The 47-Cent ALDI Find I Will Never Stop Buying
It makes cleaning my slow cooker easier and faster.
Slow cooker liners haven't always appealed to me. I'd seen them in stores and heard the buzz about their convenience, but I had concerns about their safety and waste. But I recently dug into their safety and learned that though there isn't much peer-reviewed research on slow cooker liners, studies on food-safe plastics show that products labeled as BPA-free and designed for high temperatures are considered safe.
One thing I don't need studies or research to know as true is that stress, lack of sleep, and poor nutrition contribute to negative health impacts. If using slow cooker liners helps manage busy weeknight dinners (the main cause of all three stressors) by making it easier and faster to clean my slow cooker, the pros outweigh the cons.
So when I found a four-pack of Boulder Slow Cooker Liners at ALDI, I finally caved and got a box for just $1.89—only 47 cents per liner. I can confidently say that these liners are a game changer, and I wish I'd jumped on board sooner.
Why Slow Cooker Liners Are the Bees Knees
I'm not someone who shies away from a little post-cooking cleanup. I've scrubbed my fair share of pots and pans, and aside from the occasional hard-to-treat piece, it's never that bad.
However, after using these slow cooker liners for a particularly sticky recipe (sticky toffee pudding, to be exact), I acknowledge I have been missing out on a simple and beneficial kitchen trick. Here are a few of the reasons I think you might appreciate them, too:
The time saved is undeniable. I no longer have to scrub stubborn, baked-on bits at length. Cleanup is as easy as lifting the liner out and tossing it into the garbage, and the slow cooker remains spotless. I put it away after a quick wash—no scrubbing required.
They're ideal for messy recipes. The liners are handy for recipes that tend to leave a lot of cooked-on bits, like dips, cheesy sausage balls, wings, and mac and cheese.
They're convenient. If I'm preparing multiple dishes in my slow cooker, like for large family events (Thanksgiving) or on meal-prep days, the liners allow you to re-use the slow cooker almost right away with no scrubbing in between.
They're sturdy. At the end of a meal, once the bulk of the heavy food is out, I can easily lift the liner out to pour or transfer leftovers into a storage container without worrying about spills or leaks.
They keep my slow cooker in tip-top shape. The liners prevent stains, odors, and buildup by acting as a barrier between the food and the cooker's surface. They'll help keep my slow cooker looking brand new, even after years of use.
At the end of the day, as a busy working parent, I'm just trying to take the best care of my kids while tending to our basic needs and preserving what's left of my energy. Often, the last thing I want to do is the dishes, let alone wrestle with the remnants of a sticky stew. For just 47 cents a liner, the Boulder Slow Cooker Liners are an affordable and effective solution. They make cleaning up easier, faster, and more enjoyable.
If you've been on the fence about trying them, consider this your nudge to take the plunge. You may find yourself standing in a spotless kitchen, sipping a well-earned glass of wine. Can you even imagine?
About ALDI Finds
This product is an ALDI Find, which are limited-time and inventory items that the store rotates onto its shelves every week. They come and go quickly—and sometimes return. Keep an eye out, but it's possible your local ALDI may have sold out or no longer carry the product.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes.