Dump Bag Recipes {Freeze and Go Slow Cooker Meals}

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

Summary photo of all 5 dump bag recipes included in this post.

You know I am a HUGE fan of slow cooker recipes that can be just popped straight into the slow cooker, no browning, but what if we prepped these in advance too?

Meet some of my favourite recipes to make 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. Put them into a freezer container. Label and freeze until you want to cook them.

Then, defrost thoroughly, dump in the slow cooker (get it?) and cook according to the usual instructions and that’s it. Dinner done!

What’s the benefit of meal prepping like this?

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

⭐️ Helps in 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 this food before cooking in the slow cooker?

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

Allow the bags to defrost totally before adding to the slow cooker.

Be sure to defrost them in the fridge. This will be slower but is the food safety recommendation.

The time they take to defrost will depending 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 later on) they will defrost much quicker.

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 hugely on what shape of container you use. Flatter bags will defrost MUCH quicker.

Which bags or containers are best to use?

Okay. I’m going to share the bags I’ve used recently because so many people asked BUT..

I do not love them. Out of 8, one split on me after a couple of weeks and also as they are SO wide they take a very long time to defrost and also are tricky to fit into the freezer.

Without doubt, for convenience, single use plastic bags are the best option. You can lie 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?

Honestly, I don’t have an answer right now, so I’m sharing the options below so you can decide yourself.

➡️ 8 Pack of Reusable Bags

Again, please read my disclaimer above for these, but until I find a better alternative, I will keep using them.

➡️ 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

If I hadn’t invested in the sturdy bags above, these are the bags I would be buying and then laying flat in the freezer.

They say they are reusable too. So perhaps they are an alternative and not quite single use? Please let me know if anyone tests them!

➡️ 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 prep dump bags, make sure you have freezer space!

⭐️ Make sure you have bags and labels ready.

⭐️ If you need a shopping list, you can adjust the recipe ingredients needed for more portions on every recipe on my site here:

The Dump Bag Recipes

Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken

This recipe for Honey Garlic Chicken is cooked in the slow cooker with just 5 minutes preparation needed. It cooks up a sticky, Asian style sauce and super tender meat.