The first few weeks after a baby is born are the most wonderful, most difficult, slowest, and fastest time ever in the life of a family. Many families feel as though they struggle just to keep breathing. Cooking should be the last thing to worry about. Take out can be great. But nothing is as nourishing as a home cooked meal. Freezing precooked meals can be the best of both worlds when preparing for baby’s birth. Drawing on my experiences before and after the birth of my girls, scouring the interwebs, and picking the brains of some of the best food bloggers and recipe developers, I have created a list (or round up) of the best meals to freeze before baby arrives.
SOUPS TO FREEZE BEFORE BABY COMES
Both Maggie of Mama Maggie’s Kitchen and Laura of Family Spice recommend soups as freezing well.
1. Purple Sweet Potato Soup
Laura has a delicious (and beautiful) recipe for purple sweet potato soup.
2. Clam Chowder
Maggie’s Clam Chowder will freeze well.
3. Beet Borscht
Borscht can be made with beef (which, along with the greens, is good for replenishing iron) or vegetarian, is affordable, and can help with losing baby weight. Enjoy it chunky or pureed, as in this photo.
For more soup recipes, click here.
SAUCES FREEZE GREAT FOR EASY MEALS AFTER BABY
4. Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Defrost this, or a classic basil pesto sauce, frozen in convenient one-ounce ice cubes, and add some freshly boiled pasta. Step it up with a few shrimp.
5. Ragu
Lisa is a New Zealand-born food blogger, living in Italy. She shares authentic Italian recipes on the aptly named, Italian Kiwi, and this Ragu, a tomato sauce with ground meat, is no exception. She explains why you should never order Bolognese in Italy and why this recipe may not be her husband’s 95-year-old grandmother’s secret recipe, but how it holds it’s own.
CASSEROLES TO FREEZE BEFORE BABY ARRIVES
6. Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Bri shares a delicious recipe for Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas. This is very similar to how I make it, too.
7. Pomegranate Lamb Moussaka
I made a double batch of this recipe before baby was born and was able to defrost and reheat the frozen one in time to bring along to the last session of our hypnobirthing class. (We also brought 7 day old Baby Bird.)
8. Lasagna
Debbie Anderson from San Diego Momma shares, “I’m invoking The Pioneer Woman here…but this lasagna truly is the best ever and freezes well and is amazing and I love it and totally make it.”
OTHER GREAT FREEZER MEALS
9. Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken Thighs
A dear friend of mine brought us a fresh batch of this recipe after Baby Bird #2 was born. It was delicious. And according to comments from Brenda of the Sugar Free Mom, it will freeze well, too.
10. Curry
Azlin is a veritable encyclopedia of world cooking. I asked her about the best food to freeze and she recommended curries. She has several on her website, but handpicked this Massaman Curry, a mild Thai curry. She states that it is one of the milder ones, in case any new moms are worried about too much spice.
11. Beer Braised Pot Roast with Herb Dumplings
Laura reports it freezes well and it just looks delicious!
BREAKFASTS THAT ARE EASY TO DEFROST
Don’t forget the first meal of the day! A big dish, ready to go, can be a blessing, especially when extended family is in town and you don’t feel ready to face a busy, weekend restaurant. A frittata will freeze and defrost well, as well as one of these French Toast/Bread Pudding hybrids.
12. Pumpkin French Toast Bread Pudding
13. Zucchini Bread French Toast Bread Pudding
14. Banana Brûléed Bread Pudding
(Add the Brûlée after reheating.)
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