How can a family manage to feed themselves quality foods while also resting and bonding with their baby? Freezer meals!
Meal prepping food for the freezer specifically is excellent for filling in the gaps. Maybe you have loved ones who want to feed you through the week but you find yourselves on your own on the weekends. Maybe you have a meal train lined up for two weeks but it tapers off after that.
A day of simple planning and prep can help answer the question, “What’s for dinner?!” quickly and easily.
We have a few tips to successfully fill your freezer and a roundup of some freezer faves!
Freezer Meal Prep Tips
Tip 1: Variety
Repetition can get boring and make ordering in a bit more tempting. To combat this, we recommend having a few different types of meals in the freezer. Having a mix of “dump and go” meals, ready-to-eat sides, and marinated main courses gives a variety of textures and flavors that keeps things interesting and easy.
Tip 2: Types
You won’t just be eating dinner! Having a few easy breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner options ensures that you are well prepared for the weeks ahead.
Tip 3: Batching Freezer Meals
While prepping food for hours may seem daunting, if you set aside a day to get everything done you will find your kitchen overall more clean and your meal planning way simpler. Make a mess once, eat for weeks!
Tip 4: Protein Variation
It might get exhausting to eat Italian marinated chicken four times in a row but marinades can often be added to different proteins to offer variation. Make a big batch of a vinegar-based marinade and add it to three different freezer bags filled with chicken, pork, and tofu for variety without much effort.
Tip 5: Mix n Match Freezer Meals
Grab a fresh salad kit at the grocery store and pair it with one of your favorite slow cooker meals from the freezer for a changeup in texture and flavor and added veggies!
Here are few ideas to get you started planning your freezer meal day:
Freezer Meal Ideas
Breakfasts
Lunches
Dinners
A Week of Easy Instant Pot Dinners
Snacks
Bonus Tip: Have your Postpartum Doula help you prep things!
If baby has already arrived and your freezers are bare, place a grocery order and have your Postpartum Doula prep a few freezer meals while they’re helping you around the house! This is a great way to ensure you’re cared for even after your doula is done with their shift for the day.
