Messy, sweet, and oh so delicious! Sloppy Joes are a favorite of both children and parents alike. Unfortunately, they’re not exactly the healthiest meal around. They’re usually full of unhealthy saturated fats from the beef, and that ketchup-laden sauce is packed with refined sugars (or, worse, high-fructose corn sugar). We decided it was time to take this meal back with our Slow Cooker Turkey Sloppy Joes recipe.

The slow cooker is one of my favorite appliances in the kitchen. It makes it so easy to create healthy lunches and dinners without putting in too much work! This Slow Cooker Turkey Sloppy Joes is especially convenient when made in the slow cooker because you can hold it hot until you’re ready for dinner. If you have any leftovers, they can easily be heated up later for lunch.

This recipe is possibly our most popular slow cooker turkey dish because it is so easy to make and it tastes delicious. To gain an extra layer of flavor, we recommend sautéing the ground turkey, onions, and peppers in a skillet before tossing it into the slow cooker. I know, I know, that dirties up an extra dish! If you don’t have time, no worries: It’ll still taste delicious without that extra step. But, it’s totally worth it when you taste the depth of flavor it brings to the dish.

Between the healthy homemade ketchup (which is low-sugar, of course), the spicy yellow mustard, and the tangy barbecue sauce, these Slow Cooker Turkey Sloppy Joes have all the flavor of your comfort-classic favorite. And, without the bun, they clock in at less than 200 calories a serving! If you want to keep things low-carb, you could even serve them on lettuce leaves instead of whole-wheat buns. Check out this recipe for Low-Carb Philly Cheesesteaks to learn more about making the lettuce cups.