When dinner has to be easy to make and appeal to the whole family, using a crockpot for a simple meal ideal is a great way to do both. The crockpot is a very versatile appliance, especially if you tend to have a busy schedule. Simply add your ingredients, plug it in, turn it on, and after a few hours dinner is ready! It's great no-fuss way to have a home cooked dinner without a lot of work.

Chili is a very easy and delicious crockpot meal to make. All you need is ground meat, kidney, pinto or navy beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices. You can even try different variations, such as adding corn, black beans and salsa for a southwestern chili. And chili is one of those meals that freezes well, so you won't have to worry about leftovers.

Stuffed peppers, made with rice, diced vegetables, and topped with a tomato based sauce are excellent when prepared in a crockpot. Because of the slow cooking process the flavor of the peppers truly comes alive. Another great option is stuffed cabbage rolls made by using either rice or barley based filling and simmering with a tomato sauce.

There are many simple chicken recipes you can make with the crockpot. You can find many crockpot chicken tetrazzini recipes that are easy to make and only take a few minutes in the morning to put it together it. You might also try chicken and dumplings. This is a very easy meal to prepare for the crockpot.

If you are in the mood for Italian, try spaghetti sauce in your crock pot or lasagna. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to prepare ethnic meals like Italian food in your crock pot. You can even fix the meatballs in your crockpot ahead of time, freeze them and pull them out when you are cooking spaghetti for dinner.

The sky really is the limit when it comes to using your crockpot for simple meals that you will enjoy cooking and your family will enjoy eating.

Just about any food can be cooked in a crockpot. With ingredients like beans, rice, ground beef, tomato sauce, even pasta, you can make a number of simple crockpot meals. If you are stuck on what to cook in your crockpot there are many crockpot cookbooks on the market that can help you make simple, healthy meals for your family.