12 game-day foods you can make in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot

Olson recommends her slow-cooker meatballs recipe for game day.

“I love grape-jelly meatballs, which only have three ingredients,” she said. “They’re so good, everyone will ask you for the recipe.”

Another recipe from Spend With Pennies suggests placing your seasoned, raw meatballs in the slow cooker, topping them with sauce, and letting it finish them off.

Brats with onions, peppers, and garlic, simmered in the slow cooker with beer, are another of Olson’s favorite game-day recipes.

“When the guests arrive, they get to choose when they want to eat since the slow cooker keeps these brats nice and warm during the game,” she wrote on her website, The Magical Slow Cooker.

Plus, you can even choose peppers to reflect the colors of your favorite team.

“Brisket is a natural partner for the slow cooker, as a gentle braise renders it meltingly tender,” Kim Laidlaw wrote in “Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals.”

Laidlaw’s recipe for slow-cooked braised brisket features garlic, onion, dry red wine, carrots, and either chicken or beef stock, accompanied by a chimichurri sauce.

“One dish I think is so versatile is pork shoulder in a slow cooker with broth and a little salt and pepper,” Laidlaw said. “I just braise that, and then you can turn it into so many different things.”

One of the best ways to use slow-cooked pork shoulder is to make pulled-pork sliders with all that tender meat. Then, top with barbecue sauce and slaw.

Olson’s recipe for slow-cooked Buffalo chicken wings calls for thawed chicken wings, hot sauce, and unsalted butter. To get the wings super crispy, remove them from the sauce after 2.5 hours of cooking, then broil them in the oven before adding them back to the slow cooker.

One of the benefits of using a slow cooker is that you can start with a basic protein and jazz it up.

From Mexican-food-inspired spices to Indian simmer sauces, there are many ways to transform shredded chicken into something show-stopping by adding it to tacos, sandwiches, or salads.

If you want to add some carbs to your game-day menu, look no further than a piping hot pot of mac and cheese. Olson’s recipe uses cream cheese, milk, sharp cheddar, and white sharp cheddar.

Martha Stewart’s recipe for slow-cooker mac and cheese is also easy to make.

“It is important to use pungent cheeses, such as sharp cheddar, mixed with a little Gruyere or pecorino Romano for extra bite, since the white sauce and pasta will absorb a lot of flavor,” Stewart writes.

One of the benefits of making a slow-cooker Buffalo chicken dip — or any other slow-cooker side dish — is that the recipe can be prepared well in advance and reheated when you’re ready to eat.

“There are so many different dips that can be made in the slow cooker, you can make Buffalo-chicken dip, bacon-cheeseburger dip, cheesy bean dip, Rotel and Velveeta Dip, and even artichoke dip,” Olson said. “I like to serve all these dips with tortilla chips. Can’t choose one dip? Make two or more for a variety for your guests.”

Spinach-artichoke dip is a game-day classic, and making it in a slow cooker keeps it extra warm, creamy, and scoopable from kickoff to the final whistle.

This recipe from Delish is made with full-fat cream cheese, shredded cheese, and mayonnaise,

“I often make a queso verde dip in my slow cooker for game days,” Olson told Business Insider.

Her recipe for queso verde uses white Velveeta cheese, salsa verde, milk, and sour cream.

Spicy chili and chipotle turkey chili are ideal game-day recipes because they can simmer in a slow cooker for hours, letting the flavors deepen while you watch the game.

Serve with warm cornbread for a cozy, filling meal.

A DIY nacho bar is an easy way to feed a crowd while letting everyone build their perfect plate. It also puts those smaller slow cookers to work, keeping every topping warm and ready to scoop.

“I use three slow cookers for a nacho bar, which is a great way to use those smaller slow cookers,” Olson said. “I use one slow cooker for nacho cheese (store-bought), one for seasoned ground beef, and one for refried beans. I also make a toppings bar that has salsa, sour cream, guac, olives, onions, and tomatoes.”