Stay one step ahead in the kitchen with these 33 time-saving make-ahead meals that make busy nights and big gatherings feel effortless. From juicy ham slow-cooked in a sweet glaze to bold Thai BBQ chicken, and slow cooker favorites like goulash, taco soup, and creamy tortellini chicken, this list has something to satisfy every craving. With a mix of cozy classics, bold global flavors, and plenty of crockpot convenience, each dish is designed to be prepped ahead. Scroll through to find your next easy family dinner, laid-back weekend feast, or freezer-friendly favorite—you’ll want to bookmark them all.

Juicy Ham in the Crockpot With Glaze

A sliced ham in a slow cooker, topped with pineapple chunks and maraschino cherries. The ham is glazed, giving it a shiny appearance. The white slow cooker contrasts with the vibrant colors of the fruit and glaze.
Juicy Ham in the Crockpot With Glaze. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This ham in the crock pot recipe is a tender, juicy main dish that’s foolproof and crowd-pleasing. Prep the glaze the night before and refrigerate. Warm slightly before using. You can also cook the ham a day ahead, store it with juices, and reheat with glaze on the stovetop just before serving.
Get the Recipe: Juicy Ham in the Crockpot With Glaze

Bold & Spicy Thai Chicken Recipe

thai chicken with coconut on it.
Bold & Spicy Thai Chicken Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Thai BBQ Chicken is juicy chicken breasts that are rubbed with a special seasoning mix, cooked on the grill, and served up with a quick and easy spicy sauce. It’s easy to prep ahead so all you have to do at dinner is grill the meat and eat, which means it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or an easy bbq meal on the patio in the summer months.
Get the Recipe: Bold & Spicy Thai Chicken Recipe

Make-Ahead Tender Pot Roast and Gravy

Sirloin tip roast and vegetables
Make-Ahead Tender Pot Roast and Gravy Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Your family will say thank you when you make this delicious slow cooker recipe for tender, juicy sirloin tip roast with a mix of delicious vegetables and savory gravy. This make-ahead recipe is an easy-to-prep sirloin tip roast in a slow cooker that is perfect for a hassle-free, mouthwatering dinner.
Get The Recipe: Make-Ahead Tender Pot Roast and Gravy

Easy French Onion Chicken Casserole

A rectangular white baking dish filled with a baked dish featuring caramelized onions, melted cheese, and herbs in a rich brown sauce. The dish is set on a wooden board with a yellow cloth beside it.
Easy French Onion Chicken Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This French Onion Chicken Casserole is packed with savory flavor, featuring juicy boneless, skinless chicken thighs smothered in caramelized onions and topped with melty provolone cheese. To get ahead, you can assemble the casserole up to the point of baking, then cover it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to a day.
Get the Recipe: Easy French Onion Chicken Casserole

Tex-Mex Chicken Taco Soup Recipe

tex mex soup crokpot recipe
Tex-Mex Chicken Taco Soup Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Hearty Tex-Mex Chicken Taco Soup Recipe is an easy make-ahead soup recipe that is full of traditional Mexican seasonings and veggies.
Get the Recipe: Tex-Mex Chicken Taco Soup Recipe

Easy-Prep Crockpot Chicken And Dressing

Four ingredient baked chicken with stuffing
Easy-Prep Crockpot Chicken And Dressing. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This simple chicken and stuffing crockpot with 4 ingredients is the perfect easy dinner that only takes 5 minutes to prep.
Get the Recipe: Easy-Prep Crockpot Chicken And Dressing

Creamy Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

A fork lifts spaghetti with meat sauce from a green plate. The pasta is topped with a rich, chunky tomato meat sauce, suggesting a hearty meal. A red and white striped cloth is partially visible in the background.
Creamy Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

You need to try this spaghetti sauce creamy crock pot recipe! It’s a rich, protein-packed, and comforting blend of ground beef, velvety cottage cheese, and tangy tomato sauce. Slow-cooked to perfection, it creates deep, hearty flavors in every bite, perfect for an easy, make-ahead meal.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef

nacho casserole on a plate
Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Mexican Casserole Recipe is a cheesy, comforting dish that’s quick to make and crowd-pleasing. Made with seasoned ground beef, creamy enchilada sauce, corn, beans, and tortilla chips, it’s perfect for weeknight dinners or group gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef

Slow Cooker Goulash: German Recipe

German goulash cooked in a crock pot over egg noodles
Slow Cooker Goulash: German Recipe. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This hearty Slow Cooker German Goulash recipe makes it easy to serve a delicious, authentic goulash soup. This German Goulash is chock full of tender beef and vegetables cooked to perfection in a richly seasoned red wine and sweet paprika broth.
Get The Recipe: Slow Cooker Goulash: German Recipe

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup

Chicken corn chowder in a bowl with bacon and sprinkled on top
Easy Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Crock pot chicken corn soup makes an easy meal for weeknights! It cooks up mostly unattended until you’re ready to serve it up for dinner. It is simple dump and go one pot meal that requires minimal effort for easy dinners.
Get the Recipe: Easy Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup

Corned Beef Crock Pot Recipe

A plate of sliced corned beef surrounded by potatoes, carrots, and cabbage wedges. The dish is on a wooden board with a green checkered cloth partially visible underneath.
Corned Beef Crock Pot Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Toss corned beef and veggies into a slow cooker with some broth and spices, and you’ve got an effortless meal. If you’re making it a day in advance, cook it as usual, then store the beef and veggies in an airtight container with some of the broth to keep them from drying out. When you’re ready to serve, just reheat everything gently on the stove or in the slow cooker on low.
Get the Recipe: Corned Beef Crock Pot Recipe

Slow Cooker Italian Mississippi Chicken

Mississippi chicken
Slow Cooker Italian Mississippi Chicken. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Deliciously creamy Italian Mississippi Chicken with tender chicken breasts, spicy Italian banana peppers, & heavy cream. Quick 10-minute prep!
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Mississippi Chicken

Italian Chicken Parmesan Slow Cooker Recipe

A plate of spaghetti topped with homemade chicken parmesan, marinara sauce, and melted cheese, garnished with fresh basil leaves. The dish is served on a red and white plate, with a grater and a striped cloth napkin in the background.
Italian Chicken Parmesan Slow Cooker Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This Italian Chicken Parmesan Recipe takes tender chicken breasts, coats them in Panko bread crumbs, and cooks them with marinara in a slow cooker.
Get the Recipe: Italian Chicken Parmesan Slow Cooker Recipe

Quick-Prep Taco Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese and chopped green onions. The chili contains beans, ground meat, corn, and diced red peppers, with a rich, thick tomato-based sauce. Tortilla chips are placed beside the bowl on a colorful blue plate.
Quick-Prep Taco Soup Slow Cooker Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Quick to prep, slow cooker taco soup recipe is my Pinterest follower’s top favorite. Made with Mexican spices, beef, beans, and veggies.
Get the Recipe: Quick-Prep Taco Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

Old Fashion Creamy Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

Homemade chicken and dumplings
Old Fashion Creamy Chicken And Dumplings Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Old Fashion Creamy Chicken And Dumplings recipe creates soft chewy dumplings, tender chicken and veggies smothered in a creamy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashion Creamy Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

Easy Yankee Pot Roast Recipe

Yankee pot roast
Easy Yankee Pot Roast Recipe. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

You can make this Crock Pot Yankee Pot Roast that’s fork-tender and juicy with just 10 minutes of prep time. It’s easy, just fill your slow cooker and let it do all the work.
Get The Recipe: Easy Yankee Pot Roast Recipe

Delicious Crock Pot Chicken With Ranch

A plate of creamy chicken alfredo pasta garnished with shredded cheese and green onions. A fork is lifting a portion of the dish. The plate rests on a blue and white striped cloth.
Delicious Crock Pot Chicken With Ranch. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Crockpot chicken with ranch is a simple, yummy recipe that combines cream cheese ranch dressing mix with tender, juicy chicken and pasta.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Crock Pot Chicken With Ranch

Easy Smothered Beef Skirt Steak Crockpot Recipe

A plate of shredded pot roast covered in brown gravy with mushrooms, served over a bed of rice. A black fork is lifting a portion of the tender meat. Fresh parsley is sprinkled on top as a garnish.
Easy Smothered Beef Skirt Steak Crockpot Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Beef skirt steak crock pot is a savory, tender dish that’s incredibly easy to make. Made with skirt steak, mushrooms, and a creamy onion gravy, it’s perfect for weeknight dinners or a hearty meal for guests. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Get the Recipe: Easy Smothered Beef Skirt Steak Crockpot Recipe

Deliciously Creamy Chicken-Tortellini Soup

A bowl of creamy chicken tortellini soup with shredded chicken, cheese tortellini, diced carrots, and herbs, topped with grated cheese. Served in a white bowl with a red rim, accompanied by a silver spoon and a striped napkin on the side.
Deliciously Creamy Chicken-Tortellini Soup. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This creamy soup pairs cheese tortellini, tender chicken, and Italian herbs for an easy and satisfying meal that feels festive.
Get the Recipe: Deliciously Creamy Chicken-Tortellini Soup

Crock Pot Chicken Recipe

Whole roasted chicken in the crock pot
Crock Pot Chicken Recipe. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This juicy, tender, crock pot whole chicken recipe is sure to become a favorite go-to recipe. Not only is it delicious, but the cost savings of making it at home compared to store-bought options is a great bonus. Your homemade crock pot whole chicken will also help you create multiple meals using the leftovers.
Get The Recipe: Crock Pot Chicken Recipe

Easy-Prep Chili Without Beans

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, and jalapeño slices. The dish is served in a white bowl on a green plate, with a green cloth nearby.
Easy-Prep Chili Without Beans. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Thick and meaty chili without beans recipe is made with savory chili seasonings, tomatoes, and chiles all slow simmered in your crockpot.
Get the Recipe: Easy-Prep Chili Without Beans

Layered Mexican Casserole For A Crowd

A vibrant plate of Mexican casserole topped with a dollop of sour cream, a slice of jalapeno, and cilantro. The dish is a mix of corn, black beans, pinto beans, red bell peppers, and ground meat, garnished with shredded cheese. A jalapeno and parsley lie beside the plate.
Layered Mexican Casserole For A Crowd. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Layered Cheesy Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef is made with classic Mexican seasonings, beans, peppers, tomatoes and cheese.
Get the Recipe: Layered Mexican Casserole For A Crowd

Oven-Baked Pork and Sauerkraut Recipe

New year's eve pork and sauerkraut on black plate
Oven-Baked Pork and Sauerkraut Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Pork and sauerkraut is a savory, dish that’s easy to prepare and perfect for hosting. Made with tender pork roast, fresh sauerkraut, sweet apple, and brown sugar, this one-pot recipe delivers bold flavor and comforting aroma. Make it a day in advance and reheat on low with a splash of apple juice for easy entertaining.
Get the Recipe: Oven-Baked Pork and Sauerkraut Recipe

French Onion Soup Chicken One-Pot Casserole

French onion chicken that has been cooked in a crock pot
French Onion Soup Chicken One-Pot Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This Easy Chicken and French Onion Soup Casserole is a simple and tasty dish perfect for busy weeknights. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a hearty and satisfying one-pot casserole dinner that everyone will love!
Get the Recipe: French Onion Soup Chicken One-Pot Casserole

Quick-Prep Lemon Garlic Chicken With Pasta

A white scalloped plate with creamy pasta topped with a seasoned chicken breast, garnished with lemon slices and parsley. The dish is placed on a light background with a yellow and white checkered cloth beside it.
Quick-Prep Lemon Garlic Chicken With Pasta. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Indulge in this Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken smothered in a rich and creamy sauce that pairs perfectly with pasta. Only 15 minutes of prep.
Get the Recipe: Quick-Prep Lemon Garlic Chicken With Pasta

Flavorful Sliced Herb Crusted Beef Sirloin Tip Roast

A plate of sliced, medium-rare roast beef is garnished with Rosemary sprigs. A sharp knife with a wooden handle and an intricate pattern on its blade rests on the plate, indicating the beef is freshly carved. A cloth napkin is visible to the right.
Flavorful Sliced Herb Crusted Beef Sirloin Tip Roast. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Flavorful Herb Crusted Beef Sirloin Tip Roast Recipe is coated with a homemade spice rub, then seared and roasted for a melt-in-your-mouth tender dish. Pair it with your favorite side dish recipes for a comforting, low-effort, upscale meal everyone will love!
Get the Recipe: Flavorful Sliced Herb Crusted Beef Sirloin Tip Roast

Sloppy Joe Casserole

A skillet with a cornbread-topped pie, one slice missing. The slice is on a white plate, garnished with jalapeño slices and cheese. Nearby are small bowls of shredded cheese and jalapeños, all on a checkered cloth over a round wooden board.
Sloppy Joe Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Sloppy Joe Casserole is a warm, comforting meal, bringing together the bold, tangy flavors of a classic sloppy joe with a golden, cheesy cornbread topping. This dish is simple to prepare, making it ideal for feeding a hungry family or welcoming friends to your table with warmth and ease.
Get the Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole

Chicken Hashbrown Casserole with Cornflakes

Chicken Hashbrown Casserole with Cornflakes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Loaded with tender chicken, cheese, and topped with crispy cornflakes, this Chicken Hashbrown Casserole is creamy, warm, and irresistibly comforting.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Hashbrown Casserole with Cornflakes

Crispy Sesame Beef

A plate of white rice topped with pieces of sticky glazed beef. The beef is garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. The dish is presented on a white, textured plate.
Crispy Sesame Beef. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest

This Crispy Sesame Beef Recipe will have you ditching delivery in no time. Tender beef strips are fried to perfection and coated in a sticky, savory sesame sauce that hits all the right notes.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Sesame Beef

Crock Pot 16-Bean Soup Recipe

A bowl of hearty bean stew with chunks of meat, diced carrots, and a wooden spoon. The dish is topped with shredded cheese and garnished with herbs. Crackers are placed beside the bowl on a wooden surface.
Crock Pot 16-Bean Soup Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This simple step-by-step recipe will teach you how to cook hearty 16-bean soup with a ham bone in your crock pot. It’s great for easy make-ahead meals.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot 16-Bean Soup Recipe

Delicious Turkey Breast Recipe And Stuffing

A plate of sliced turkey breast covered with creamy gravy, garnished with fresh rosemary and sage. The dish is served on a white rectangular platter placed on a white cloth.
Delicious Turkey Breast Recipe And Stuffing. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Juicy and tender turkey breast with this simple crockpot recipe. Perfect for weeknights or as an easy holiday option with stuffing!
Get the Recipe: Delicious Turkey Breast Recipe And Stuffing

Easy Mexican Steak Picado Recipe

Mexican steak piccata
Easy Mexican Steak Picado Recipe. Photo Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This classic Mexican Steak Picado Recipe smothers seared beef strips in a smoky tomato sauce with plabanos, jalapenos, green peppers, and onions. Here is the best part: this Crock Pot recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or festive dinner party with friends.
Get The Recipe: Easy Mexican Steak Picado Recipe

Crockpot Potato Soup With Frozen Hashbrowns

Five ingredient crock pot potato soup with cheese and bacon on top
Crockpot Potato Soup With Frozen Hashbrowns. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Potato Soup with frozen hash browns takes under 10 minutes to prep and makes a delicious, hearty pot of soup.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Potato Soup With Frozen Hashbrowns

27 Father’s Day Feasts That Say ‘You’re the Best!’

Grilled pork chop on a dark plate with a sweet potato in the background. The chop has a glossy, caramelized surface with charred edges, hinting at a flavorful marinade.
27 Father’s Day Feasts. Image credit: Butter and Baggage

Father’s Day calls for food that feels like a celebration—and these 27 feast-worthy recipes deliver bold flavors, juicy meats, and sides that mean business. From fall-apart roast beef and whiskey-marinated steaks to spicy citrus BBQ sauce and bourbon-laced baked beans, every dish on this list is made to impress the grill master in your life. There’s crispy chicken wings, pulled pork sliders, coffee-rubbed corn, and even a smoky dry rub or two to take your cookout to the next level. If Dad loves hearty, flavor-packed food, you’re going to want to see every last one of these recipes. Get All The Recipes: 27 Father’s Day Feasts That Say ‘You’re the Best!’