Easy Crockpot Meals for Kids They Will Eat and Love

Are you looking for quick meal ideas for your family? Then these easy crockpot meals for kids are what you are looking for.

I just got an Instapot on sale, and I’m so excited. It has the slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer options, so I can’t wait to try them all out.

I had originally wanted a slow cooker. My mother purchased one from Costco which ended up being a total dud. It malfunctioned right out of the box and turned off approximately every 30 minutes.

Ugh.

I happened to find a Pioneer Woman Instant Pot on sale at Walmart for about half off. This made it a little more than the price of the crockpot but does so much more.

If you don’t know who about the Pioneer Woman you totally need to check out her instant pot recipes.

So, now I’m excited to get cooking in my new Instant Pot. Especially with the kids around for summer.

Keep reading for easy crockpot meals for kids.

Kid-Friendly Crock Pot Meals

With the kids home for summer, and the family not going out very much due to COVID, I needed to figure out ways to cook meals that don’t take too much effort.

But don’t we want that always.

This list of easy crockpot meals for kids are simple enough to make, so you can focus on other things…like entertaining the kids. Having a list of kid-friendly crock pot meals was also important. Making food they will enjoy makes life a lot easier at dinnertime if everyone is busy eating.

So, I’m writing this in part for me. It’s nice to have a place to go for a quick crockpot meal idea. But I’m also writing this for you.

I hope this list of kid-friendly crock pot meals helps you on a busy day as well.

Easy Crockpot Meals for Kids They Will Eat and Love

Crockpot “Mexican” Shredded Chicken

Wait, THREE ingredients?! All we’re talking about in this recipe are uncooked chicken breast, a jar of salsa, and a packet of taco spice (Trader Joe’s has a BIG taco spice pack, FYI).

Simmer everything in your slow cooker at low temperature for 6 to 8 hours (3 to 4 high), then use two forks to tear the chicken. The meat is great for tacos, in a burrito bowl, or on a salad with fresh corn and black beans. It is one of the best easy crockpot meals for kids.

My son often asks for seconds and thirds. Which is crazy.

Ingredients (4 people):

• A package of skinless chicken breast (3-4 chicken breasts)
• 1-2 jars of salsa
• taco seasoning

Preparation:

1. Pour a little of the salsa into the bottom of the crockpot
2. Add the uncooked chicken breast on top of the salsa and cover with the remaining salsa
3. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the mixture to desired taste.
4. Optional: Sometimes I add in a can of drained corn and a can of rinsed black beans directly into the crockpot.

Crockpot Beef & Broccoli

Okay, this recipe technically requires 11 ingredients, but I almost guarantee that you will probably have at least a few of them in your pantry and fridge already.

A bottle of soy sauce that is rarely used. That box of cornstarch from a previous science experiment. Also chances are you have the honey and minced garlic.

But once you have everything it is pretty easy to get together, so that’s why it’s on my easy crockpot meals for kids list.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak – cut across grain into thin slices
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons  minced garlic – about 2 large cloves
• 2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste – Sriracha, or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste
• 2 tablespoons  cornstarch
• 5 cups  broccoli florets – about 2 small crowns
• Optional: Chopped green onions sesame seeds

Preparation:

1.  Rub the inside of the crockpot with olive oil or coat it with nonstick spray. Place the beef in the bottom.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the beef broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and chili-garlic paste. Drizzle over the beef, then stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 hours.
3. In the bowl from before, whisk the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup water. Stir the mixture into the slow cooker with the beef and sauce, then lay the broccoli on top. Cover your crockpot, and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high, until the broccoli is tender.
4. Serve warm over rice. Optional: sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds as desired.

Crockpot PF Chang Copycat Lettuce Wrap

This meal may sound a bit more complicated, but I always have canned ginger and minced garlic in the fridge. I also use a food processor to finely chop the other ingredients like the bamboo shoots and the water chestnuts. So, in the end there are work arounds to make it onto the list of easy crockpot meals for kids.

And honestly who doesn’t love PF Chang’s lettuce wraps? My oldest enjoyed them when she was just 2 years old and they are still a win to this day. The kids also like that there is not bread wrap involved.

In the end it makes me feel like we are having an elevated meal for dinner, add an optional glass of wine, and the kids still love it.

Win, win.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 Tbsp hot chili oil
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 12 crisp iceberg lettuce leaves
• 14 oz can bean sprouts, drained
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 lb ground turkey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 5 oz can bamboo shoots, drained, finely chopped
• 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, snipped
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ cup hoisin sauce, divided (8oz jar)
• ¾ cup soy sauce

Preparation:

1. Brown the ground turkey and the chopped onion. Drain off excess liquid.
2. In a large crockpot combine the cooked ground turkey and onions with the celery, soy sauce, ½ cup hoisin sauce, garlic, water, ginger, brown sugar, chili oil, sesame oil, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Before serving, mix in a can of bean sprouts and cilantro. Serve by scooping a spoonful in the lettuce, pour over some of the leftover (¼ cup) hoisin sauce. Yumm-o!

Crock Pot Tortellini & Spinach Soup

This is another recipe that you can use prepackaged items to make it easier. That’s the key to these easy crockpot meals for kids. It’s just spices, a bag of spinach, chicken broth, canned tomatoes and a packet of tortellini (presto you are quite the chef).

Oh, and don’t forget the block of cream cheese. Yumm-o! But I’m sure you could leave it out in the name of “health” or something. Also you could make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Ingredients ( 4 people ):

• 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach
• 1 (19-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 (8-ounce block) cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 pound sausage (preferably Italian)
• 2 (12-ounce) cans low-fat chicken broth
• 2 cans Italian style diced tomatoes

Preparation:

1. Brown the sausage in a skillet on the stove top until cooked and crumbled. Drain.
2. Add the sausage, spinach, 2 cans of tomatoes, broth, and cream cheese to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.
3. Cook in the slow cooker, on low for 5 hours, stirring twice during cooking. Add the tortellini in the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking time and cook until they are tender.

Easy Crockpot Three Bean Chili

Most of the items come in a can, a jar, or can be bought pre-chopped. Put everything in the crockpot for 8 hours and serve with sour cream, avocado, cheese or coriander as high-protein vegetarian chili.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of red beans
• 1 package of ground turkey
• 1 onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 can of white beans
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 large can of tomato sauce
• 2 boxes of vegetable/beef/chicken broth

Preparation:

1. Dice the onion and wilt in a saucepan. Brown the ground turkey, add the garlic then throw it into the crockpot.
2. Pour in the tomato sauce, 1 box of broth, spices, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Rinse the white and black beans and toss them in.
4. Rinse the red beans and pour half in. Use a fork to smash the rest of the beans into a paste and scoop it into the soup.
5. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add extra broth to desired consistency.

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

Everyone needs a good chicken noodle soup recipe in their arsenal. Mine comes from my best friend’s grandmother in Michigan and includes making egg noodles that have to rest before cooking and slowly sauté chicken and vegetables in a bath of butter and garlic.

It’s decadent, it’s delicious, it takes a lot of effort. We don’t have time for that. Instead, we’ll rely on dry, packaged egg noodles to get the job done.

If you look at the list of ingredients, you might think, “Uh, Elizabeth, this list is LONG and you’re nuts,” to which I say Trader Joe’s sells this thing called mirepoix mix, which is a container of pre-chopped carrots, celery and onion in one. Buy that and send me cookies as a thank you (I like chocolate chip, thank you).

This could also be done vegetarian by using vegetable broth and omitting the chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup (375ml) cooked chicken, chopped
• 1 celery stalk with leaves, diced
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup (125ml) long grain rice (Uncle Ben)
• 1/2 cup (125ml) small noodles of your choice
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups (1.5L) chicken broth
• Salt, pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. In a crockpot add the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and season liberally with salt and pepper. Pour in broth. 
2. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard the bay leaves and return the chicken to the slow cooker. Add the egg noodles. 
3. Cover and cook on low until al dente—approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Slow Cooker Recipes for Kids

Hopefully, these easy crockpot meals for kids give you some quick ideas. We eat quite a bit of chili in the winter and shredded chicken for tacos, burritos, and nachos.

I think everyone should own a crockpot whether you have kids or not. Our busy lives make them a kitchen must. Having kids just make them all the more necessary.

Having slow cooker recipes for kids is an important part of any care givers dinner arsenal. Mealtime can be a great moment to come together and talk about your day, but if children aren’t eating it can become a stressful battle.

I’m super excited to have the Instant Pot and all of the features that come with it. So, hopefully, I’ll write another post soon for easy Instapot meals.

If you do have children you may like some of my post on activities for kids such as the 10 Amazing Art Apps for Kids. Or if you have a little more time for a longer family meal check out the ideas in this post for Fondue Party Ideas for a Great Family Fun Night.