15+ Dump and Go Crockpot Dinners For Kids

Finding crockpot recipes that your kids will actually enjoy can be challenging, and even more impossible on some very busy weeknights to get a healthy dinner on the table.

Today I’m sharing the top 15 dump and go crock pot recipes on Pinterest for your lovely little angels that are kid-friendly, easy, and taste amazing, and will definitely make life easier on busy nights.

Trust me, these recipes are going to be your new best friend.

Crockpot Mac and Cheese Kids Actually Eat

Mac and cheese in the crockpot feels like a tiny dinner rescue mission.

The kids are hovering, the sink already has dishes in it, and you just need something creamy that will not start a debate.

This one smells like butter and cheddar before it even hits the table.

The noodles get soft without turning into soup if you stir em now and then.

That sharp cheddar sauce clings in the way boxed stuff wishes it could.

Serve it with apple slices or whatever vegetable your house is currently willing to tolerate.

Yep, count that as balance.

Some nights we aim for fed, not magazine-cover dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese or 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the macaroni according to package directions, then drain it well.
2. Melt the butter and cheddar together in a saucepan, stirring until smooth.
3. In the slow cooker, mix the melted cheese mixture with the eggs, soup, sour cream, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir in the drained macaroni.
5. Cover and cook for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Prep: 5 mins  |  Cook: 3 hours on low  |  Serves: 12

My kid-table move: Use Gouda with the cheddar, swap cream for milk, add Dijon instead of dry mustard, or sneak in a little red chili.

No-Oven Crockpot Lasagna

Lasagna without turning on the oven makes me feel like I got away with something.

That is very useful on the night practice runs late and homework happens at the table with one shoe still on.

The crockpot smells like tomato sauce, oregano, beef, and melted mozzarella.

The noodles soften right in the sauce, which still feels mildly magical.

The first scoop comes out messy in that cozy, cheesy way kids usually do not question.

It is not clean-layer restaurant lasagna, and that is fine.

Cheese stretch gets more dinner peace than perfect squares ever will.

Honestly, I will take peace with a little sauce on the table.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 ounces cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
• 12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then add the onion and garlic.
2. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, and salt, then bring the sauce to a boil.
3. Spoon a layer of meat sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker.
4. Add two layers of uncooked lasagna noodles and spread cheese over the noodles.
5. Repeat the sauce, noodles, and cheese layers until everything is used.
6. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 hours, until the noodles are tender.

Prep: 15 mins  |  Cook: 4 to 5 hours on low  |  Serves: 4 to 6

Little pasta note: Replace half the ground beef with spicy sausage, then switch the crockpot to warm once the noodles are tender so the pasta does not overcook.

Saucy Crockpot Ravioli

Frozen ravioli has rescued so many chaotic evenings, and it deserves more respect.

This is the pantry dinner I keep in my back pocket for days when boiling water feels personally offensive.

The sauce warms with tomato sauce, red pepper, Italian spices, and mozzarella.

The ravioli turns tender under all that sauce, and the cheese melts over the top like it had one job.

Add cucumber slices, broccoli, or absolutely nothing extra if the day has already been a circus.

Nobody has to know the freezer did most of the emotional labor.

My only note is to scoop gently so the ravioli does not tear into mystery pasta clouds.

Ingredients

• 1 (25 ounce) bag beef ravioli
• 1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 to 3 teaspoons red peppers
• Italian spices, to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Pour half of the pasta sauce into the crockpot.
2. Add the frozen ravioli.
3. Pour in the remaining pasta sauce, water, and tomato sauce, then stir in the red pepper.
4. Sprinkle Italian spices over the sauce.
5. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
6. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the ravioli is done.

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 4 to 5 hours on low  |  Serves: 6 to 8

What I would add: Stir in diced spicy Italian sausage, skip the tomato sauce, and use extra pasta sauce with Italian diced tomatoes, or try frozen deli ravioli with Parmesan.

Soft BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

BBQ chicken sandwiches are a good peace offering when everybody is hungry and nobody wants a serious plate.

The crockpot does the sweet onion and barbecue sauce thing all afternoon.

Then the chicken shreds into soft saucy pieces that tuck right into a bun.

It smells like summer even when the weather is acting confused.

This is the kind of dinner I would make when the whole house is tired but still weirdly picky.

Smaller kids can handle it without a knife, which is a win I will take.

Keep extra sauce on the side for the sauce people.

There is always one.

Soft buns help, honestly.

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 (18 ounce) jar favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
• 4 to 6 hamburger buns

Directions

1. Trim any visible fat from the chicken and place it in the crockpot.
2. Scatter the sliced onion over the chicken.
3. Pour enough barbecue sauce over everything to coat the chicken well.
4. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and easy to shred.
5. Shred the chicken with two forks and pile it onto the bottom buns.
6. Add the top buns and serve.

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 8 hours on low  |  Serves: 4 to 6

For a smoky batch: Use Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce with a few teaspoons of liquid smoke, or season extra chicken with pepper, garlic, and salt before cooking.

Cheesy Chicken Over Rice

Cheesy chicken looks plain in the crockpot, then somehow wins people over once it hits rice.

Rude, but useful.

The cream of chicken soup, cheddar soup, garlic powder, and chicken cook down into a soft sauce.

It smells cozy without asking you to chop anything, which is a blessing on loud school nights.

The chicken pulls apart easily enough for kids who do not want big chunks.

No, it is not glamorous.

Neither is wiping ranch off the table at 7 pm, so we are being realistic.

The leftovers stay soft enough for lunch the next day, and that counts.

Serve it over rice and move on with your evening.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Arrange the chicken breasts in the crockpot.
2. Mix the undiluted soups with the garlic powder, then pour the mixture over the chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the chicken is done.
4. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice.

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 6 to 8 hours on low  |  Serves: 8

Easy serving swap: Cube the chicken before cooking and serve it over egg noodles, or use broccoli cheese soup instead of cheddar cheese soup.

Cream Cheese Chicken for Noodles

This cream cheese chicken is what I make when the day has been too loud.

Soft, creamy, hard to mess up.

The Italian seasoning hits the chicken first, then the onion, garlic, soup, broth, and cream cheese melt into sauce.

It smells like somebody cared, even if that somebody was mostly the crockpot.

Spoon it over noodles and let the sauce do the convincing.

Do not be surprised if the quiet kid asks for more sauce before asking for more chicken.

The whole thing feels gentle when everyone is already tired, which is honestly useful information.

I would keep a little pasta water nearby if the sauce gets too thick.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken pieces
• 1 (2/3 ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix
• 4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces in the crockpot and sprinkle them with Italian dressing mix.
2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons melted butter over the chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
4. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan and saute the onion and garlic.
5. Stir in the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and cream cheese until the sauce is smooth.
6. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook for 1 more hour, or until done.

Prep: 20 mins  |  Cook: 5 to 7 hours on low  |  Serves: 6

Extra cozy option: Add mushrooms to the cream cheese sauce, then top the cooked chicken with crumbled bacon and chives before serving.

Crockpot Chicken Taco Filling

Taco night gets calmer when the filling is already done before the shells hit the table.

This chicken taco meat keeps it simple with broth, seasoning, and a long low cook.

The meat stays juicy enough to shred with a fork.

The smell is mild but familiar, which helps when kids are suspicious of anything new.

Set out cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, or whatever toppings are currently acceptable in your house.

I like this on the night everyone wants to build their own plate and call it independence.

And set out napkins, because tacos have no respect for clean shirts.

The leftovers make nachos later, which is never bad news.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• Taco shells

Directions

1. Stir the taco seasoning into the chicken broth until dissolved.
2. Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot.
3. Pour the seasoned broth over the chicken.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
5. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
6. Serve in taco shells and chill any leftovers in airtight bags.

Prep: 0 mins  |  Cook: 6 to 8 hours on low  |  Serves: 8

Make it more fun: Add chopped garlic and cayenne, then serve with tortillas, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and olives, or add Rotel tomatoes with lime and cilantro.

Soft-Bun Pulled Pork

Pulled pork makes leftovers feel like a reward instead of punishment.

That helps when you cooked four pounds of pork and suddenly have sandwich filling for what feels like half the block.

The onions and ginger ale cook with the roast first.

Then barbecue sauce comes in later and turns everything sweet, smoky, and very snackable.

Pile it on soft buns for kids, and keep pickles nearby for the grown-ups.

Everybody gets to pretend they made dinner their own way.

Freeze extra portions before the family gets bored, because that moment can arrive fast.

I would label the bag too, unless freezer mystery meat is your household hobby.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork roast, shoulder or butt
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle favorite barbecue sauce

Directions

1. Place half of the sliced onions in the crockpot.
2. Set the pork roast on top and cover it with the remaining onions.
3. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours.
4. Remove the meat, drain the liquid, and save the onions.
5. Shred the pork with forks, discarding excess fat, bones, or skin.
6. Return the pork and onions to the crockpot, stir in the barbecue sauce, and cook on low for 4 to 6 more hours.
7. Serve on buns or rolls.

Prep: 30 mins  |  Cook: 16 to 18 hours on low  |  Serves: 10

Flavor shortcut: Replace the ginger ale with apple cider vinegar or apple juice, then add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke.

Chicken, Gravy and Stuffing

Chicken, gravy, and stuffing in the crockpot feels like a tiny holiday plate on a Tuesday.

I support this kind of behavior.

The chicken sits under broth, Swiss cheese, creamy soup, herb stuffing, and melted butter.

The whole kitchen starts smelling like comfort food before anyone grabs a fork.

The texture is soft and cozy, which helps with kids who side-eye anything too chunky.

Green beans or cranberry sauce make it feel like you had a theme.

Yes, it is old-school.

Old-school gets dinner on the table.

And that stuffing top makes the meal feel way more special than the effort level suggests.

Honestly.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 to 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place it in the crockpot.
2. Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
3. Lay one slice of Swiss cheese over each chicken breast.
4. Mix both soups with the milk, then spread the mixture over the chicken.
5. Sprinkle the stuffing over the soup layer.
6. Drizzle melted butter over the top.
7. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for about 3 hours.

Prep: 20 mins  |  Cook: 6 hours on low  |  Serves: 4

Lighter topping: Use 1/4 cup Smart Balance spread instead of butter, or use broth in place of butter.

Sweet Hawaiian Chicken and Rice

Hawaiian chicken sounds like something from an old church cookbook.

Honestly, that is part of why it works for kids.

Pineapple, mandarin oranges, brown sugar, lemon juice, and ginger cook down into a shiny sweet sauce.

The chicken stays gentle instead of spicy.

Everything lands nicely over rice when the house is in that pre-dinner chaos and someone is asking for a snack.

It is fruity, soft, and easy to scoop, which is sometimes the whole strategy.

The rice catches all that sweet sauce before it wanders off.

Very helpful when everyone is already orbiting the kitchen.

I would serve the fruit pieces first for the kid who hunts them down anyway.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (16 ounce) can pineapple slices, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Place the chicken, pineapple, mandarin oranges, cornstarch, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt, and ginger in the slow cooker.
2. Stir gently to combine without breaking up the fruit too much.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Serve with rice and spoon the fruit sauce over the top.

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 4 to 5 hours on low  |  Serves: 6 to 8

Fruitier version: Add teriyaki sauce, then sprinkle toasted coconut and toasted pecans over the finished dish, or use pineapple juice from the can with half a diced onion.

More Crockpot Dinners for Kids Around The Web

The Best Dump and Go Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken That Wont Give You Watery Sauce

I used to think teriyaki anything from a slow cooker was gonna turn out swimming in that thin, sad sauce.

You know what I’m talking about right? Like soupy chicken that tastes like it gave up halfway through cooking.

This one’s different though.

4 ingredients. Maybe 5 if you wanna throw in garlic and ginger which honestly you should because why not.

You dump everything in, walk away, and come back to chicken that’s falling apart in this thick sticky glaze that actually coats the meat instead of just… sitting there like broth.

The trick is a cornstarch slurry at the end. Sounds fancy but it’s literally two tablespoons of cornstarch whisked into cold water.

Stir it in while the sauce is still bubbling and it thickens up real nice in like ten minutes. Perfect combo for anyone who’s been burned by watery crockpot teriyaki before.

And the broccoli goes in at the very end.

Last 30 minutes only.

I cannot stress this enough because if you toss it in at the start you’re gonna get brown mush and nobody wants that on their plate.

My kids will actually eat the broccoli when it’s still got a little crunch to it, which honestly feels like a parenting win I did not expect on a Friday.

Serve it over white rice with some sesame seeds and green onions on top.

The whole thing takes maybe five minutes of actual hands on work.

The rest is just your crockpot doing its thing while you’re out living your life.

If you’re always looking for dump and go crockpot chicken dinners that don’t taste like you phoned it in, save this one immediately.

Oh and you can freeze it too.

Raw chicken plus sauce in a freezer bag, good for three months.

Thaw overnight then dump. Future you will be so grateful.

Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna That Has No Business Being This Easy

Have you ever wanted lasagna but also wanted to do absolutely nothing? Because same. And this crockpot ravioli lasagna is the answer to that very specific prayer.

You literally just layer stuff. Ravioli, meat sauce, cheese. Ravioli, meat sauce, cheese.

That’s it.

No boiling noodles, no making bechamel, no spending your whole Saturday afternoon in the kitchen feeling like you signed up for a cooking show you did’nt audition for.

The ravioli gets soft and pillowy while it cooks, the cheese goes all gooey and pulls apart in those long stretchy strings.

It’s giving comfort food without the commitment and I’m honestly here for it.

Six hours on low. Four servings.

Perfect for a weeknight when you want something that feels like Sunday dinner but you’ve got maybe three brain cells left after work.

This is what I pull out when my family’s being picky because nobody, and I mean nobody, says no to melted cheese over ravioli.

It’s one of those dump and go crockpot dinners that makes you look like you tried way harder than you did.

Fair warning though. Leftovers dont last long in my house.

This Crockpot French Dip Will Ruin All Other Sandwiches For You

I’m not being dramatic when I say this french dip changed my whole sandwich game.

Like there was before this recipe and theres after it, and I don’t wanna go back.

572 ratings. Almost a perfect five stars. That’s not a fluke, that’s a whole community of people who tried it and went yeah, this is the one.

So heres what happens. You take a 3 to 4 pound beef roast, half an onion, a packet of onion soup mix, some garlic and beef broth.

Everything goes in the crockpot.

Walk away for 8 hours on low. Come back and the beef just falls apart.

Shreds like butter. I’m not exaggerating, you barely have to touch it.

Pile that tender shredded beef onto a toasted hoagie roll, lay two slices of provolone on top and run it under the broiler til the cheese is all bubbly and the bread gets that golden crust.

Then you dip it in the broth.

The dipping part is everything.

That warm, beefy, oniony broth soaking into the bread?

It’s like a hug for your mouth. And if you want the au jus a little thicker you can mix cornstarch with water and stir it in.

Totally optional but kinda nice when you want more of a sauce situation instead of straight broth.

What I love about this is it’s a legit dump and go crockpot beef dinner that feels restaurant quality. Chuck roast works best because it shreds so easy and soaks up all that flavor.

You can even throw a bay leaf in there or a splash of Worcestershire if you’re feeling adventurous.

My auntie does it with a little soy sauce too and honestly it adds this depth that’s hard to explain but once you taste it you’ll get it.

This one freezes beautifully by the way.

Prep it all in a bag, freeze it raw, and just dump it in the crockpot whenever you need dinner to basically make itself.

At 594 calories per serving with 46 grams of protein it’s filling without going overboard.

Creamy Slow Cooker Beef Pasta That Feels Like a Warm Blanket

You know those meals that just make everything feel okay?

Like you walk in the door and the house smells incredible and suddenly the day wasn’t that bad after all? That’s this pasta.

Growing up we always had big one pot meals on Sundays. It was less about the food honestly and more about everybody being in the same room, talking over each other, laughing too loud.

My mom would have something going on the stove for hours and the whole house would just smell like love.

I think about that every time I make something like this.

Carrying it forward in my own kitchen, you know?

Modern version of the same feeling.

The recipe itself is pretty simple in the best way. Beef stew meat, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, heavy cream, some dried herbs.

Everything goes in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on low.

The beef gets so tender you can pull it apart with a fork.

And that sauce, oh my god.

It’s rich and creamy and coats the pasta like it’s been simmering for days.

Cook your penne or fusilli separately about 30 minutes before everything’s done. Stir it into the slow cooker with a cup of parmesan cheese and just let it all meld together.

The cheese melts into the sauce and turns it into this velvety situation that’s almost too good.

I make this on days when I know everyone needs a little extra comfort. Rainy Sundays, rough weeks, first cold snap of the season.

It’s that kind of food.

And if you’re someone who’s always searching for easy crockpot recipes that still feel homemade and special, put this on your list.

Leftovers reheat great too.

Just add a splash of cream or broth when you warm it up so the sauce stays creamy instead of getting thick and clumpy.

The sauce freezes well on its own but cook fresh pasta when you’re ready to eat it again. Trust me on that part.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti That’s Cheesy Gooey and Stupid Easy

Sometimes you just need cheese.

Like an unreasonable amount of melted, bubbly, stretchy cheese on top of pasta and you need it to require zero effort.

That’s this baked ziti and I will not apologize for how often I make it.

It’s classic comfort food but the crockpot version, so you’re not heating up your whole kitchen or babysitting an oven for an hour.

Layer it up, set it, forget about it. Come back to gooey cheesy perfection that tastes like it took way more work than it actually did.

Every single bite has that ratio of pasta to sauce to cheese that’s just right.

Not dry, not soupy.

Just this perfect in between where everything melds together but you can still tell what you’re eating.

My kids go absolutely feral for this one and honestly so do I.

If you’re trying to round out your slow cooker game and you already have the chicken and beef recipes on lock, maybe check out some crockpot pork chop dinners too.

Or if youre watching carbs theres a whole collection of low carb dump and go crockpot dinners that are worth bookmarking.

But for tonight? Make the ziti. You wont regret it.

So yeah. That’s dinner sorted.

How to Get Picky Eaters On Board With Crockpot Dinners

Kids can smell a suspicious dinner from the hallway.

So the trick is not pretending every crockpot meal will be loved by everyone.

Give them something familiar to hold onto while the new stuff sits nearby.

Soft buns, noodles, rice, taco shells, cheese, and fruit on the side do a lot of quiet work.

If a sauce has onions, peppers, mushrooms, or anything that might get pointed at dramatically, chop it small or let it cook down.

Keep toppings separate when you can.

A kid who builds their own taco, slider, or rice bowl is usually calmer than a kid staring down a mystery scoop.

Start with tiny portions, add one safe side, and do not turn dinner into a courtroom.

Honestly, the goal is not a flawless plate.

The goal is getting everybody fed without losing your whole evening.

If they only eat two bites the first time, fine.

Low-pressure repeats usually work better than a big speech at the table.

And yeah, ketchup may appear where you did not expect ketchup, but family dinner is not a museum exhibit.

Some nights, that is more than enough.

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