Filling your freezer before a new baby arrives can give a family much peace of mind. With all the work a newborn takes, having meals and snacks on hand ensures everyone keeps their energy up. Before you start cooking, follow these 12 tips for making new mom freezer meals to maximize your kitchen time and get the most appreciation out of your meals.
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Freezer meals completely saved me as a new mom.
I distinctly remember when Zoey was just a few weeks old, Rob was back at work, and I was finally able to put her down for a nap. I decided to make myself some pasta and was so proud that I was making an actual meal.
Just as the noodles were done, Zoey woke up and was crying. I turned the burner off and ran to her crib to care for her.
When I came back to the noodles, they had expanded to triple their size having been in the water so long. I tried to salvage them and made my mac ‘n cheese anyway. After two bites, I threw it all out and sat down to cry.
Those postpartum hormones, busyness of taking care of a newborn, and being hungry just threw me.
This right here is why having new mom freezer meals is so important. Having a stash of meals at the ready you can simply throw in the microwave or pop in the oven are key to keeping a new mom fed so she in turn can care for both herself and her newborn.
After three babies (in just three and a half years), I have been through countless freezer meal variations. Before each baby was born, I went hard at filling my freezer and pantry with meals and snacks.
Not only did I make my own meals for my family, but I was gifted many meals from friends and neighbors who so kindly wanted to help out in those early days. Each and every meal was so thoughtful and much appreciated.
New Mom Freezer Meals
Here are my top 12 tips for making new mom freezer meals that will get eaten.
Variety of Meals
Through all my freezer meal research (which has been extensive after three babies and marathon freezer cooking sessions), and gifting others freezer meals, there seems to be an incredible number of chicken, pasta, and Mexican-inspired dishes.
While these are fine choices, they can get old fast if that is how you are filling a freezer. Attempt to go for some other variety in meals like pizza pockets, hand pies, meatballs, or dinner muffins.
Meals For The Whole Day
Dinners are wonderful and appreciated after long days, and they seem to be the go to meal to fill a freezer with, but finding ways to eat during the day is often harder.
During the day, a new mom is usually on her own and struggling to even just do some self care basics like shower or go to the bathroom. Fill her freezer with meals she can eat during the day as quick options for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Opt for items like energy bites, muffins, or breakfast sandwiches.
Even something as simple as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be frozen and reheated quickly. This is easier for a new mom to do than to actually make the sandwich herself while she is one handed.
One Handed Meals
While you are deciding what to make for new mom freezer meals, definitely take into account if the meal can be eaten one handed. Bonus if it can even be eaten without a utensil!
Oftentimes, a new mom is eating one handed, with a little one strapped to her chest or in hand, while trying to feed the baby, and feed herself. There is certainly not a use of two hands, and a utensil somehow feels like a foreign object that creates tons of spilling.
One handed freezer meals you can make for a new mom could be meals like muffins, burritos, sandwiches, meatballs, spinach balls, smoothies, or trail mix.
Keep It Simple
There is no need to go more gourmet, or cook up some complicated dishes. Keep the meals simple and energizing.
A new mom doesn’t have much time to eat anyway as the baby will be up any minute, she is too exhausted, there are bigger kids to keep busy, or she has a short window to shower.
Even just putting together a simple sandwich for the mom to stash in the freezer can be a seriously welcomed meal.
Package In Individual Portions
If your meal is meant to feed the whole family that night, certainly go with a family sized casserole dish. However, if you are choosing to go the route of breakfasts, lunches, or snacks, opt to package up your meals in individual portions.
Having these individual packs makes it so much easier for a new mom to eat quickly. The meal is quicker to defrost, it will last longer than just one meal, and it can cater to different taste preferences especially if there are other kids in the house.
An easy way to create individual portions is to make one batch of something like this Lightened Up Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole or simple minestrone and freeze it in silicone muffin cups (use this one, NOT this one). Simply pop out the frozen “puck” and put in a larger freezer bag. When the mom is ready to eat, she can pull out however many pucks she wants to reheat. Simple and quick!
Make It Heat And Eat
When you are doing your freezer meal research, you will lots of variation of freezer meals that involve chopping something or adding ingredients at various stages of cooking.
Skip these meals for your new mom.
There is barely time for her to eat, let alone chop. She is already tracking feedings, naps, and diaper changes, so keeping track of the cooking time and adding specific ingredients is not something her already full and tired brain needs.
Instead, go with fully made meals that she can simply put in the oven to heat and eat. You can also go with a dump dinner style for her to put in the Instant Pot. The key here is that everything is included and done.
Go With The Cravings
New moms are just exhausted and seeking quick energy. Your freezer meals can cater to that. Opt for comfort foods like pastas, pizzas, warming casseroles, simple sandwiches, and flavorful snacks that will get her the energy she needs.
Prep The Extras
A Mexican inspired dish needs sour cream, a pasta meal needs parmesan, a soup is happy with bread, a sandwich goes well with some chips.
A new mom most likely doesn’t have these items on hand and is anxious to have her partner home rather than stopping at the store.
If the meal you drop off requires any of these items, include them in your drop off. If the mom has everything she needs on hand, that meal is going to win the, “What’s for dinner?” question.
Help Stock The Pantry
No, this is not the freezer, but having items in the pantry for the new mom to grab and go are ideal. This is especially true for those daytime snacks when she doesn’t have time to sit down to an actual meal, but finds herself grabbing quick snacks as she walks by the pantry door.
Having a well-stocked pantry also means that the family with a new baby can eat a simple and quick meal even if they didn’t make it to the store. Afterall, having a new baby makes getting out the door a roll of the dice. Knowing there is food in the house to get a meal on the table will ease everyone’s minds.
Label Everything On Your New Mom Freezer Meals
Even if you are putting 6 individually wrapped sandwiches into a freezer Ziploc, label each of those sandwiches. The new mom brain fog and sleep deprivation is real, so make it easy on her.
You can choose to print and attach a label, or just write on some tinfoil or a plastic bag with a Sharpie. I also recommend you include the date the food was made.
Use Disposable Containers
I know this is not planet friendly, but use disposable containers. To be more planet friendly, give the new mom the meal in a container you do not want back. Make it very clear to her that it is hers to keep. Tell her it when you drop off your freezer meal and write it on meal label itself.
I found it very stressful when well-meaning friends dropped off meals in nice pans and dishes as they clearly expected them back. Not only did that mean cleaning the pan, but finding a time to contact that friend to return it in a timely manner.
Give the added gift with your meal of just being able to toss or store the dish you delivered your food in.
Include The Recipe
The family may love the meal you made and want to recreate it themselves later on. Just telling them what is in it when you drop your meal off is not going to stick in the new mom’s brain.
Print out the recipe and tape it to the meal, or give the recipe to the mom to put in her own Family Meal Binder for later.
When William was born, a good friend dropped off a new-to-us dinner that we were skeptical about. Turns out we all just adored it and it is now on regular rotation in our house as this Southwest Vegetarian Quinoa Dinner Dip.
Whether three days postpartum or three months postpartum, having some easy meals and snacks on hand makes life for a new mom so much easier. These 12 tips for making new mom freezer meals will ensure that your efforts to cook for a family with a new baby are so much appreciated and make their lives that much easier.
I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.
