“Resist the temptation to open the lid and peek in and stir during cooking,” says Sharon Franke, Kitchen Appliances and Technical Director, Good Housekeeping Institute. The steam trapped inside cooks everything without stirring.

Prepping a slow cooker meal couldn’t be easier. Chop and bag all your ingredients the night before. Then the next morning, just toss them together and turn on the heat. “People should be very careful. The slow cooker is for cooking," adds Franke. "Don’t add frozen chunks. Defrost the meat before you put it in.”

And when it comes to seasoning, less is better. “I downplay the flavors a little bit, because the flavors are going to intensify so I don’t need quite as much seasoning as might if I was cooking on a range top," Franke explains.

If you have the time, you’ll get some payback from browning the meat or the chicken or your ingredients before you add them to the slow cooker. The browning helps to carmelize the surface of the meat. It gives you some browned-on bits and when you serve your dinner you’ll really notice a little bit more flavor.”

And when it comes time to clean up, the Good Housekeeping Institute has found a new shortcut on the market. “Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners are just great. There’s no burned on bits or stuck on bits at the end to scrub away,” says Franke.

And here’s another tip from Good Housekeeping. If you’re making a recipe with root vegetables, put the vegetables at the bottom of the slow cooker. They cook more slowly than meat. For more information, check out the October issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.