20+ Crockpot Side Dishes For A More Simple Holiday Meal

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by Robin

I think crockpot side dishes are a genius way to ease the stress of preparing a big holiday meal.

I’ve learned a thing or two about planning and cooking meals for big crowds.

More than 15 years ago, when I was working as a Registered Dietitian, I started a lunch program during the English as a Second Language classes with the Mennonite community I work with. The families needed to be bussed in from all around the rural area – and it makes great use of time to feed them a hot lunch and have a full day of learning – vs. trying to bus everyone home by lunchtime.

On a weekly basis, I planned a meal for 60 to 70 people.

I chose and scaled the recipes, did the shopping and then cooked all morning with a team of wonderful volunteers. It was so much fun!

In the early days, I was a secretly hopeless cook – but I faked it until I made it and learned a ton.

One thing I learned early on was to plan the meals around the equipment available.

If the main dish was on the stovetop – I’d complement that with a side dish in the oven and then serve something that didn’t need cooking with it. Pretty basic stuff – but it was something I hadn’t yet mastered.

Planning a holiday meal can be made more simply by thinking in the same way. Use all the equipment available, and also spread out the time that things are being prepped.

That’s where this list comes in. While the turkey roasts in the oven, crockpot side dish recipes can help balance both your menu and how you spend the day in the kitchen.

My favourite way to host a big holiday meal is for everyone to pitch in a bring a dish, while the host roasts the turkey.

Bringing a slow cooker side dish to the hosts home makes sure that your plan for preparation doesn’t interfere with whatever else is being cooked. Just bring your crockpot side dish, already prepared, and plug it in and you’re officially a terrific guest!

Here’s a delicious collection of holiday crockpot side dishes for you to make your holiday meal prep simpler…

20+ Crockpot Side Dishes for a More Simple Holiday Meal

Our Delicious and Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes Crock Pot Recipe

black bean slow cooker sweet potatoes — BBQ Black Bean Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes from Project Meal Plan

slow cooker creamed corn recipe — Best Ever Slow Cooker Creamed Corn Recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian

Creamy Slow Cooker Potatoes with Sausage and Chives from The Gracious Wife

crockpot baked beans — Crockpot Baked Beans from Centless Meals

Crockpot Corn on the Cob from Spend with Pennies

crockpot southwest cornbread — Crockpot Southwest Cornbread from The Gracious Wife

easy potatoes romanoff with hash browns — Easy Potatoes Romanoff with Hash Browns from Food Meanderings

No Boil Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes from Spend with Pennies

pineapple crockpot baked beans — Pineapple Crockpot Baked Beans from Spend with Pennies

slow cooker baked potatoes — Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes from Sweet and Savory Meals

slow cooker brown butter carrots — Slow Cooker Brown Butter Carrots from The Food Charlatan

slow cooker butternut squash and apples — Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Apples from Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Slow Cooker Mushroom Quinoa from Slender Kitchen

slow cooker green beans with shallots and almonds — Slow Cooker Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds from Culinary Ginger

slow cooker spiced cranberry chutney — Slow Cooker Spiced Cranberry Chutney from Mom on Time Out

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole from The Cincy Shopper

slow cooker sweet potatoes — Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes from Cook Eat Paleo

Vegan Slow Cooker Potato Au Gratin with No Added Oil from Healthy Slow Cooking

slow cooker vegetarian barbeque stuffed peppers — Slow Cooker Vegetarian Barbeque Stuffed Peppers from Slender Kitchen

vegan sweet potato curry — Vegan Sweet Potato Curry from Salt and Lavender

There are so many fabulous things to feed our families during the Holidays!

Check out more of our holiday recipe ideas:

20+ Absolutely Delicious Non Traditional Thanksgiving Desserts and Treats (No Pumpkin Here!)
20+ Unique Christmas Cookies for Cookie Exchange this Year
Christmas Cranberry Apple Cobbler in the Slow Cooker (a decadent breakfast idea!)
20+ Holiday Crockpot Side Dishes
20+ Best Instant Pot Side Dish Recipes to Simplify Your Holiday Meal
20+ Easy Air Fryer Side Dishes
Stuffed Turkey Breast Wrapped in Bacon

I’ve also shared over 30 pages of Stress-Busting Free Christmas Planning Printables to help you get it all done with more joy!

And fabulous Holiday things to make and do, too:

Declutter for the Holidays in 30 Days: Simple Tips and Strategy (Free Printable!)
Easy Prep Christmas Countdown Activities
Dollar Store Christmas Crafts
Holiday Free Printables for Gallery Wall
Easy, Natural Holiday Nut Wreath

Robin & Ed Hicken Creators

Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 25 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.