Slow cooker recipe mix packets

[JuniorMint]

Since having DD (11 months) I've appreciated my slow cooker! Two or three times a week, when DD has her morning nap, I bung a recipe in the slow cooker ready for tea time.

However, I have fallen into using the Schwarz or Colmanns or similar recipe packets of herbs and spices eg chili, sausage and bean casserole, chicken curry etc.

I am a vegetarian so don't eat them but DH seems to like them. I do occasionally make something veggie in the slow cooker but more often than not will just make myself something quick like an omelette or pesto pasta (which I prefer really).

They aren't too expensive at 80p ish each or sometimes on for 2 for £1, and one batch will last DH and DD for two teas, at least (eg chili one night with rice, next night with jacket pot, third day chili and cheese toastie for lunch!)

I suppose what I'm asking is are they a bit shit or are they ok?! I feel they're a step up from ready meals as I'm putting fresh veg and meat in, but do the mixes contain preservatives? Salty? Should I be looking to move away from them to make my own recipes?

TIA

read the ingredients on the back. my guess is that there is a load of salt and possibly some strange preservatives. But then i guess i base a lot of my meals around curry powder/paste and tinned toms, so that probably does too.

could you not try using proper ingredients when you have more time and rely on the packets when you are most pushed? there are loads of really simple recipes on here

If you want to steer away from packets it's pretty simple to use your own herbs. Sometimes I chuck a packet in for quickness though. I have no issue with jars and packets of any description. They're handy

Funnily enough about five minutes after I posted this I saw mumsnet had put a slow cooker vegetarian chili recipe on their facebook page which I will give a try! The problem I have with using my own herbs and spices is that I'm not very organised so it ends up being expensive as I'll buy a new tumeric, paprika, chili powder etc for a couple of pounds each, use a teaspoon, put in the back of the cupboard then not use for ages and they end up all hard and congealed or I forget and but a new one next time I need one teaspoon full again! Whereas the packets have just the amount you need handily measured out

So I suppose the answer is I need to get more organised... but the lure of the slow cooker for me (especially with 11mo DD) is speed and convenience!

I tend to buy my spices from an international shop instead of the supermarket, they see usually much cheaper and better quality.

If you want to stop using the packs, I'd get yourself a few spices, maybe chilli flakes and cumin for the chilli, I bung cocoa powder in mine too. Could you also buy some nice little storage jars to keep the spices in? Might seem like an expensive outlay but if you're not buying packets all of the time it should work out cheaper in the end

The ingredients for the Schwartz sausage casserole are

Wheat Flour (with Calcium, Iron, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Thiamin (Vitamin B1)), Modified Starch, Tomato Powder (11%), Onion Granules, Garlic Powder, Flavourings, Paprika (6%), Dried Red Bell Peppers (4%), Sugar, Oregano (2.5%), Chilli Powder (Chilli Pepper, Cumin, Salt, Oregano, Garlic), Marjoram, Salt, Black Pepper.
No hydrogenated fat, artificial colours, added preservatives or MSG.
Suitable for vegetarians

There appears to be about 2g of salt in a packet, so not too salt intensive over a couple of days.

As for spices getting old I once saw Angela Hartnett asked a question about that and she said the flavour does diminish with age but that is easily solved by putting more in.

s for spices getting old I once saw Angela Hartnett asked a question about that and she said the flavour does diminish with age but that is easily solved by putting more in.. Don't let my DF read that, we had to prize his Schwartz spices, pre-best before dates from him and throw them away. He reluctantly agree to throw the ones that went out of date in the 70s away himself...