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Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

topic posted Fri, February 10, 2006 - 3:32 PM by  Kiesha
I've always liked my crock pot, but hated cleaning it up. I'm lazy.

And then, I bought some Reynolds crock pot liners.

Now I hug my crock pot. I kiss my crockpot. I leave it on the counter right next to my vacuum sealer.

They work in my larger slow cooker, they work in my smaller one. *Slight* drawback: They are $4 bucks for 5 liners, and some people may not want to pay that, BUT it is sooooo worth it to me.

Just a tip for other busy, overworked, domestic divas. :)
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Kiesha
offline Kiesha
Dallas
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  • Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

    Fri, February 10, 2006 - 4:00 PM
    I am lucky, my husband cleans the crockpot - but these could be good for if you expected ann especially big mess from something, or really needed to save time. Thanks!
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  • Kimb...
    Kimberly
    offline 49

    Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

    Fri, February 10, 2006 - 4:01 PM
    I wondered how they work. That would really be worth it to me because i especially like to use my crockpot on nights when i am at dance practice and get home late. The last thing i feel like doing at 9 pm is scrubing out the crockpot.

    Have you tried them when you cooked on high? I was curious if they got melty.

    Kimberly
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    • Paul
      Paul
      offline 89

      Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

      Fri, February 10, 2006 - 4:51 PM
      Come on people! You let it cook all day long, why not let clean over night.

      At a $1 a pop, I'd rather fill my encrusted crock with soapy water and let it soak over night.

      Assuming of course, you have a removable crock and sink it can sit in. My most crusty messes are easily wiped out the next morning.
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      • Kimb...
        Kimberly
        offline 49

        Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

        Fri, February 10, 2006 - 5:01 PM
        i can not stand to have anything in my sink at night. I have let it soak over night when it has some stubborn residue in it but then someone (me) still has to get it cleaned out in the morning before i leave the house.

        For real busy times i think it is a great idea.... and for oatmeal...that stuff sticks like GLUE.

        Kimberly
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        • stro...
          strobotron
          offline 20

          Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

          Sat, February 11, 2006 - 3:42 AM
          it seems unnecessarily wasteful --- we already live in a culture where everything is now disposable... too many one-use items, this seems like just another wasteful product.

          :(
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          • Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

            Sat, February 11, 2006 - 7:49 AM
            Well, I agree to a point, and my Grandma would have a heart attack at the thought of spending that much on something like this, but sometimes it really comes down to managing your resources, and sometimes time is a scarce one. As long as you are conscious about it, I don't think it is inherently evil or anything
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          • Kiesha
            Kiesha
            offline 40

            Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

            Sat, February 11, 2006 - 8:01 AM
            My goodness, I didn't know that poor little crock pot liners would be controversial! ;)

            But therein lies the slight drawback. I'm also one of those people who doesn't like anything in my sink overnight. When I have dance practice and don't get home til 9:30 and my normal bedtime is 9...those things are a lifesaver. I also do volunteer work for the SPCA, and at the end of four hours of smelly barking dogs...the LAST thing you want to do is food prep.

            I don't really have time in my mornings to get up and clean a pan (I'm a girl, it takes me forever, and I'm lucky to take 10 minutes to think about that nights meal) and by the time I get home that night, I only have enough time to cook that nights meal, clean it up, and scurry my rear into bed.

            So it's a bit tit for tat. Is it a time saver when you are overworked and barely have time to cook? Yup.
            Is it wasteful and a bit expensive, sure. But it's MUCH better than my alternative. Something fast food. Triple the waste, and it's terrible for me to boot (don't forget, I have to feed hubby too!)

            So in closing from my soapbox (heh) If you have the time, then by all means, cook as much food as you want, soak your pans overnight, and scrape away at that cooked on chili. But for the people who run the household, juggle a million things every day, have kids, pets, husbands, practices, volunteer work, AND work 40+ hours a week...They DO work. And , personally, I would much rather throw away a plastic liner than go out to eat. Not only are you generating TONS of garbage, but I shudder to think what is in some of that stuff.

            If it makes you feel better, Strobotron, I'll call my recycling pick up people and ask if they'll take my crock pot liners once a week. :)
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            • Kiesha
              Kiesha
              offline 40

              Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

              Sat, February 11, 2006 - 8:06 AM
              Mary Beth, you are LUCKY! I consider the day a success if my darling dearest picks his socks up out of the living room! The worst thing is flipping over the couch cuhions and finding 5 different socks. No pairs of socks mind you, he has a tendency to just take off the right hand one, walk around shirtless and scratch his butt. MEN. :p

              Kimberly, I cooked mine on low for 9 hours, they say they are made to be used on high, but I'll let you know as soon as I use it again!
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              • stro...
                strobotron
                offline 20

                Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                Sat, February 11, 2006 - 8:10 AM
                haha -- i appreciate your sensitivity to the matter.
                on a side note: do you ever feel you are over-extending yourself? ;)
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                • Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                  Sat, February 11, 2006 - 8:23 AM
                  Well, that is an interestiing question. I certainly feel very busy sometimes, and get tired, but in a way it is like going to the gym. If you do too much, you can hurt yourself and have to fall back. But, the longer you go, the stronger you get, and then you can edge forward - as long as you stay aware of and honor your limits. And sometimes, you may want to focus and advance more in one area, and to do that you have to step back in another. So, some days you use crockpot liners ; )
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                  • This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.

                    Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                    Sat, February 11, 2006 - 8:27 AM
                    Sorry, I flat out didn't see the two previous posts, and thought you were talking about mine! Busy thread!

                    Never mind....
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                • Kiesha
                  Kiesha
                  offline 40

                  Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                  Sat, February 11, 2006 - 8:32 AM
                  All the time, baby, and I don't even have kids! I

                  But, I'm a 'doer'. I think it makes me appreciate those 15 or 20 minutes in a day when I actually get to sit on the couch and read a book. I might go crazy if I had nothing to do. :D

                  It probably doesn't help that we both work in the family business. Talk about long hours! He works anywhere from 10-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week. I usually only do 8-5 with a couple hours on Saturday. So I never expect, or ask him to cook or clean. He works very hard, but does make a good living for us. I'm not paid squat, haha!

                  The big drawback for me was the waste involved. Not really the expense. I thought I was the only person concerned with throwing things away. I'm almost OCD about conserving stuff, more because I'm afraid that I'll run out. I'm one of those nuts that has 5 almost empty bottles of shampoo for 'backup' in case I run out of what I'm currently using. I'll use a paper towel easily three times before I deem it suitable for garbage. It makes me NUTS when my DD washes his hands, rolls the thing around his big o' mitts three times, and leaves a HUGE paperwad.

                  Ahhhh, neurosis, my dear old friend. ;)
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                    Eliz...
                    Elizabeth
                    offline 18

                    Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                    Sat, February 11, 2006 - 5:58 PM
                    Back to a more mundane note--
                    I have a really big crockpot, so I like to make large batches and freeze half. I am a working single mother, who also happens to be a college student, so, the bag thing sounded like a godsend to me. I've figured, if I make a large batch of something and freeze half of it IN THE COOKING BAG, that's only half the cost per meal in bags, right? It's also half as wasteful, and it also saves a freezer container to be washed. So, I think the purchase and use of those trusty bags is well justified.
                    BUT, that said, I bought the things months ago and have yet to use them! I keep thinking, "Oh, I'll save them for when I really need the help." Hhmm. But, my crockpot is a really easy one to clean!
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                    • Mich...
                      Michael J
                      offline 19

                      Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                      Sun, February 12, 2006 - 12:49 PM
                      It's difficult for me to imagine how difficult it is to clean a crockpot....unless of course you've cooked lentils or green peas and left the thing sitting by a window in the sun instead of rinsing it out.
                      Maybe my crockpot is just cooperative and likes getting cleaned.....cause I could easily wash it in the time that it took to read the postings.
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                      • Kimb...
                        Kimberly
                        offline 49

                        Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                        Sun, February 12, 2006 - 2:22 PM
                        Lucky you. I have an All Clad crockpot and it is ALWAYS a bear to clean. I have even tried spraying it with cooking spray first but still food just cooks on so hard that it is a real challenge to get it clean.

                        I found the Reynold's liners on sale today 2.45 for 4 liners and i had a dollar off coupon to top it off! OH... but on the recyling note...i did bring my own totes to the grocery store and i do recycle at home.

                        Kimberly
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                        • Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                          Sun, February 12, 2006 - 2:27 PM
                          One thing that can cause problems is if you do not fill the crockpot at least half full - that can cause hotspots, overcooking, and sticking. However, some of them are just a pain anyway! That is why they came up with the liners, enough people complaining.
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                          • Kiesha
                            Kiesha
                            offline 40

                            Re: Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

                            Mon, February 13, 2006 - 12:17 PM
                            Mine has a tendency to get all crusty and baked on at the top (I don't usually have any downtime between work and class, so most of my crockpot items cook for 9+ Hours) I have to fill it with hot water, let it soak, scrub it out, I also don't have a garbage disposal, so I have to empty it into the trash, and scrub like hell to get it all off. It's REALLY a big pain in the butt, and one I usually dread, thus not using it to it's full potential. Eh, I gotta crappy crock pot, it was a gift, sue me. :p
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  • Unsu...
     

    Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

    Fri, February 24, 2006 - 11:20 AM
    I don't know about the liner things. I get it that we are all busy...but with the latest reports about how we are all INGESTING plastic from our food and how that's not good for our health, I am loathe to use any plastic that will be HEATED, especially if my food is in it.

    Some of my friends are getting to be fanatic about it - using only glass in the kitchen. I have not gotten there yet. Still, I no longer use plastic in the microwave. I take the food out of the fridge from the plastic container, put the food on glass/ceramic plate, and then heat. I also gave away all my plastic slotted spoons (for pasta) and the ones I was using for stir-frying, etc.

    Pehaps I'm being paranoid, but I'd rather have the crock pot bowl sit in my sink overnight than use the liners.

    Just my 2 cents.
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    • Eliz...
      Elizabeth
      offline 18

      Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

      Sat, February 25, 2006 - 1:48 PM
      Good point about the plastic, Miriam-Jeanette. And, yes, there are as many views on the validity of that theory as their are on whether or not the ozone layer is really being destroyed. I think you've just got to go with what feels intuitively likely to you. I do try to avoid plastics, though not with any great fanaticism. But, maybe that is also part of why I haven't used my liners yet.
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      • Unsu...
         

        Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

        Sun, February 26, 2006 - 9:44 PM
        Yeah, I'm not fanatical either. I mean, I will die sometime of something, right? :-)
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        • Kiesha
          Kiesha
          offline 40

          Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

          Mon, February 27, 2006 - 9:26 AM
          All I can say is WOW. Just WOW.

          For a product you may use once a week, there sure is a lot of fuss. I don't think crock pot liners are going to revolutionize your kitchen. I don't advocate everyone using them all the time. It may not suit your cooking style, you may not mind overnight dishes, you may even be anti crock altogether. If you are so inclined, do whatcha like, no skin off my nose.

          But I work 40+ hours, have dance class two nights a week, I volunteer on Sundays (if not other days as well), I maintain an active social life, see my family on a regular basis, make breakfast lunch and dinner, bake my own bread, and keep a darn tidy house while I'm about it. If I choose to cook using a plastic liner to save me some hassle, freeze my leftovers in a disposable plastic container, clean my countertops with disposable clorox wipes, mop my floors with a disposable swiffer thingy, use half a roll of paper towels cleaning my windows, wash my sheets with a fuzzy kitten and toss it, THEN SO FREAKIN' BE IT. Until I can quit my job and devote my life to the pursuit of my housewifely duties, any timesaver I can get saves my SANITY. Unless anyone is interested in seeing me climb the local whatertower and start picking people off with semi-automatic...you should encourage me to use them!!

          Like I said before, when it is LITERALLY a choice between Taco Bell, and a crock pot liner...I'll take the crock pot liner. I'd rather ingest a little plastic that choke on that poison any day of the week. If you're going to be concerned with what you're ingesting, I would start with the items you buy at your local market. Wax does not belong in your fruit, doxyhydronophenatedsycline does not belong in your bread.

          Ok, so I just made that up, but you get my point. :)

          But in the face of everything else that's in your food, your air, your water, is that little bitty crock pot liner going to kill you?

          The soapbox is now free for the taking! :-D
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          • Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

            Mon, February 27, 2006 - 11:48 AM
            I met my very first Crockpot liner in person just yesterday. I didn't see their value before yesterday because frankly, I figured it's easy enough to put the crock in the sink and let it sit, for me anyway.

            BUT...

            I went to a party yesterday, and there were probably 10 crock pot dishes going. As the contents got devoured, the empty crocks just sat on the table. And sat, and sat, and sat. Each person was tasked with taking their filthy crusty crock back to their car only to let it sit in their sink at home for the next 2 months until the crocked on remnants disintegrated.

            Except for one.

            There, on the table, was a standout. She served up her chowder with a smile, and all that remained was a clean, shiney crock, just ready to be tucked back into the pantry awaiting an invitation to the next party. Yes, she arrived at this event donned in the chic, upscale, posh Crockpot Liner. And she was a winner baby!

            So while I probably wouldn't opt to use the controversial liner in the privacy of my own home, I will, in the future, put it proudly on display next time my crockpot comes with me to a party.
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            • Paul
              Paul
              offline 89

              Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

              Mon, February 27, 2006 - 11:57 AM
              Dusty:

              I'm more interested in a party with 10 crock pots! Was that the theme of the potluck? Were there many duplicated dishes? How many people were eating food there? I'd worry about plugging in all those little rascals. Any new or exciting recipies?
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              • Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

                Mon, February 27, 2006 - 12:02 PM
                It was a big winter party in a cabin. Sledding, hot cocoa, fireplace, beer. Fun and cold. My fave dish was a chicken florentine dish. She did chicken pieces, with cream of chicken soup, low fat mozzarella cheese, pasta, spinach. It was very good. Pasta was a bit mushy... but still very tastey.
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                • Re: Eating Plastic - aka Crock Pot Liners

                  Mon, February 27, 2006 - 1:58 PM
                  BRILLIANT!! We do these parties at work periodically, and that had not even occurred to me! I generally drag mine back to the sink and give it a cursory cleaning until we get home, but some of those crocks get pretty nasty - especially if the owner forgets to go back and check on it! It is funny, we do blow breakers almost every time, so now we have these elaborate schemes with power strips, and which pot has to sit where, etc...Some good food, though!
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