Postpartum Meal Prep Guide: Easy and Nourishing Recipes

This postpartum meal prep guide will help you easily prepare delicious, wholesome meals that make your postpartum journey smoother and more enjoyable. The postpartum period is a transformative time, and fueling your body with nutritious meals is key to feeling your best. Meal prepping can be a game-changer, helping you stay energized and focused while caring for your new baby. The meal and snack ideas in this guide are simple, balanced, and designed to be prepared before the baby arrives, with plenty of freezer-friendly options. We've also included go-to meals that take under 30 minutes to make from start to finish!

Adjusting to life with a newborn can be overwhelming, and finding time to prepare healthy meals is often the last thing on your mind. That's where meal prep comes in! In addition to the help of a meal train or family, having a meal plan in place can make a huge difference for new parents. This guide offers simple, healthy freezer meals and easy recipes, like slow cooker options, to ensure you have nutritious, stress-free meals ready in no time. We created this postpartum meal prep guide to save you time and help you focus on your recovery while enjoying precious moments with your baby.

Why You'll Love This Postpartum Meal Prep Guide

• Saves time & simplifies planning: This guide will help you to prepare meals in advance with easy-to-follow recipes, reducing daily cooking stress and decision fatigue.
• Convenient & freezer-friendly: We offer quick meal ideas that come together in under 30 minutes, along with freezer-friendly options that are easy to store and perfect for hectic schedules.
• Boosts energy, supports recovery & encourages self-care: Nourishing meals help new moms stay energized, aid in postpartum healing, and prioritize self-care during the busy newborn phase.  
• Ideal for meal trains: Offers simple ideas for preparing and delivering meals to new parents.

Importance of Nutrition in the Postpartum Period

Nutrition in the postpartum period is important for multiple reasons. Additional energy and nutrients are needed to help support healing, maintain energy, and support lactation if you choose to breastfeed on top of what your body needed prior to pregnancy. 

• Support healing: Nutritious meals and snacks support postpartum recovery and tissue repair by providing essential nutrients like protein, carbs, healthy fats/fatty acids, and vitamins such as zinc, selenium, vitamin C, and folate. Iron-rich foods, including lean meats, beans, nuts, leafy greens, and dried fruits, are also important for healing, especially if you experienced blood loss during delivery.
• Maintain energy: Nutrition is key for maintaining the energy needed to support both you and your baby, especially during the adjustment to life with a newborn and sleepless nights. Not eating enough can make fatigue worse, while nutritious foods provide energy and support your mental health as you transition to this new phase of life.
• Support lactation: Breastfeeding requires extra energy and nutrients, so it's important to focus on nutrient-dense foods, prioritize hydration, and ensure you're getting enough calories. While some foods, like oats and flaxseeds, are considered galactagogues that may support milk production, there’s limited scientific evidence on their effectiveness. Rather than trying to go on a special diet or fixate on eating certain things, the key to supporting lactation is a balanced diet with sufficient energy and nutrients. If you're struggling with your milk supply, consult a doctor or lactation consultant for support.

Freezer Friendly Meal Prep Tips

Postpartum freezer meals are a lifesaver, with most of the cooking and prep work already done—just thaw, reheat, and sometimes add a few finishing touches. We've shared some of our favorite freezer-friendly recipes here, and for more ideas, check out the freezer friendly section on our website. You’ll find freezer instructions in the FAQ sections of all our freezer friendly recipes, but here are a few tips before getting started with your postpartum freezer meal prep: 

• Assess freezer space: Take some time to assess and organize the freezer space you have before going all out in preparing meals and snacks. Create designated areas for your freezer meals and label them so you can easily find them when needed.
• Storage options: Here are a few storage tips! Airtight storage containers, Ziploc freezer bags, or disposable casserole pans are all good options. If you use glass storage containers, make sure they are freezer safe and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight (glass can shatter with quick temperature changes). Costco and Sam's Club often have deals on storage containers. 
• Determine your meal prep process: You can make a list of all the make-ahead meals and snacks you want for the postpartum period and create a separate grocery list for them. Then dedicate specific times to prepare these meals. You can also batch cook by making a double or triple batch of a meal every so often and freeze half for later.
• Food safety: It's always important to be aware of food safety when it comes to thawing and reheating food. We have included tips in each of our freezer friendly recipes to help ensure you do this safely! The best options are to place the freezer meal in the refrigerator to thaw overnight or thaw the frozen meal in a cold water bath with running water or change the water every 30 minutes to prevent the water temperature from raising too rapidly. We don't recommend thawing a meal on the counter at room temperature as that increases the risk for bacterial growth in your food. However, it is okay to thaw muffins, cookies, protein bites, and other baked goods on the counter for a few minutes to soften before eating.

Now let's chat about our favorite freezer meal options!

FAQ for Postpartum Meals

If you make any of these recipes, please let us know how they turn out in the comments below and/or rate the recipes! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!