Whether it’s struggling to find time to cook at your apartment or having to drag your supplies to the dorm kitchen, we have all faced issues when trying to cook as college students. We need something that is easy to use, doesn’t take much time, and is very versatile in the type of meals it can cook. Let me introduce to you the crock-pot. It isn’t new but not many college students have them. I have found that crock-pots are an essential appliance.

Personally, I enjoy cooking, but since I work three jobs and am a full-time student, I never have the time to actually make a meal. However, by using a crock-pot I can have a meal prepared as soon as I get home. You put your ingredients in the crock-pot before you leave for class and by that night you have supper ready and possibly lunch for the next day. It is probably one of the easiest ways to cook and takes no talent, so you can’t use “but I don’t know how to cook” as an excuse anymore.

While there are many perks to using a crock-pot, the best part is how versatile the meals are. You can cook pretty much anything in a crock-pot. My favorite crock-pot dish is roast. It can be cooked in several different ways and usually lasts a few days. The roast can be served over fries, biscuits, with vegetables, and even in a quesadilla. But if that isn’t for you then there are many other options. Want to cook something easy to eat after a long day? Soups and chilis are a great fix. Want to test your chef skills? Sure thing, try making some spicy chicken enchiladas. Have a craving for a meal your mom used to cook without a crock-pot, but that’s all you have time to use? Surprise, surprise, you can google how to adapt recipes to be cooked in a crock-pot. No matter what kind of food you want, there is most likely a way to cook it in a crock-pot.

Although crock-pots are amazing for meals when you don’t have time to cook at the end of the day, you may be surprised to know they can also be used for desserts. If you are ever thinking about how you can impress your family when they come down for the weekend, or if you are just craving something sweet, and don’t want to make the journey to the dorm kitchen, a crock-pot can be your lifesaver. From decadent cakes to cobblers and even puddings, you can make anything your sweet tooth desires.

Crock-pots are very underrated and should be used more often by college students. They don’t require fancy technique and when using sites like Pinterest for recipes the possibilities are endless! Maybe instead of asking for clothes or the new iPhone for Christmas, you should ask your parents for a crock-pot instead.