One of my most favorite budget-friendly, easy-to-make dinners for my family is to have loaded baked potatoes. Serving Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes is a great way to have dinner ready for you quickly, making them a great meal option on busy nights.
Potatoes are inexpensive- they are great for stretching a budget as well as delicious to eat. Everyone in my family likes them a different way so creating a baked potato bar full of different toppings is a great way to please a group. A baked potato bar could have shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon (of course), steamed broccoli, even leftovers from a previous dinner like chili, sauteed veggies or beans and salsa.
With slow cooker baked potatoes, all you need to do is assemble the toppings, heat or steam a couple of items in the microwave, toss a salad and dinner is served. If that’s not a reason to add a baked potato bar to your menu for busy nights, I don’t know what is.
Preparing the potatoes for cooking in the slow cooker is very easy. It can be done at night before bed so they are ready to cook in the morning before you start your day.
- Wash the potatoes and pat dry. Poke a few holes in them with a fork.
- Coat the skin of the potatoes with oil, we use spray
- Salt and pepper the potatoes to your taste.
- Wrap each potato in aluminum foil.
In the morning or when you are ready to cook them, place the potatoes into the slow cooker. Times will vary depending on the size and number of potatoes however, using 8 medium potatoes took about 2 hours on high for us. All day on low for a slow cooker full of potatoes should work just fine as well. Adjust for your slow cookers’ temperature.
Baking extras is a great way to plan for lunches or future meals. Slow cooker baked potatoes can become a quick and easy lunch at work with which toppings you have left from dinner. They can also be used to fry up on the stove later in the week or even roasted crisp in the oven.
What is your favorite way to enjoy a Baked Potato?
5 Comments
A baked potato bar is a favorite with our family as well. A great budget buster! We like butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon, and chili…broccoli on the side for some and on top for the others.
Thanks for reminding me of the simplicity of a baked potato. i haven’t had one in a while, so it’s time to cook some in the crockpot. I too, do not wrap them in foil and they turn out delicious! My favorite is a baked potato with a nice steak cooked on the Primo.
I have never thought of baking potatoes this way. I’m definitely going to try this. Thanks, Liz.
This is so smart. I was just thinking that we should have baked potatoes soon, I’m going to try it this way.
I cook mine this way too..Just an FYI: put in a few extra, they keep for a week or so and in a few days, take the skin off add milk, butter, onion and celery and slow cook potato soup…