So we’ve made it to 38 weeks and not long now until we get to meet our little bubba! So if you do follow my Instagram feed, you would’ve noticed the meal prep craze that has taken over my kitchen. The fact that a KitchenAid has also made its way into my house has taken things to another level! Here’s more…
If there’s one thing I’ve helped my mamas-to-be prepare for, is how to nourish their bodies post baby and here’s me, a first time mama-to-be, applying what I preach…Well, let’s see post baby shall we! My nesting period has begun, nursery is all ready and having a new deep freezer in our basement was the biggest motivator to start my meal prep for post baby. I thought I would start sharing meal ideas and tips to make sure you’re as equipped as I am since the saying goes: time no longer exists for anyone except for baby.
If you’re new to menu planning, then you can start off here by reading the basics through a post I’ve written earlier this year. Firstly:
- I’ve written down a few ideas of easy meals I wanted to cook and freeze. That included soups, snacks, loaves and mains.
- I then chose a few cookbooks, websites and recipe databases for inspiration.
- Stocked up on freezer friendly, BPA- free containers and got cooking!
Starting off with Soups…Here are a few combinations that are guaranteed to work well together:
- Broccoli, zucchini and potatoes
- Cauliflower and sweet potato
- Carrot and sweet potato
- Pumpkin and sweet potato
- Carrot, ginger and turmeric
As for other mains, the easiest and freezer friendly options have been (and will be):
- Bolognese – for the meat option I’ve used mushrooms and lean beef and for a veggie option, lentils and mushrooms or mushrooms and eggplant
- Green Lentil Curry
- Chickpea and pumpkin green curry
- Gluten free veggie pizzas: I plan to use a few pizza bases and add veggies such as aubergine, mushrooms, broccoli and zucchini.
- Pasta bakes
- Tuna and quinoa patties
- Veggie patties made with mashed lentils, beans, herbs and spices
Snack and other goodies:
- Buckwheat Pear and Ginger Muffins (Also used the same recipe to make a cake)
- Rustic Apple, Cinnamon and PB Brekkie Bars
- Healthy Chocolate, Banana and Walnut Loaf (Recipe up soon!)
- Lemon Energy Balls
- Pink Grapefruit and Chia Muffins
- Popped Amaranth and PB Energy Balls
Another freezer friendly idea is to pre-pack smoothie ingredients into freezer bags or jars. Simple Green Smoothies have an excellent post on make-ahead smoothies and you can read the full article here. In brief, they suggest these 5 steps:
- Have your ingredients and supplies ready.
- Slice or cut fruits into chunks.
- Label bags and jar lids with name and date.
- Measure out the ingredients and pack into jars or bag.
- Place in freezer.
So if you’ve got time to kill before your little bub arrives, get prepping! You’ll thank yourself later. Got any other ideas or freezer-friendly recipes to share? Please do in the comments section. Have a lovely week ahead mamas!
Dolphin Solutions
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