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Ready for your new favourite time saving dinner shortcut? Meet these Slow Cooker Dump Bags. These are recipes that can be prepped in minutes and then frozen, uncooked, until you need them.

Collage showing 12 slow cooker dump bag recipes.

You know I am a HUGE fan of slow cooker recipes that can be just popped straight into the slow cooker with NO browning first, but what if we prepped these in advance too for convenience that’s on another level?

Yes it’s possible! Here are some of my favourite recipes – made into… DUMP BAGS!

What is a ‘dump bag’?

I know, I know. The name is not my favourite word 😬 BUT it does describe what these do on the tin.

A dump bag is where you prepare all (or most) of the ingredients for a slow cooker meal, then:

  • Put it into a freezer container. 
  • Label and freeze until you want to cook it.
  • Defrost thoroughly, dump in the slow cooker (get it?) and cook according to the usual instructions.

That’s it. Dinner is done!

What’s the benefit of meal prepping like this?

⭐️ Use days when you do have a tiny bit of spare time to help you on days that you don’t.

⭐️ Helps with bulk-buying ingredients (meat, for example, is often cheaper in bulk).

⭐️ Doubling up your prep means double dinners, in less than double the time. (I usually make at least x2 of each recipe.)

Do you have to defrost the food before cooking it in the slow cooker?

The short answer is yes. It is always recommended for dishes containing meat.

There’s a really useful article of tips here in the Guardian: Defrost and Dump.

  1. Allow the bags to defrost totally before adding to the slow cooker.
  2. Be sure to defrost them in the fridge. This will be slower but is the food safety recommendation.
  3. The time they take to defrost will depend a lot on the shape of the container you are using to freeze. If you can freeze in thin bags (see my notes re: bags further down) they will defrost much quicker.
  4. As a rule, my reusable bags take over 24 hours to defrost in the fridge. So if I want it for dinner on Tuesday night, I’d need to take it out of the freezer on Sunday night to be sure, and then cook it in the slow cooker on Tuesday morning. So about 36 hours.

    Again, these timings will depend highly on what shape of container you use. Flatter bags will defrost MUCH quicker.

Which bags or containers are the best to use?

Without doubt, for convenience, single-use plastic bags are the best option. You can lay them flat in the freezer and they freeze in a thin shape so they defrost quickly.

But who wants to be buying single-use plastic these days? Luckily the ones below say they can be reused more than once – hurrah!

➡️ Bag Holder (SO useful for easy, mess free filling!)

This is the bag holder that you may have seen me using in recent videos. I LOVE this. It’s so so helpful if you’re planning on making Dump Bags, or freezing cooked leftovers in bags.

➡️ Premium Quality Freezer Labels

These labels are 100% the best I have found. They are the only ones I’ve used that don’t fall off in the freezer. Just make sure that the bag is totally dry before you stick them on.

➡️ Premium 4.55l Plastic Bags Heavy Duty

UPDATE (20 Feb 2023)

I have tried these recently and am a fan! They can be squashed very flat so:

  • They lay neatly in the freezer
  • They freeze quickly
  • Most importantly, they defrost quickly

➡️ Morphy Richards Sear and Stew 3.5l Slow Cooker

This is the slow cooker I always use and I cannot recommend enough.

It’s so light and easy to handle, the pot can also be used on the hob AND it’s great value. 

Some final tips

⭐️ Before you set aside time to prepare your dump bags, make sure you have freezer space!

⭐️ Have bags and labels ready.

⭐️ If you need a shopping list, you can adjust the recipe ingredients needed for portion sizes on every recipe here:

Screenshot to show how to adjust the recipe card on my site for more servings.

The Dump Bag Recipes

The end product of a Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.
4.99 from 210 votes

1. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

This is a classic fakeaway.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the garam masala, mango chutney and crème fraîche. Defrost and cook as per the rest of the instructions.
Note: You may find that some water come out of this as it defrosts. Be sure to defrost the bag in a big bowl in the fridge and add the contents of the bag INCLUDING THE WATER to the slow cooker. Give everything a good mix to recombine as it cooks.
Click here for the full recipe
Close up of a pan filled with slow cooked beef goulash.
5 from 51 votes

2. Beef Goulash

Simple to prep ahead of time, this Beef Goulashis rich, hearty and comforting – perfect for an easy midweek meal for the whole family.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients to the bag APART FROM the peppers. Defrost and cook as per instructions (adding the peppers at the end of the cooking time).
Click here for the full recipe
Sweet potato and peanut butter vegan stew in a slow cooker, garnished with peanuts and parsley.
4.95 from 147 votes

3. Slow Cooker Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Stew

This Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew is comforting, creamy and totally delicious.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients to the bag. Defrost and cook as per instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
Peppers, chicken and spring onion in a sweet and sour sauce.
5 from 143 votes

4. Sweet and Sour Chicken

Replicate a takeaway favourite at home by trying this delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken in the slow cooker. Perfect for weekends or entertaining.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the pineapple, cornflour, dark brown sugar and peppers to the bag. Defrost, add the pineapple juice from a can and cook and finish as per the rest of the instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
Beef curry in a slow cooker.
4.94 from 527 votes

5. Slow Cooker Beef Curry

This Slow Cooker Beef Curry is mixed up in just 5 minutes. A tasty ‘fakeaway’, light and healthy.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the spinach, mango chutney and garam masala to the bag. Defrost and cook as per the rest of the instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
A slow cooker pan filled with a delicious Honey Garlic Chicken sauce, with spring onions sprinkled on top.
4.98 from 339 votes

6. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

This recipe cooks up a sticky, Asian-style sauce and tender meat.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the cornflour to the bag. Defrost and cook as per instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
A big slow cooker pot filled with cooked Spanish-style chicken and chorizo stew, with olives and peppers.
4.99 from 99 votes

7. Slow Cooker Chicken & Chorizo Stew

This Chicken and Chorizo Stew is the ideal midweek meal. Throw everything into the Slow Cooker in the morning, and a Spanish style casserole is waiting when you get home.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the peppers and olives to the bag. Defrost and cook as per instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
Slow cooker Chilli Con Carne topped with cheese and chillis, without the lid on.
4.98 from 192 votes

8. Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne

This Slow Cooker Chilli allows us to make this homemade favourite easily and without needing to brown the meat first.
How to prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all the ingredients apart from the chocolate, kidney beans and green pepper to the bag. Defrost and cook as per the rest of the instructions, adding the additional ingredients.
Click here for the full recipe
Bit slow cooker pan full of creamy vegetable soup.
5 from 55 votes

9. Slow Cooker Cream of Vegetable Soup

As far as soup recipes go, this one is as easy as it is delicious. It's also hearty and healthy, creamy and low cost. Bonus!
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Put all of the peeled and chopped vegetables in a bag and freeze. Add water and stock and finish as per the recipe.
It's worth noting, as this is vegetarian, you DO NOT need to defrost before adding to your slow cooker – win!
Click here for the full recipe
4.93 from 786 votes

10. Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

This healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Curry is SO incredibly easy. No browning, no preparation. Just leave it to bubble away.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the Garam Masala to the bag. Defrost and cook as per instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
Bolognese with spaghetti in the slow cooker.
4.98 from 241 votes

11. Slow Cooker Bolognese

This Slow Cooker Bolognese recipe is so easy, no browning needed. Perfect to top spaghetti or use in lasagne.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the Worcester sauce and basil to the bag. Defrost and cook as per the rest of the instructions.
Click here for the full recipe
Easy slow cooker vegan and vegetarian curry recipe
4.97 from 26 votes

12. Slow Cooker Easy Vegetable Curry

This super easy, nutrient rich and flavour packed Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry takes just a few minutes to prepare and you have a delicious vegan dish a few hours later that’s perfect for the whole family.
To prepare this as a dump bag:
Add all ingredients apart from the garam masala to the bag. Defrost and cook as per the rest of the instructions.
Click here for the full recipe

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

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Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

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Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

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21 Comments

  1. These look amazing! How far in advance can I prepare and freeze these? In other words, how long can they stay in the freezer? I want to some for postpartum.

    Reply

  2. I’ve made 2 of these recipes so far including the dump bags for additional meals – absolutely loved them 🙂

    Reply

  3. I cannot tell you how much your recipes have helped! So easy to follow and always delicious. Massively helped me get into some better cooking habits!

    Reply

  4. I love your recipes! My adult children have stopped freaking out when the slow cooker comes out since I have found you. You have saved my sanity as I can meal prep on a Saturday when I shop and have my week sorted! Thank you

    Reply

  5. Is it okay to mix red meat with veggies in a bag? I would think the blood would run into eg onion, wouldn’t it?

    Reply

  6. I am new to this, even to freezing and I don’t like cooking in a slow cooker. I like to slow cook in the oven or on the stove top. I like the idea of the dump bag freezing. I would like to buy a cook book on this method. Can you tell me where I can buy one. thank you. Ann Chamberlain

    Reply

  7. Don’t know if you’ve found an alternative bag yet, but if not, look at Stasher bags. They are expensive, but I got a small one as a free sample and I love it. Dishwasher safe and come in all sorts of sizes, I fully intend to buy myself a few full sets when I win the lottery 😀

    Reply

    2. Try using a digital crock pot as it will turn off cooking and keep it on a warm setting automatically. You can get inexpensive ones that are really good.

      Reply

    3. Use a timer =- like you would use for table lamps – set it to the 4 or 8 hours and it will come on / finish based on your settings

      Reply

  9. I’m wondering if these could be even more amazing in an electric pressure cooker, seeing as you can skip the defrosting stage with those. Any ideas?

    Reply

    1. Hi Louise, I haven’t tested them, but let me know if you do. I have an instant pot so maybe I’ll try them in there and report back?

      Reply

    3. Hi Louise
      I use a pressure cooker crockpot they take around 45mins in the pressure cooker but there lovely and the meat just falls apart.

      Reply