For Effortless Side Dishes, Don't Overlook This Kitchen Appliance

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Whether you're headed to a potluck or hosting a big dinner party at home, the last thing you want is your carefully prepared food getting cold before you can serve it to guests. Investing in one simple, affordable kitchen appliance — a slow cooker — will allow you to make effortless side dishes. One of the absolute best uses for your slow cooker is keeping side dishes warm while maintaining their taste, quality, and texture.

Many slow cooker recipes take 10 minutes or less to prep, so you can make simple side dishes ahead of time, set the appliance to the warm setting, and move on to other areas of dinner prep. You don't need to constantly stir a pot on the stove, make sure a sauce or soup isn't burning, or worry that a dish will be cold by the time your last guest arrives. Using a slow cooker to make key side dishes also frees up stovetop and oven space for more time-sensitive dishes like entrées or desserts.

A mini slow cooker or CrockPot with a locking lid can also keep your food warm while you transport it to a potluck or party. Some models like this Elite Gourmet Maxi-Matic Triple Slow Cooker will allow you to easily serve a buffet-style meal at home without worrying your side dishes will get cold, burnt, or ruined. Even if you don't actually cook your side dishes in the slow cooker, you can prepare them ahead of time and transfer them to the appliance before you hit the road or start setting the table.

The slow cooker side dish prep method is ideal for dishes that might get cold right away after cooking. For instance, making mac and cheese in your slow cooker keeps the pasta nice and warm while also allowing all of the flavors in your cheese sauce to fully permeate the noodles, creating a more satisfying dish. Slow cooker baked beans will get perfectly tender and flavorful and stay hot while being transported or until you're ready to eat.

These appliances will work best for side dishes that aren't at risk of getting soggy, drying out, or suffering from a decline in texture or quality. While delicate vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, and asparagus may get mushy if they stay over heat for too long, heartier ingredients can withstand prolonged periods in a slow cooker. The warm setting is perfect for soup, stew, chili, rice dishes, pasta dishes, casseroles, and party dips. 

For dishes that rely on a gravy, broth, or sauce, you should check the slow cooker every 30 minutes or so to make sure it isn't drying out, adding more liquid as needed. When you choose a slow cooker that has a warming setting, you have total control over the quality of your dishes. Plus, using a slow cooker will also keep cooked dishes at the optimal temperature for food safety, lowering the risk of dangerous bacterial growth and food poisoning.