Becoming a mom is one of the most incredible feelings in the world, but it can also be super overwhelming. Not only are you physically and mentally recovering from giving birth, you’re learning how to take care of a tiny human and on very little sleep and fluctuating hormones. During postpartum recovery, the hardest part is keeping up with everyday tasks, like laundry, cleaning and cooking, while caring for your newborn. That’s why we’ve put together these postpartum meal ideas that are healthy, simple and time-saving.
8 Time-Saving Meal Prep Tips
1. Order Your Groceries Online
The thought of getting yourself to the grocery store with a new baby can be overwhelming. Ordering your groceries online will save you time and energy, and help you stick to your healthy eating goals. It will also help ensure you stay on budget. All you have to do is add your items to your online cart or app, choose a time and either show up and have them loaded in your car, or have them delivered right to your door.
2. Use a Slow Cooker
The slow cooker is a life saver during postpartum recovery. It makes meals super simple as all you have to do is layer in your ingredients and let the slow cooker do its thing. It also makes clean up really easy as there’s only one pot to clean. You can make pretty much anything in a slow cooker, from stews and curries to beef teriyaki, chicken parmesan, fajitas, chilli and so much more. Turn it on in the morning and let it cook until dinnertime.
3. Have a Collection of Easy, Healthy Recipes
Take the overwhelm out of figuring out what to make for dinner by having a collection of your favourite healthy meals on hand. They should be easy to make, and your cupboards and fridge should consistently be stocked with the essentials to make them. This way, when you get hungry, it’s easy to put together a healthy meal with ingredients you already have. Creating a capsule pantry is key!
4. Freezer Prep Meals
The prep will take some time, but you’ll have meals for a good month! Ideally, you and your partner would do freezer meal prep before the baby comes to ensure you’re set to go once you’ve given birth. Label your bag or container then chop up everything you need for your meal.
For example, let’s say you’re prepping sesame honey chicken. Slice up your chicken and add it to a freezer bag with cornstarch, shaking the bag until all sides of the chicken are coated. Seal the bag, removing the air. Then assemble the sauce ingredients and place it into a small Ziplock bag. Place both bags into a big Ziplock bag and store in the freezer until you need it.
Another way to do freezer meals is to batch cook recipes like casseroles, soups or breakfast burritos ahead of time and freeze them for when you need them!
5. Use Frozen Fruits and Veggies
Convenience is key during postpartum recovery and frozen fruits and veggies are the way to go. Use frozen fruits to make healthy smoothies and to top yogurt and oatmeal, and frozen veggies are great to have on hand for side dishes. They’re already washed and chopped so all you have to do is season them with salt and pepper and enjoy!
6. Get Acquainted with Sheet Pan Meals
Sheet pan meals are exactly what they sound like- you cook a whole meal (with meat and vegetables) on one large sheet pan. They’re super easy and don’t require a ton of clean up. You can make healthy, flavour-packed meals like lemon garlic chicken, salmon and veggies and shrimp-stuffed poblano peppers all on one sheet!
7. Batch Cook Meals You’re Already Making
When you do get to the kitchen to cook, double (or triple) your recipes so you have extras for later. You can eat them as leftovers that week or freeze them to eat down the road. This is a big time saver and will maximize your meal planning efforts.
8. Keep Healthy, Easy Snacks on Hand
Having access to healthy snacks is important to keep your health on track during postpartum recovery. Stock up on healthy dips like hummus and guacamole, as well as easy-to-dip veggies like mini carrots, snap peas and cherry tomatoes. Greek yogurt, trail mix, hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit are also convenient, healthy snacks to have on hand. Plus, you can also make homemade healthy snacks like whole wheat muffins and energy balls.
7 Meal Prep Essentials to Invest In
30 Postpartum Meal Ideas for New Moms
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies | Damn Delicious
- Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken | Taste of Home
- Freezer Friendly Breakfast Burritos | Budget Bytes
- Pistachio Pesto Pasta | Mama Natural
- Freezer to Crockpot Chicken Fajitas | The Humbled Homemaker
- Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins | Thriving Home Blog
- Shrimp-Stuffed Poblano Peppers | Taste of Home
- Slow Cooker Beef Teriyaki | Sweet and Savoury Meals
- Make-Ahead Freezer Oatmeal Cups | Cali Girl Cooking
- Nut Free No Bake Energy Balls | Yummy Mummy Kitchen
- Sheet Pan Rosemary Salmon and Veggies | Taste of Home
- Chicken Taco Soup | Thriving Home Blog
- Banana Bread Overnight Chia Pudding | Ooh La La It’s Vegan
- Easy Double Pumpkin Shepherd’s Pie | Cali Girl Cooking
- Hearty Baked Penne Pasta | Thriving Home Blog
- Easy Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad | The Baking Fairy
- Overnight Oats with Protein Powder | Clean Plate Mama
- Warming Minestrone Soup | Cali Girl Cooking
- Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan | Taste of Home
- Vegan “Tuna” Chickpea Salad | The Banana Diaries
- Chipotle Black Bean Burgers | Hey Nutrition Lady
- Muffin Tin Meatloafs | Some the Wiser
- One Pot Healthy Beef Stroganoff | The Girl on Bloor
- Easy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry | Natasha’s Kitchen
- Quick and Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles | The Baking Fairy
- Turkey Chilli | Dinner at the Zoo
- Paleo Lemon Blueberry Muffins | Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
- Slow Cooker Chana Masala | Brit + Co.
- Easy Black Bean Soup | Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
If you’re a new (or soon-to-be) mom, we hope these simple and healthy meal ideas help you in your postpartum recovery!
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