These 14 slow-cooker recipes are 100% kid-approved

Cooking for kids can often make you feel like a short-order cook, cooking for all kinds of cravings (Chicken noodle soup! Lasagna! Mac and cheese!). Thankfully, these slow-cooker recipes are tried-and-true crowdpleasers that come 100% kid-approved. In truth, we might love these 14 recipes just as much as the kids do. Even though kids can be a handful, dinner doesn't have to be!

With all the after-school extracurriculars on the calendar (not to mention those picky eaters we know and love), we love relying on our slow-cookers to make some seriously kid-approved dinners (and sneak in some vegetables). Best of all? All of these easy slow-cooker recipes only require a short amount of prep time before you can get to setting and forgetting. So whether you've got a mashed potato-loving toddler or a pizza-obsessed teenager, all of these recipes will have your kids begging for seconds.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Alfredo

We love a nice creamy Alfredo, and this zero-effort version of chicken Alfredo might be our new favorite. It's a perfect recipe for a date night or busy weeknight.

Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken

Pulled chicken is made so easy in the slow cooker, and this version includes brown sugar, a little Italian dressing, and bourbon for a bit of smokiness. Dress these up with homemade coleslaw for the greatest dinner with zero effort.

Crock-Pot Spaghetti

Yes, it's true: This entire meal (including the pasta!) can be made in the Crockpot. Love this recipe? Check out our slow-cooker chicken Alfredo for your next pasta night.

Slow-Cooker Beef Chili

Our classic beef chili is already quick enough to make on a weeknight, but this slow-cooker recipe is even easier. Sautéing the beef and onion will definitely lead to more flavor, but if you want to just throw everything into the slow cooker all at once, it'd be totally fine. Just be sure to top your bowl with plenty of Fritos!

Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle

Homemade chicken noodle soup is already easy to whip up, but tossing all of your ingredients in a slow cooker makes it even easier. Want to make chicken noodle soup in your Instant Pot? See this recipe here.

Crock-Pot Mac & Cheese

Homemade macaroni and cheese is a process. But this slow-cooker mac & cheese makes cooking up the staple a breeze. Everything—including the pasta!—cooks in a slow cooker. And in the end you have just ONE DISH to clean.

Crock-Pot Chicken & Dumplings

Is there anything more comforting than chicken and dumplings? This recipe makes the classic even easier to whip up, so you're never too far away from this ultimate comfort food.

Slow-Cooker Pizza

Pizza night just got even easier. While you can absolutely use a store-bought dough for this recipe, feel free to try our homemade pizza dough too.

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Looking for a low-effort, stick-to-your-ribs dinner? You've come to the right place. This Tex-Mex-inspired soup is hearty, delicious, and endlessly riffable.

Crock-Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup

Come home to the best bowl of soup with zero effort. If you love our cheesy chicken and broccoli bake, you'll fall in love with our soup version. With all the same flavors—and less effort required—this easy soup is perfect for cold, lazy days.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Slow cookers can not only make your lives easier, but they can also make fajitas easier. You won't get a smoking hot sizzle tray, but you will get perfectly tender fajitas that are full of flavor. Make sure to top with sour cream, cheese, and pickled red onions.

Slow-Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs With Gnocchi

For this recipe, we’re doubling down on the comfort by giving meatballs and gnocchi the Tuscan treatment, in one dish. What makes this even better? It all comes together in the slow cooker.

Crock-Pot Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are an important part of Thanksgiving, but they sure do require a lot of babysitting. You’ve got to bring water to a boil, then make sure the potatoes don’t overcook in the water, drain them, then go back to the pot to put it all together. With these mashed potatoes, everything happens right in the slow cooker.

Crock-Pot Potato Soup

For a thick, creamy potato soup, mashing half of your potatoes when the soup is almost done will give you that signature texture. Want potato soup fast? Try our classic loaded baked potato soup!