30 Gluten-Free Crock Pot Meals that Won't Break the Bank

In honor of my dad, this round of crock potting is gluten-free. Over the summer my dad was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and when I found out, I cringed for him. My dad, like me, loves food - all kinds of food but especially pastas, pizzas, bread. How on earth could we take out so many delicious foods that fall under the category of "gluten" and still be satisfied? Apparently it's not as hard as I thought.

These recipes are REALLY good, completely satisfying, super easy, and very affordable. I did 30 meals for $168 (this includes a strainer I needed plus disposable trays for the two freezer meals). Keep in mind these recipes are NOT Paleo or AIP. They are simply GLUTEN FREE. That also doesn't mean fat-free or calorie-free. Sorry, folks! ;)

You also won't find any cream of whatchamacallit or seasoning packets. Not because I'm completely opposed to them (though I do know they are highly processed and not good for us), but because most, if not all of them contain gluten. Yeah, I know gluten is in everything. So always check your seasonings!

Okay, let's get started...

MENU:
2 Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
2 BBQ Pulled Pork
2 Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
2 Quinoa Chili
2 Mango Salsa Chicken
2 Mexican Chicken with Corn & Beans
2 Teriyaki Chicken
2 Creamy Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausage
2 Spaghetti Sauce
2 Tater Tot Casserole
2 Bacon Potato Soup
2 Coconut Curry Chicken
2 Creamy Tomato Chicken
2 BBQ Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders
1 Montreal Pork Shoulder
1 BBQ Chicken


GROCERY LIST:

Meat -
3 three-lb. bags of chicken breasts
1 3 lb. bag of chicken tenderloins
1 8 lb. Pork Loin (this will be cut into fourths)
1 Pork Shoulder
2 Packages of Bacon
4 lbs. of ground Italian sausage (I used mild but you could also do sweet or hot)
3 lbs. of ground beef

Sauces & Seasoning -
5 bottles of BBQ Sauce
2 bottles of honey mustard
4 49 oz. cans of chicken broth
1 container of curry powder
1 bottle of GLUTEN-FREE soy or teriyaki sauce

Dairy -
10 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
2 pints of heavy cream
1 small bag of shredded cheese of your choice

Produce -
4 large sweet potatoes
2 Green Peppers

Refrigerator -
1 tub mango salsa
1 tub medium salsa

Freezer -
1 large bag of broccoli florets
2 bags of tater tots
1 bag of hash browns

Canned Goods -
4 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans
5 cans of corn
6 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce
12 cans of diced tomatoes
4 small cans of tomato paste
2 cans coconut milk

Bulk Goods -
1.75 lbs. of quinoa (approx.)

Other -
4 packages of corn tortillas (to freeze)
2-pack disposable cooking trays with lids
1 Strainer (if you don't have one, you'll need it for the quinoa)
1 box of gallon-sized plastic bags

Seasonings I had at home -
Smokey Mesquite BBQ Seasoning (any BBQ seasoning will work)
Red Pepper Flakes
Chile Powder
Basil
Fresh Garlic
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Brown Sugar

When you get home, unload everything and leave it on the counter. Wash the peppers, peel the sweet potatoes, cook the ground sausage and beef (separately), and start opening cans. There are a lot of cans to be opened. If you have an electric can opener, use it. If you don't enlist your husband like I did. :) Get out your plastic bags and start labeling with a permanent marker.

See? Lots of cans! After that...start dumping!

RECIPES:

Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin (make 2 of these) -
Cut 1/4 of the 8 lb. pork loin
Rub the loin with 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar and 1 Tbsp. of Smokey Mesquite BBQ seasoning
Wrap the seasoning loin with half a package of bacon
Add half a cup of broth for cooking

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: Yum.

BBQ Pulled Pork (make 2 of these) -
Cut 1/4 of the 8 lb. pork loin
Add 1 bottle of BBQ sauce

8 hours on low, 4 on high
**Shred when done
Update: Yum.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup (make 2 of these) -
1/2 can of broth
1 package of cream cheese
2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in bite-sized pieces)
1 tsp. Pepper
Salt to taste

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: Not my favorite.

Quinoa Chili (make two of these) -
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 Tbsp. brown supger
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 (approx. .75 lbs. uncooked and RINSED quinoa) **Be sure you rinse it well! If you don't, I hope you enjoy eating sand. Also, rinse your beans.

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: Yum.

Mango Salsa Chicken (make two of these) -
1/2 tub Mango Salsa
1/2 tub Medium Salsa
1 package cream cheese
3-4 Chicken breasts

8 hours on low, 4 on high
**Shred and serve on corn tortillas or corn chips
Update: Yum.

Mexican Chicken with Corn & Beans (make two of these) -
1 can corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 package cream cheese
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. chile powder

8 hours on low, 4 on high
**Shred and serve on corn tortillas or corn chips
Update: Yum.

Teriyaki Chicken (make 2 of these) -
1/2 bottle of GLUTEN FREE Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove minced garlic

8 hours on low, 4 on high
**add veggies towards the end of cooking, serve over rice
Update: Yum. A husband favorite.

Creamy Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausage -
1 lb. cooked ground Italian sausage
1/2 can of chicken broth
1 package of cream cheese
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried Basil
2 minced cloves of garlic

8 hours on low, 4 on high
**Serve over gluten-free noodles, veggie noodles, or spaghetti squash
Update: Yum.

Spaghetti Sauce (make 2 of these) -
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 lb. cooked Italian sausage
1 tsp. Basil
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

8 hours on low, 4 on high
**Serve over gluten-free noodles, veggie, noodles, or spaghetti squash
Update: Yum.

Tater Tot Casserole (split into two) -
Add 1 package of cream cheese to the cooked ground beef (3 lbs.)
Let it melt
Add 2 tsp. of Montreal Steak Seasoning, mix well
Split the beef between the two disposable trays
Add a layer of tater tots
Top with shredded cheese

Cook in the oven for about 1 hour at 375 degrees.
Update: Kids love this.

Bacon Potato Soup (make 2 of these) -
1 pint of heavy cream
1/2 bag of hash browns
1/2 can of broth
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cloves of minced garlic

In a separate bag freeze half a package of uncooked bacon. Cook 8 hours on low, 4 on high. Before serving, cook the bacon, crumble it, then sprinkle it on top with cheese, sour cream, and scallions.
Update: Yum. Maci's favorite.

Coconut Curry Chicken (make 2 of these) -
In a blender, add:
2 cans coconut milk
2 green peppers
2 Tbsp. curry powder
2 cans tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic

In two bags, place 3-4 chicken breasts and pour 1/2 of the blended mixer in each bag. 8 hours on low, 4 on high.
**Serve over rice
Update: Some people love this. I realized I don't like curry though.

Creamy Tomato Chicken (make 2 of these) -
3-4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 a package of cream cheese
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 clove of minced garlic
1 tsp. Basil
(salt and pepper to taste)

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: This was pretty good, though not a favorite.

2 BBQ Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders (make 2 of these) -
1/2 bag of chicken tenders
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1 bottle honey mustard

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: Yum. Don't over cook. BBQ Sauce burns.

Montreal Pork Shoulder (make 1 of these) -
1 pork shoulder
2 tsp. Montreal Steak seasoning (approx.)
1 cup chicken broth

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: Yum.

BBQ Chicken (make 1 of these) -
3-4 chicken breasts
1 bottle of BBQ sauce

8 hours on low, 4 on high
Update: Yum. Don't overcook, BBQ sauce burns.

If you choose to serve any of the sauces with spaghetti squash, be sure to place the spaghetti squash in the crock pot and cook it with the sauce. It's the easiest way to cook those things. When the sauce is done, the squash will also be. I also really want one of these so I can make zucchini noodles. Yum! Yum!

So there you have it. 30 gluten-free meals for $168. That's $5.60 per meal to feed your whole family! Who said being gluten free had to be expensive?