Instant Pot Tips & Tricks for the Beginner

For years I have had a slow cooker (or three) that I used frequently. I loved being able to make our dinner at lunch and then forget about it until time to eat. It was wonderful. Then, we started talking about traveling full-time and a friend of mine, who camps quite often with her family, said we needed to invest in an Instant Pot. I was skeptical at first. We tried it at home before we took off on our adventure, but I still wasn’t convinced.

Until one day when I realized I had forgotten to thaw out some chicken for dinner that night. I knew I could cook it from frozen in the Instant Pot, so I thought, hey…why not?! That was the turning point in our relationship – the Instant Pot and I. We were no longer dating to see if we liked each other, I was full-on in love. And we have been inseparable ever since. 

I use my Instant Pot daily and I can honestly say, I’m not sure how we lived without it. Since our relationship began, I have been scouring the internet for recipes. Quick recipes, easy recipes, recipes with few ingredients, cheap recipes…and I will be sharing them with you over the next couple weeks! Are you ready? I know I am!

3 Reasons to Buy an Instant Pot

If you’re like me, you’re on the fence about buying another kitchen appliance. However, I can guarantee you this is one purchase you will not soon regret. In fact, if we had space for more than one in our travel trailer, I would have another one in a heartbeat!

It is a Time Saver – Seriously, I didn’t think was true, but oh man do I save a lot of time. I have a very sensitive diet, so I typically cook for my entire family, clean up and then cook my own meal. This often means I eat hours later than them, but that all changed with the Instant Pot. I can now cook frozen chicken from start to finish in 45-minutes or less. And it comes out super moist. It is literally amazing! I can throw in my carrots or other vegetables with the chicken and they’re done at the same time. Clean-eating dinner from frozen chicken breasts in under an hour – yes, ma’am!

It is a Money Saver – You may be wondering how this product that costs nearly $100 saves you money? Well, for one it is several gadgets in one (I will talk about that more in a minute) and for two, I find myself cooking our meals at home more than going out now. I can cook meals in the same time it takes to load everyone up in the car, drive to the restaurant or fast-food place and get back home. So, why not stay in and save money!

It is 7 gadgets in 1 – Whether you’re a canner or not, this pressure cooker can really do just about anything you want. The new 7-in-1 Instant Pot has 14 different programmable options – Soup, Meat/Stew, Bean/Chili, Poultry, Sauté/Simmer, Rice, Multigrain, Porridge, Steam, Slow Cook, Keep Warm, Yogurt, Manual, and Pressure Cook. You can literally consolidate and save space in your kitchen!

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure CookerInstant Pot Mini MittsInstant Pot Inner Pot, Ceramic Non-Stick, for 6 Qt Models

Now that I have convinced you the Instant Pot is the one appliance you need in your life, what do you do with it? I found some who are more experienced than me with this gadget to help. They have some wonderful tips and advice on using this appliance and getting “your money’s worth” out of it. 

If you’re worried about getting rid of the old slow cooker, don’t be! Here’s some tips on adapting those slow cooker freezer meals recipes for the Instant Pot!

Want to cook those frozen chicken breasts in a hurry? Margin Making Mom shares how she does it in just 10 minutes!

Successful Homemakers shares some tips for beginners just getting started, 2 Free Cheat Sheets to have handy while you’re cooking with your Instant Pot and the Must-Have Accessories for your Instant Pot. 

I am always looking to save time or make things just a little easier. Check out these 23 Instant Pot Hacks from How Does She?

17 Instant Pot Tips for Beginners | BuzzFeed

This post from Clarks Condensed shares so much good information from tips to which one to buy to the settings, cleaning and more!

I have not had this issue yet, but apparently sometimes the Instant Pot sealing rings can develop an odor. My Crazy Good Life shares how to remove that odor, without buying a new sealing ring!

As a new user, we’re all likely to make mistakes. Here are 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid as an Instant Pot beginner.

Whether you’re a new convert or Instant Pot user, I hope these tips help you. Stay tuned for some amazing recipes over the next few weeks!

Find more IP recipes on my Instant Pot Recipes Pinterest board!

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Annette Breedlove

Annette has been married to her husband and best friend since 2003. Together they are raising their six children to follow the Lord’s will, no matter what. Annette longs for the day when she will meet her angel babies who have entered heaven before her. She enjoys creating UNIT STUDIES and FREE PRINTABLES for homeschool families. You can follow her crazy life at In All You Do where she blogs about homeschooling, homemaking and marriage while trying to maintain her sanity. She is also the owner of Thrifty Homeschoolers where she shares her tips on homeschooling without breaking the bank.