooking oil 3p,

2 tbsp cooking oil 3p,

Total: £2.09.

31. Lamb & vegetable casserole

This is a lovely winter recipe that can be cooked all at once in the slow cooker. We cook ours on low for 8 hours.

2 celery sticks 10p

100g frozen onion 25p

400g tin carrots 25p

5 bay leaves 5p

1 tbsp vegetable oil 5p

1 tbsp butter 8p

2 tbsp plain flour 5p

2 tbsp tomato purée 10p

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 10p

2 beef stock cubes 5p

200g lamb steak £2

Total: £3.08 that’s 77p for four people

Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

We love beef mince as it’s normally pretty cheap and easy to freeze if you only want to use half.

32. Chilli Con Carne

This chilli con carne recipe is easy to do and can be frozen for another night.

Read how we cooked our Chilli Con Carne recipe here.

500g beef minced meat £1.99,

200g frozen onion 32p,

3 garlic gloves 7p,

300ml tinned tomatoes 28p,

400g tinned kidney beans 30p,

3 tbsp tomato puree 15p,

Half a lime 12p,

220ml stock 3p,

4 tbsp low cal spray 20p,

1 tsp salt 2p,

Half tsp sugar 5p,

180g Rice 24p,

Total: £3.77 that’s 94p for four people.

33. Beef & Vegetable Casserole

This is a lovely winter recipe that can be cooked all at once in the slow cooker. We cook ours on low for 8 hours.

2 celery sticks 10p

100g frozen onion 25p

400g tin carrots 25p

5 bay leaves 5p

1 tbsp vegetable oil 5p

1 tbsp butter 8p

2 tbsp plain flour 5p

2 tbsp tomato purée 10p

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 10p

2 beef stock cubes 5p

200g beef steak £2

Total: £3.08 that’s 77p for four people

Slow Cooker Pork Recipes

We love pork! Bacon, ribs or lions are a great meal for the whole family on a budget.

34. Slow Cooked Ribs

Despite their restaurant prices, spare ribs are actually one of the cheapest meat you can buy. This uses barbecue sauce and cooks them slow for tenderness.

1kg Pork ribs £2,

350g Barbecue Sauce £1,

2 stock cubes 4p,

2 bay leaves 2p,

1 tsp coriander seeds 2p,

1 tsp mustard seed 2p,

1 tsp peppercorn 2p,

Total: £3.12 that’s 78p a head.

35. Beans with Potato Wedges

You can make this budget-friendly bean with potato wedges recipe even cheaper by leaving the meat out. My kids love this for breakfast and I love the fact it can be frozen too.

3 tsp Oil 15p,

100g frozen onion 22p,

2 rashes of bacon 26p,

1 tsp sugar 4p,

400g chopped tomatoes 29p,

200ml stock 4p,

410g can of cannellini beans 60p,

1 tbsp white flour 4p,

1 tsp mild chilli powder 9p,

1 tsp dried mixed herbs 9p,

400g tin potatoes 42p,

Total: £2.24 thats 56p a head.

Slow Cooker Gammon Recipes

We love gammon! It’s really easy to cook in the slow cooker and gets really tender.

36. Slow Cooker Gammon in Diet Cola

Add all the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker and then add the gammon and the cola. Cook for 6 hours on low heat. Put the gammon in a roast tin and cook for 15 to 30 minutes with the glaze.

375g unsmoked boneless gammon joint £2.12

2l cola 20p

400g tin carrots 28p

100g frozen onion 25p

1 stick celery 10p

1 cinnamon stick 5p

½ tbsp peppercorns 5p

For the glaze:

150ml maple syrup 75p

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 5p

2 tbsp red wine vinegar 5p

Total: £3.90 that’s 97p per person for 4 people.

Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

Yes, you really can make soup in the slow cooker. It’s really easy and makes a great meal for the whole family.

37. Sweet Potato Carrot Soup

This sweet potato carrot soup recipe is really easy to make and is great for weekend lunches. Everything you need should be in your cupboard or freezer.

Read how we make our Sweet Potato Carrot Soup Recipe here.

The roasted sweet potatoes taste really nice in this soup.

500g chopped and cubed sweet potatoes 55p

400g tin carrots 49p

3 tbsp olive oil 5p

100g frozen onion 16p

2 garlic cloves 5p

1L vegetable stock 5p

100ml tin coconut milk 82p

10g pinch chilli flakes 10p

Total: £2.27 that’s 56p a person.

38. Parsnip soup

We love this easy parsnip soup as it can be eaten chunky or smooth. It is really easy to make and tastes great the next day as well. This makes enough for four people but you can double it to make extras for leftovers.

2 tbsp butter 5p,

50g frozen onion 4p,

1 crush garlic clove 5p,

500g parsnips 60p,

500ml vegetable stock 5p,

225ml milk 25p.

Total: £1.04 that’s 26p for four people.

39. Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

This is a really easy soup recipe that you can throw into your slow cooker in the morning and have ready by the time you get home.

100g onion 25p,

2 celery sticks 10p

2 carrots 10p

2 leeks 15p

300g chicken breasts £1.25

2l chicken stock 8p

1 tbsp lemon 5p

Total: £1.93 that’s 48p per person.

40. Carrot & Lentil Soup

This is great slow cooker soup recipe that can be made in the morning and ready for when you get home. 2 tsp cumin seeds 5p

1 pinch chilli flakes 5p

2 tbsp olive oil 8p

600g carrots 55p

140g split red lentils 28p

1l hot vegetable stock 5p

125ml milk 85p

Total: £1.91 that’s 47p for four people.

41. Chicken noodle soup

On a cold winter day, there is nothing better than a warming soup. You can make extra for leftovers. This is made for four but double it for 8 portions.

2 tbsp butter 5p,

50g frozen onion 4p,

400g tin carrots 28p,

1 crush garlic clove 5p,

2 chicken breasts £1.28,

500ml chicken stock 5p,

100g noodles 30p.

Total: £2.05 that’s 51p for four people.

42. Tomato & lentil soup

We love this soup as you can make it spicy if you prefer abd the lentils in the soup help yo keep you filled up till dinner. This recipe makes enough soup for four people but you can double it to make leftovers for the next day if you prefer.

1 tbsp oil 5p,

400g tin carrots 28p,

50g frozen onion 4p,

100 ml vegetable stock 10p,

400g tin tomatoes 38p,

200g red lentils 50p.

Total: £1.35 that’s 33p for four people.

Start by frying the onions in the pan, then add the carrots. Add the stock, tomatoes and lentils. Bring it all to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. When ready, blend the soup to your chosen consistency. We like ours smooth.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetarian recipes work just as well in the slow cooker.

43. Quorn Spaghetti Bolognese

This easy Quorn bolognese recipe comes in at under £1 a head and is great if you are vegetarian or if you are trying to cut down on how much meat you buy.

Read how to cook our Quorn spaghetti Bolognese here.

1 onion chopped 22p

1 tbsp tomato puree 9.5p

2 tins chopped tomato 58p

1 tbsp caster sugar or to taste 4p

1 celery stick chopped 10p

Quorn Mince Frozen £1.79

1 carrot chopped 7p

2 cloves garlic chopped 4p

1 tsp oregano 2p

2 large mushrooms chopped 75p

1 vegetable stock cubes 6p

1 hand full Parmesan for sprinkling 20p

Total: £3.87 that’s 96p a person.

44. Chickpea Curry

This is a really easy chickpea curry that is perfect for the whole family. It costs under £1 a head for 4 people and you can use all your cupboard staples with it including tins of chickpeas, tomatoes, and loads of ground spices.

This is how to make our Chickpea Curry here.

Cook time for this simple chickpea curry is about 20 minutes depending on how you like your chickpeas. We like ours really soft so tend to wait until the liquid has reduced quite a lot.

If you like your curry spicy then you could add some curry powder or red pepper. To help make this creamy you could add yogurt as well as coconut milk.

You could also add a dash of lime juice. If you are using the slow cooker then we would suggest you make the paste as below and then add everything to the slow cooker. Put it on high heat for 6 – 8 hours as the liquid does need to reduce.

For the paste:

2 tbsp oil 5p

100g frozen onion 25p

5g dried chilli 5p

9 garlic cloves 25p

5g ground ginger 5p

5g ground coriander 5p

7g ground cumin 5p

5g garam masala 5p

10g tomato purée 11p

For the curry:

2 x 400g tin chickpeas £1.10

400g tin canned tomatoes 42p

100g tin coconut milk (optional) 18p

100g spinach (optional) 20p

250g rice 40p

Total: £3.21 that’s 80p for 4 people.

Start by making the paste. Add the oil then fry off over medium heat with the onion and chilli flakes until the onion is clear. This is when you want to put the rice on as per the packet instructions.

Whizz up the garlic cloves, ginger, coriander, cumin, garam masala, tomato purée, and salt. Once it’s turned into a smooth paste, add it to the pan.

Stirring occasionally will help the paste not stick to the pan or wok. Drain the chickpeas and add them and the chopped tomatoes to the pan.

Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes. This will help all the liquid to reduce down. If you like your curry creamy, then add the coconut milk and keep reducing it down for another 5-10 minutes. When the curry is ready, add the spinach.

45. Chipotle Pasta

This is a great vegan pasta recipe for the whole family. It makes a creamy vegan pasta sauce that has zero lumps as you blend it all together then heat it in the pan.

100g Almonds £1.40

50g Almond milk 10p

50g Chipotle pepper 30p

10g Garlic 5p

75g Water 5p

55g Tomato 25p

5g Lemon juice 2p

210g spaghetti 25p

Total: £2.42 that’s 60p for 4 people.

46. Vegan Lasagna

This lasagna will get the whole family asking for more. It does take a while to make the white sauce as it needs to thicken. Once both sauces are ready then layer it up with the sliced tomatoes on top. We cook it until the white sauce has set so about 20 minutes for us.

For the lasagna:

4 lasagna sheets 13p

140g firm tofu £1

5g olive oil 2p 100g

frozen onion 15p

3 garlic cloves 5p

2g dried oregano 2p

100g mushrooms 25p

225g frozen spinach 37p

White sauce:

5g olive oil 2p

100g all-purpose flour 25p

50g almond milk 10p

5g. nutritional yeast 10p

5g garlic powder 5p

55g 3 tomatoes 25p

Total: £2.76 that’s 69p a person.

46. Roasted Cauliflower With Tomato & Cashew Sauce

This is an easy vegetarian dinner that is great for the whole family. It’s really quick to make and budget-friendly.

1 cauliflower £1.75

2 tsp nigella seeds 5p

2 tbsp vegetable oil 5p

3 tsp garam masala 5p

2 garlic cloves 4p

2cm piece ginger 5p

500g passata 32p

2 tbsp cashew nut butter 10p

50ml double cream 25p

Total: £2.66 that’s 66p for four people.

47. Spicy Mixed Bean Tortillas

These Spicy mixed bean tortillas are great for weekend days when you want something quick and easy. All of these ingredients come from tins or the freezer.

8 tortilla wraps 85p

200g onion 10p

1 tin of carrots 49p

400g can chopped tomatoes 39p

400g can kidney beans 30p

400g can of mixed beans in a mild chilli sauce 30p

100g mature cheddar cheese, grated 49p

Total: £2.92 that’s 73p for 4 people.

48. Vegetarian Chilli

4 of your 5 a day, this Vegetarian Chilli only takes about 30 minutes and can be bunged into a pan and left to its own devices. Itself of buying a bag of vegetables, I cut up my own and roast, and mix and match every time, depending on what we have left over in the fridge. I’ve thrown in ham, pineapple, frozen vegetables and even sweet potato. Anything goes!

Courgette, 30p,

Onion, 7p,

400g of Frozen Peppers, 60p,

3x Tomatoes, 34p,

Tin of Kidney Beans, 30p.

Total: £1.61 that’s 40p for four people.

49. Roasted Aubergine & Tomato Curry

This vegetarian curry is really easy to make. You can grill or roast the aubergines which help make them sweet.

600g aubergines 70p

3 tbsp olive oil 5p

100g frozen onions 22p

2 garlic cloves 4p

1 tsp garam masala 5p

1 tsp turmeric 2p

1 tsp ground coriander 2p

400ml can chopped tomatoes 42p

400ml can coconut milk 75p

Total: £2.27 that’s 56p a person.

50. Mango and Tomato Curry

Who needs a takeaway when you can cook this mango and tomato curry for less at home. This is so simple and is a hit with the whole family.

Red onion 17p,

Green chillies (50g) 65p,

Loose tomatoes 60p,

Small mango £1.15,

Organic 2% Fat natural yogurt (150g) 49p,

Basics long-grain rice (350g) 40p,

Total: £3.46 that’s 86p for four people.

51. Sali Murghi

This is packed with spices and is a great sweet curry. Blitz the spices and sear the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the tinned tomatoes and vinegar. Add some water if you think it’s needed. Leave to cook for 6 hours then add the apricots at the end.

3 chicken breasts £1.20,

1 tsp Ground cinnamon 2p,

1 tsp ground cumin 5p,

200g onions 25p,

3 garlic cloves 15p,

1 tsp ground ginger 2p,

1 tsp ground coriander 2p,

1 tsp ground garam masala 5p,

½ tsp ground turmeric 2p,

400g tinned tomatoes 28p,

2 tbsp white wine vinegar 10p,

150g dried apricots 31p.

Total: £2.47 that’s 61p for 4 people.

52. Vegan Mushroom Bolognese

Just like a meaty bolognese, this vegan one makes the best comfort food dish for a weekend. We use mushrooms to get that amazing flavour.

1 onion chopped 22p

1 tbsp tomato puree 9p

2 tins chopped tomato 58p

1 tbsp caster sugar or to taste 4p

1 celery stick chopped 10p

1 carrot chopped 7p

2 cloves garlic chopped 4p

1 tsp oregano 2p

2 large mushrooms chopped 75p

1 vegetable stock cubes 6p

210g spaghetti 25p

Total: £1.94 that’s 48p per person.

53. Sweet Potato Curry

This easy non-spicy slow cooked curry recipe that can handle any meat. It looks like a long ingredient list but most of these are kitchen staples. You can add any vegetable too and just mash it all at the end.

1 large onion 19p,

2 tsp curry power 5p,

1 green pepper 30p,

2 garlic clove 4p,

1 tbsp sunflower oil 1p,

400g can chopped tomato 25p,

300g of boiled sweet potato 25p,

2 tbsp mango chutney 4p,

Rice 20p,

Naan bread 45p,

Total: £1.78 that’s 45p a head.

Related Posts: 

• 101 Aldi Recipes That Will Give You Dinner Ideas For Tonight
• Aldi Slimming World Shopping List
• Here’s How To Feed a Family for Just £18

Slow Cooker Desserts

We love dessert and you can easily make it in the slow cooker.

54. Slow Cooked Crumble

Stew the apples with jam and orange juice, then top it off with an oaty, spicy ‘flapjack’ crumble mix. Yum! 1kg apples £1.35,

3 tbsp apricot jam 9p,

1 orange 30p,

140g porridge oats 19p,

100g plain flour 10p,

1 tbsp ground cinnamon 9p,

100g butter 10p,

100g sugar 30p,

1 tbsp syrup 10p,

Total: £2.62 that’s 65p a head.

55. Slow Cooker Sticky Toffee Pudding

This is a really simple sticky toffee pudding recipe that is a real crowd lover for the whole family. You will need little tins as they need to sit and bake in the slow cooker for around 6 hours.
250g pitted dates £1
100g butter 25p
4 tbsp treacle 10p
1 tsp vanilla extract 5p
250g light brown soft sugar 10p
300ml double cream £1.25
2 eggs 50p
200g self-raising flour 10p
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 5p
Total: £3.40 that’s 85p for four people.

Simple Aldi Meal Plan

If you find meal planning hard then come join our Facebook group Money Saving Mums and get access to The Resource Vault with access to over 15+ money saving printables. This includes our easy slow cooker meals meal plan, available exclusively to subscribers!

Join our free Resource Vault here

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This really goes take the guesswork and thinking out of trying to cook or fill a meal plan.

If you’ve never meal planned before then please read our post on how to get started with meal planning here. It really can save you hundreds of pounds! It gives you a plan you can use to help you buy food more wisely and stop you staring in the fridge for 5 minutes trying to think what to make for dinner tonight.

Equipment

If you are looking for an Aldi crockpot or slow cooker then we have a few of our favourites here: 

This Morphy Richards 6.5L Slow Cooker is great for the whole family. It is dishwasher safe and great for curries and chillies. 

This is a 1-2 people Crockpot Slow Cooker that is perfect for a couple or a small family. It has different heat settings as well. 

What we love about these slow cookers is that you can cook any meat in them. They are perfect for days when you are to busy to cook. We have even cooked rice dishes in our slow cooker that taste amazing after a busy day at work. 

Storage

What we love most about our slow cooker is that you can cook enough for leftovers the next day. You do need to make sure that you are storing them correcting though so we would sugguest you use:

Sistema KLIP IT PLUS Food Storage Containers – These are great for keeping food in the fridge when you need it the next day. They are BPA Free, microwave safe and dishwasher safe. 

KICHLY Glass Food Storage Container Set – This is a set of 18 that come in all shapes and sizes, which is great for a lunch box. 

65Pcs Freezer Bags – These are great for when you want to meal prep your slow cooker meals. Start by adding all your raw ingridents into the bag and freeze. When ready, refrost as normal and then add it all to your slow cooker. 

We use a range of all three of these to help us meal prep in a busy week and store leftovers for lunch time. 

Top tips for using your slow cooker

1. Buy frozen meat – Buying frozen meat means that you can use it as and when you need it. We seperate the meat when we are home and freeze it in batches so we can use what we need for each meal. The same goes for mince or lamb or anything. Seperating it means that you only need to use what you need.

2. No oil needed- Your slow cooker doesn’t need any oil and you don’t need the fat on your meat unless you light the taste of it. Slow cookers do make some meals liquidly so do not worry, it will not burn.

3. Take the lid off – For the last 30 minutes of your cook, take the lid off your slow cooker as this helps the excess liquid to steam away, leaving you with an amazing meal without all the liquid at the bottom. 

4. Use cornflour – If, when serving you still find that the sauce has to much liquid then you can always use a tablespoon of cornflour. Stir once added. Don’t put so much in though as it can turn gloppy. 

5. Use the low setting more – It really is better to cook as much as you can on the low setting in your slow cooker. You will find that your meat is more tender and that the flavour is richer in your sauces. 

6. No need to stir – After you have added everything to your slow cooker, there is no need to stir at all. Leave it to do its thing and it will cook you an amazing meal. The more you touch it and open the lid, the cooler it gets and it has to heat itself back up again. 

7. Add everything – There is no need to pre-cook your meat or vegetables. Add them all in on a low setting and let your slow cooker do all the work. 

Food safety 

As always, food safety is very important even when you use a slow cooker. 

– Make sure that your food temperature is at least 165 °F (74 °C)

– Please use different utensils to chop your meat and vegetables. Food poisoning is a real problem! 

– Wash your hands after touching your meat before you do anything else.

– Never leave your food cooking without someone being home.

– Please read the food.gov.uk website for all the latest food safety tips. 

Laura x

If you enjoyed this post and would like some more family friendly budget recipes or meal plan ideas, then head over to the budget food section here on Savings 4 Savvy Mums where you’ll find over 30 cheap posts dedicated to helping you cook and shop wiser for less. There’s enough tips to help you save over £300 a month! You could also pop over and follow my family food Pinterest boards for lots more ideas on how to eat well and spend less; Family Meal Plans on a Budget, Budget Family Meals & Budget Slimming World Recipes for Families.

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