Chicken wings contain a lot of skin and too many bones to be made in the slow cooker. The skin will turn soggy and bones will float around in the liquid, leaving you with a (literal) hot mess. For the same dark meat flavour, try boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a tender, finger-licking meal.

Long grain rice can become overcooked on the outside while remaining raw on the inside when made in a slow cooker — short grain and whole grain are better options. Play it safe and employ whole grains that can withstand longer cooking times, like barley.

Skim milk’s low fat content makes it curdle when heat is applied. Unless you’re making a soup, stew or braise with heavy cream or full-fat sour cream, avoid this watery dairy product at all costs. You can also avoid the dairy altogether and focus on a bright, broth-based soup instead.

Dried herbs and spices are best friends of the slow cooker, adding depth of flavour during the low and slow cooking time. But fresh herbs? They turn soggy, grey and tasteless. Make your meal in the slow cooker and add a pop of welcome brightness with fresh herbs at the table.

While lovely in baked goods and granola, quick-cooking and instant oats become gummy when cooked fir too long — so avoid cooking them in the slow cooker. Turn to hearty steel-cut oatmeal and alternative grains to make your porridge instead.

Technically you can cook tender cuts of meat (beef or pork tenderloin, for example) in your slow cooker, but it will cost you a lot more. Your slow cooker tenderizes tough, inexpensive cuts of meat, saving you time and money.

Poultry skin turns soggy and greasy in a slow cooker, so it’s best left for high temperature oven roasting, searing or grilling. You won’t miss the richness skin adds to poultry dishes if you cook the lean meat with a flavour-packed sauce, with lots of tender vegetables.

Pasta (spaghetti, penne, etc.) takes about 10 minutes to cook on the stovetop, keeping it al dente. In the slow-cooker, noodles turn to mush. Instead, make your sauce in the slow cooker and cook pasta separately in boiling water, combining the two when serving.

Greens are too quick-cooking to withstand the low and slow heat of a slow cooker. Spinach, kale, broccoli and more, all turn to a grey, slimy, mushy mess. Make your main dish in the slow cooker and serve stovetop greens on the side.

Seafood is a protein you want to keep away from your slow cooker. From shrimp to salmon, when cooked for too long, an unpleasing texture (mushy and rubbery) and smell comes out. Reserve delicate seafood for the oven, frying pan or grill, and stick to versatile chicken instead.