Like it or not the summer is coming to an end and with the long nights comes the desire to snuggle up with some delicious comfort food in the evening. Luckily, comforting and warming food is what slow cookers were made for, and not only are they really easy to use, but the result is a delicious, healthy meal.

Slow cookers are often associated with meat dishes like stews, casseroles and chilli con carne, but they’re also great for vegetarian dishes and even desserts! If you’re in need of culinary inspiration there are loads of slow cooker recipe books available with classic meals and even diabetic, healthy and vegetarian options.

Slow cookers come in all shapes and sizes from the single portion to the family size, but even people cooking for just themselves can benefit from a larger slow cooker by cooking up and freezing several meals in one go. Not only is this economical in terms of energy use but one day of slow cooking at the weekend will save you valuable time in the evenings later in the week.

The very best thing about slow cookers is that you can prepare dinner before you leave for work, forget about it, then return at the end of the day to a nutritious and delicious slow cooked meal. Just remember to switch the power on before you leave the house!