Toddler Friendly Slow Cooker Meals

Taste the flavors of fall with slow cooker pork chops, apples, and onions. A delicious set-it and forget-it weeknight meal!

A big thank you to Kroger Co. of Michigan for sponsoring this post! And being my go-to grocery store for simple, weeknight meal inspiration, like this slow cooker pork chops, apples, and onion recipe!

Slow cooker pork chops, apples, and onions is one of the first recipes I've made which I quickly advised my family to add LOTS of ketchup to the finished product. Yep, the first time I made this recipe it was a FLOP. FLOP! It's not always yum and mmmm in my kitchen folks. Especially when I'm feeding toddlers!

Taste the flavors of fall with slow cooked pork chops, apples, and onions. A delicious set-it and forget-it weeknight meal! — Take #1 of this recipe shown above. See how full the slow cooker insert was?! That's a no-no in the slow cooking world… [shown as a part of my weekly food prep— follow @momnutrition on Instagram to learn more about that!]

What was the big flop when it came to my recipe redo you might ask? Well, my first attempt at this slow cooker pork chops, apples, and onions included the addition of potatoes. Which then resulted in undercooked potatoes [I put potatoes at the bottom of the slow cooker] and overcooked pork chops.

While I've put together a list of my favorite slow cooker tips and tricks, apparently I didn't take my own advice and overcrowded the insert! Round two had me skipping the potatoes all together [I gave in and just decided to roast them] and voila! Take two is the most delicious fall-inspired meal I've made this year. Well this, and these pumpkin spice muffins.

No, my toddlers didn't squeal with excitement when they saw those pork chops and apples again. But they didn't ask for ketchup. So I call that blog-worthy!

Plus, fall means apples galore in Michigan, as Michigan is the second-largest producer of apples in the U.S. And since Kroger stores feature a variety of homegrown, local produce, I know I'm getting some of the freshest, most nutritious apples for this dish. That and their Simple Truth Pork Chops.

Nicely cut—> so they don't stand a chance at drying out in the slow cooker. That's only if you omit the potatoes… learn from my mistakes!

Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Onions

Total time

5 hours 10 mins

3-4 boneless, center-cut pork chops, cut about 1-inch thick
3 red delicious apples, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Set aside.
Add onions and apples to slow cooker insert. Add pork chops. Top with sauce.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Serve immediately, with additional sauce/drippings from bottom of the slow cooker insert.

3.5.3226

What's one of your favorite ways to cook with apples? Are you a big fan of the pork + apple combination like I am?!

Taste the flavors of fall with slow cooked pork chops, apples, and onions! Click To Tweet

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