When you think of a slow cooker as a means of meal readiness, do you think of the 1970’s mother standing in front of one with the stereotypical white apron and handkerchief in her hair? Slow cookers have been on countertops and in kitchen pantries for more than 45 years, but increasing interest in freshly prepared meals have made them the hot commodity in the small appliance market.

The slow cooker or “crock pot” was introduced as a countertop means of cooking food in the early ‘70’s. The slow cooker cooks a meal at low temperatures for long periods of time. Heating food with a slow cooker is similar to smoking meats but without a smoke producing heat source. This style of cooking appealed to women in the 1970’s when they began to work outside the home. They could prepare dinner in the morning, let it cook throughout the day, and put the finishing touches on when they returned home later that day.

Slow cookers are making a resurgence because of a consumer’s interest in freshly prepared foods and convenience. In 1985 about 9 percent of households used a slow cooker in a two-week period; today that figure is now about 18 percent, or twice as many as 30 years ago. An estimated eighty-one percent of homes already have slow cookers or are planning to purchase a new one!

The consumption of fresh meals and snacks in addition to convenient food preparation will continue to grow over the next several years and along with that will be the increasing use of slow cookers. Consumers continue to demonstrate their interest in home-cooked meals, their willingness to pay for convenience in creating them, and their propensity to pay more for a premium product. More slow cookers have sold each year for the past three years, and the consumer spend on them has consistently grown at an even faster pace, indicating some consumer trade-up. Growth has slowed a bit this year, but that is to be expected after last year’s significant bump, especially for a category that has been around since the 1970’s.

The popularity of slow cooking is propped by the sauce market. Let’s face it, most of your slow cooking starts with a base of butter, cream, grease or some other unhealthy liquid. Our hot sauces not only make slow cooking even easier but healthier for you also. Take one of our sauces, pour some in a slow cooker, add your protein and/or vegetables, cover it and forget it. It’s just that easy to create a convenient, fresh, quality meal!  Take a look at our combinations below for ideas of new fresh dishes you can make in you slow cooker at home!!