If you are coming over from Pinterest, welcome! This is a blog about running and healthy parenting (and a smattering of other topics). If you aren’t a runner (or a healthy parent!), I hope you will stick around and find out how running helps me stay fit and stay sane!
The Best Gift You Can Give a New Mom
One of the BEST gifts you can give a new mom (in my opinion!) is a prepared meal after baby is born. Make ahead meals are so nice to receive when you are running on zero sleep and adrenaline! This was especially true for me after the delivery of #3. I had no energy to cook during the last month or so of my pregnancy, so I had absolutely nothing made ahead in my freezer. Thank goodness for my super awesome mother-in-law and father-in-law who would regularly bring us dinner! I did have a few new friends here on the Cape who brought us dinner after William was born, and it was a godsend.
Make Ahead Meal Ideas
What are the easiest make ahead meals you can prepare and/or buy to bring to a new mom? Here is a list of five suggestions to get you started:
Lasagna
Lasagna is great because you can make it ahead and freeze it in an aluminum baking pan. Deliver a lasagna (it’s always a good idea to check if her family eats meat) with a loaf of Italian bread and a salad for a super easy weeknight meal. If you are cooking for a vegetarian, eggplant parmesan is also a great alternative to meat lasagna and easy to make ahead and freeze.
Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
I regularly roast small chickens in my crock pot for easy dinners. All you have to do is buy a small chicken and rub the top with some unsalted butter. Next, pour some cooking wine over top, add some vegetables like carrots, onions, potatoes, and celery. Season with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (yes, like the Simon & Garfunkel song) and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. You will have a complete meal to bring over!
Breakfast for Dinner (or breakfast!)
Breakfast casseroles with egg, ham/sausage, cheese, peppers, etc. are easy to make ahead and freeze. You could also make a large bag of whole wheat pancakes and deliver them with a bottle of real maple syrup–they would be a hit for mom and any younger siblings!
Chunky Vegetable Soup or Beef Stew
Soups and stews are great to make ahead. The recipes are endless, and you could even try a gazpacho or cucumber soup if the weather is warmer. Soup with a nice French baguette would make a perfect light meal for a new mom and family. If they like a little spice, try a nice chili!
Quiche
If you want to get a little fancy, make a quiche. Quiches are wonderful because you can really throw in whatever you want (according to new mom’s tastes) for meat, vegetables, cheese, etc. They look fancy, but they are not really hard to make. It’s a great meal that’s easy to reheat and serve. An added bonus–mom can also have it for breakfast after a sleep-deprived night!
Ready to Bake Pizza
The possibilities are endless when it comes to a homemade pizza. Like breakfast for dinner, it will be a welcome meal for the whole family. Check on the family’s dietary preferences, and make your own masterpiece. If the new mom is vegetarian, you can always try a plant-based pizza.
Did you receive meals after giving birth? What were your favorites?
[…] I wrote about our favorite breakfast casserole recipe from the Baking Beauties in a post on make ahead meals for new moms, and I am including it again, since it’s so easy and super yummy! It’s also a great […]