With a long chol hamoed this year, the days are practically begging for adventure—think packed lunches, hiking trails, amusement parks, and yes, that one zoo trip that always ends in someone losing a shoe. But after the sun sets and the backpacks hit the floor, the last thing anyone wants to do is start chopping onions while still wearing dusty sneakers. That’s where these cozy, low-effort dinners come in.

Each recipe in this roundup is designed with your chol hamoed rhythm in mind: throw it together before you head out, let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting, and come home to a kitchen that smells like someone’s been cooking all day (because technically… you have). These are warm, filling, and Pesach-friendly dishes that hit the spot without tying you to the kitchen—because let’s face it, you’ve got enough going on wrangling tired kids and unpacking that cooler bag.

So go ahead—plan the day trips, and don’t stress dinner. It’s already cooking.

1. Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken and Potatoes by Leah Mansour

The minimal prep makes this one a go-to every time!

2. Hearty Passover Chili in the Slow Cooker by Nechama Norman

This delicious and warming beef chili is the perfect supper to come home to after a chol hamoed outing. Make it lighter with half ground beef and half ground chicken.   For the perfect year-round chili recipe, try this half-homemade chili by Zehava Krohn.

3. Slow Cooker Zucchini Soup by Julie Hauser

This is an adaptation from my neighbor Bayla Landsman’s Zucchini Garlic Soup recipe in the cookbook From Our Table to Yours, a project of Yeshivas Darchei Torah in Southfield, Michigan. My family loves the garlicky flavor of the soup. We also like it a bit thicker, so I use less water than the original recipe uses. The original recipe also calls for a turnip or parsnip, which you could try instead of potatoes. No oil is added (unless you choose the sautéed onion cubes or alternative) at all. Pure smoothness and sweetness come from the veggies. Read more about Julie’s method for easy Pesach cooking: Pesach While You Sleep.

4. Pulled Beef on Pesach Pizza Crust by Elizabeth Kurtz

Prepare the meat before Yom Tov so you only have to make the crust before the meal. This is my go-to pizza crust for both meat and dairy pizza. The crust gets puffy and bigger as it cooks and has a real chametz-like texture. It’s best eaten right out of the oven. Feel free to add other dried herbs to the crust like onion powder, oregano, basil, chili flakes or other kosher-for-Pesach seasonings. The dough needs to be refrigerated before it’s formed and baked, and wet your hands while shaping it. Use it with meat or cheese and all sorts of toppings.

5. Pepper Steak by Julie Hauser

This is another recipe inspired by the Yeshivas Darchei Torah cookbook. The original recipe, by Zipporah Heinemann, calls for soy sauce and flour, both no-no’s for Pesach, so I adjusted. Pepper steak shrinks when it cooks, so it’s easy to make a lot of it in a crockpot. It’s a great supper choice for after a Chol Hamoed outing. Pair it with sweet potato discs or a fresh lettuce salad and/or soup and you’re set!

6. Before and After Chicken Legs by Julie Hauser

Cooking for Yom Tov, even in large quantities, (even in a year and place when Yom Tov runs into Shabbos), does not need to be super time consuming. Cooking in 2-3 slow cookers, for example, produces multiple soups, meats, chickens, and even meatballs, matzah balls, and applesauce, etc. It’s almost like having a robot! You may also wish to cook this way to have supper ready for Chol Hamoed without staying home all day cooking. For Rosh Hashana or Sukkot, I’m not in such a panic to prepare and freeze ahead every single entrée, but this way of cooking is so easy and delicious it frees me up for other Yom Tov preparations like the clothing shopping, errands, enjoying the family, the house prep, the sukkah building, etc.!

7. Chuck Eye and Potatoes Slow Cooker Roast by Miriam Fried

Want a fresh meal for chol hamoed? Dump everything in the crockpot and come home to a fresh gourmet meal. Also a great option when you’re short on flames in the Pesach kitchen – just dump and forget and wake up to the most delicious smell.