Whether you're doing one chili or multiples, I suggest making them a few days ahead of time and freezing them. The night before, stick the containers in the fridge and the morning of, dump it in the
slow cooker! Another option is to make the chili the night before and let it cook all night. The night before, you can also chop a lot of your ingredients and grate you cheeses, place them in small ziplock bags or bowls covered with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge.