And just like that, the slow cooker season’s officially upon us. The weather outdoors may be swirling winds and blustering snow, but you can bet that many families are hunkering down and filling their homes with the aroma of spices, stews and nothing to lose.

I firmly believe that slow cooking is absolutely appropriate during any season – after all, coming home to a ready-made meal after a long day’s work is just as fabulous any day of the year. For families with young kiddos, there isn’t much time to transition between work and the day’s Round Two: tackling dishes, laundry, floors carpeted in Matchbox cars and the like, while mustering all the energy you can to keep up with your young ones.

This is why my husband and I have our second pot o’ coffee reboot every evening, and it’s why I greatly appreciate the power of the slow cooker more than ever before.

But as they say, to everything there is a season.

And though slow cooker feasts are fantastic year-round, there’s undoubtedly an extra special allure to Crock Pot meals prepared during the chilly season. Slow-cooked meals are easy, budget-friendly, fragrant and convenient year-round, yes, but they’re chiefly something else during the harsh winter. They’re cozy.

So get ready, friends. It’s time rock the crock.

You can make plenty of meals with simple ingredients for all courses.

But now they’ve reached yet another rung on the awesomeness echelon with the increasing popularity of something called freezer meals.

Make-ahead freezer meals, or prepped meals that can be frozen ahead for slow cookers when the time is convenient, may appear akin to TV dinners. But they’re far healthier and very cost-effective.

When time is on one’s side, slow cooker meals can be concocted ahead by simply tossing prepped ingredients into freezer bags.

Label dates and directions on the bags, lay them flat to freeze, and keep them stacked in your freezer.

When your family is ready for that slow-cooked meal, simply toss the bag’s contents into your pot and you’re good to set it and forget it.

And that’s no crock, either.

Freed-up moments on the weekend are nice to slice and dice for a mid-week meal that may not permit you as much prep time when that day comes. Do your research ahead of time – some ingredients may not freeze well together, and some (i.e. potatoes) don’t freeze well at all and should be tossed in fresh.

Make-ahead freezer meals for your slow cooker are just one of the great hacks for modern day mamas and dads who try to balance domestic basics with jobs, busy young tots and so very little free time.

The realities of today’s families include too few hours in the evenings. Our children aren’t yet old enough for after-school practices and sports, but even we find ourselves fighting the clock to make dinner before bedtime.

So try crock-potting it. These flavorful meals that cook themselves will change your life. Break up with take-out today.

Because the only take-out you’ll be doing is opening the freezer to remove a chock-full freezer bag to toss into the crock pot as you’re headed out the door for work with a smile on your face, knowing you probably saved a few bucks and several minutes while using wholesome ingredients. Now that’s a win-win all around. The winter’s in full swing. Time to hunker down and crock and roll!— Michelle Cote is the art director of the Journal Tribune. She enjoys cooking, baking, and living room dance-offs with her husband, two boys and a dog. She can be reached at mcote@journaltribune.com.

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