M is for Meal Prep

The end of your pregnancy is a great time to prepare meals to freeze for you to eat after your baby is born.  Not only does this task help you prepare for and lessen what needs to happen after your baby is born, but it is also a great distraction for those last few weeks or months when all you can think about is holding your new baby.  Once your baby is born you may be too exhausted to cook, or too busy with the baby to worry about cooking. 

When thinking about meal prep, most people think dinners, but you can also prep for breakfasts and lunches.  For breakfasts you can prepare a big batch of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns, maybe sauté some onions and peppers, and add a little of everything plus some cheese to a tortilla for some quick burritos that are easy to eat one handed!  Wrap each burrito individually in foil and then put in a Ziploc so they stay fresh in the freezer for longer.  You can also prepare some breakfast casseroles.  Or separate fresh fruit into individual Ziplocs with a protein powder for quick smoothie bags you just add milk to and blend!

For lunches, you can grill up some chicken and burgers ahead of time.  For the chicken chop it into strips before freezing, these strips can be used in salads or on sandwiches once thawed.  The burger patties can be thawed and eaten with or without a bun for that freshly grilled taste without having to fire up the grill.  You can even prepare sandwiches ahead of time and freeze them; when ready to eat, just thaw them and throw them on the stove or a panini press for an easy lunch.

With dinner you can prepare a variety of meals.  You can make casseroles and freeze them in disposable foil pans sealed in a Ziploc.  Most casserole recipes call for a 9x13 pan, but can be split into two smaller 8x8 pans so they are easier to freeze and the leftovers won’t last as long.  You can also prepare some Ziplocs ahead of time with meals to throw in the Crockpot or sauté on the stove.  Make sure you choose a variety of meals instead of making several of the same meal, that way you will something to eat no matter what you are craving.

When freezing your meals make sure to use heavy duty foil and/or freezer style Ziplocs so they stay fresh longer.  Label your meals with the date you prepared them, what it is, and the cooking or reheating instructions.  If you will be storing them on their sides, make sure to label the top and the side so you don’t have to dig around to see what is what.  Either way, make sure you freeze them flat before turning them!

If you also plan on pumping and freezing breast milk after your baby is born, you will want to consider how much freezer space you have and you may need to invest in an additional freezer.

Did you meal prep at the end of your pregnancy?  I did…and still do; it’s hard to cook every night of the week when you have little ones fighting for your attention!

Nest I will be blogging on the letter N…N is for Nausea.