When you are finishing up everything on your 3rd Trimester Checklist of things to do before baby arrives you realize it’s time to start planning out meals for the whirlwind that is about to be your life. With this list of freezer meals to make before baby arrives you will be well on your way to being one of the most prepared new moms around.
After having two babies myself I can definitely assure you that this new trend of preparing a bunch of freezer meals before your baby comes is going to save you so much time, headaches, and frustration postpartum. When your new bundle of joy comes you’re going to feel like a messy, sleepless, sore, zombie for a bit there.
And once you recover from labor and delivery, all those sleepless nights and long days of nursing and diaper changing really don’t give you a chance to catch your breath at all. Point blank – newborns are exhausting!
It’s great if you have family and friends that are eager to support you by bringing by a dinner or two after the new baby is born. But what about when those thoughtful meals run out? Freezer meals to the rescue! By taking a bit of time and preparing NOW you won’t have to worry about making dinner then, really for as long as you’d like.
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Why Postpartum Freezer Meals Are So Popular
Moms are getting more and more prepared for pregnancy and postpartum with all the amazing resources and information available now (thank you Pinterest!). With amazing ideas like postpartum sitz baths, postpartum care kits, and postpartum freezer meals, women can really take much better care of themselves after childbirth and aid and speed their recovery so much.
The stress of recovery on your body that first week is enough to handle without having to worry about additional meal preparation for yourself and your family. Creating freezer meals while you are still pregnant to use after giving birth is a great idea to let your body and your mind rest, recover, and adjust to your new role.
I prepped a TON of freezer meals during my last pregnancy, enough to last my family 6 weeks postpartum! It was the smartest thing I did to prepare for baby. My mother and sister and I all got together and spent a long day preparing meal after meal; completely stocked our freezer before my due date.
Actually, doing it all at once was totally stressful and physically taxing I wouldn’t recommend it. I cried. lol. But, I can’t express how much relief having an easy meal to make every night for dinner for weeks was.
New parents have so much on their physical and mental plates the first time around. And while second and third-time moms don’t have quite that same learning curve as you do with a first baby, they are pulled in even more directions making adjusting to their new reality postpartum equally tough. Having a ton of nourishing meals ready to be heated up in the oven or thrown in the Crock Pot is a time-saving and sanity-saving lifesaver.
What Kind of Easy Freezer Meals Should You Make Before Baby Comes?
As with any meals, the best choices to prepare are HEALTHY freezer meals. But don’t underestimate the power of making some quality comfort food for that postpartum period as well.
The first couple weeks (or really months) after your baby is born you shouldn’t even be thinking about dieting to lose that excess baby weight. You should instead be focusing on nourishing healthy meals that will help your body repair postpartum.
There may have been tearing, blood loss, etc. that you need to recover from after childbirth. Not to mention now all your organs need to rearrange again. That takes energy, so having hearty yet nourishing healthy meals during this period is imperative.
But healthy doesn’t have to mean bland or yucky, this list is packed with healthy pre-baby freezer meal ideas!
How to Get Started Making Freezer Meals Before Baby’s Arrival
The best way to get started making freezer meals for after baby comes is to read through this entire post, pick the recipes that you want to make, and design a shopping list. Group together the fresh foods, the canned foods, and the bulk items that you may need to prep all your chosen make-ahead meals.
Then you will want to decide which kind of storage containers you need for them. You can store freezer meals in a freezer bag, Pyrex dishes with lids, aluminum trays with lids, Tupperware, or even jars. It really depends on which recipes you choose.
Many of the slow cooker meals can easily be stored in gallon freezer bags, while things like the frittata and lasagna do best in an aluminum tray or Pyrex. You can just stick those straight into the oven.
Lastly, it is a good idea to make sure you have enough freezer space! If you don’t then remove the nonessentials. Maybe you have bread, ice trays, or things that can easily be eaten up taking up a lot of space.
20 Delicious Freezer Meals to Make Before Baby Arrives
These are some of the best freezer meals I’ve come across, and our personal favorites were Lasagna, Chicken Pie, Chicken Fajitas, and Chili. There is a short list of foods you shouldn’t eat after giving birth to keep in mind, but of course, none of those things are on our list of pre-baby freezer meal ideas.
Steak and Eggs Breakfast Burritos
These Steak and Eggs Breakfast Burritos are great for any meal of the day – but they do make an especially fantastic quick meal when you’re in a rush! (And, is it just me, or is there a lot of those “in a rush” times right after you have a baby?!) Plus you get so hungry when you first start breastfeeding and these can really hit the spot as a quick snack! The steak and eggs are really awesome for replenishing the nutrients you lost through childbirth. Top with some guacamole and sour cream for an extra special treat.
Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito
Maybe meat isn’t your thing, but quick meals are? (Even though protein is really great for helping you heal and repair your body after baby comes.) Try this make-ahead Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito recipe that is meat-free and super tasty too instead. Or maybe you just want two burrito options… like if you really love burritos.
Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are such a healthy carb because they are loaded with nutrients, perfect to eat when fueling your body postpartum. TheseEnchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes freeze for up to 3 months and are filled with black beans, corn, and enchilada sauce.
Easy Lasagna Freezer Meal
This is one great freezer meal that will easily feed the whole family for days – it’s a favorite in our house. The Easy Lasagna Freezer Meal is filling, and so tasty. Some tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, and either ground beef or turkey baked together feel so indulgent and satisfying after a long day of new mom life. If you want to cut down on your prep time, the fresh lasagnas from Costco freeze well and are a really good price. Even though my postpartum days are behind me, I still always have lasagnas in my freezer.
Lighter Turkey Zucchini Lasagna
Don’t worry, on this list I’ve got something for everyone. If the lasagna above sounds good in theory but is too heavy for you or you can’t do wheat, or you want to try and make healthier choices to lose some post-baby weight, consider a Lighter Turkey Zucchini Lasagna It still features meat, cheese, and spaghetti sauce (for a bunch of healing nutrients) but is much lighter and lower in calories and carbs.
Chicken Pasta Bake Freezer Meal
Another hearty comfort food that makes a great family-friendly freezer meal is this Chicken Pasta Bake. Pasta bakes are great because they can be adapted so easily. You can make this recipe exactly a couple of times, but then you can adapt it to continue to fill your freezer before your due date. Maybe a ground turkey and mushroom pasta bake? Or a sausage pesto bake might be good too. The possibilities are endless.
Freezer Meal Beef Stew
This Freezer Meal Beef Stew from Pinch of Yum is so nourishing for postpartum! Any recipe with big chunks of meat like this that you slow cook brings out the nutrients that your body needs to heal after childbirth. I love how simple this recipe is and it freezes great in just plain old gallon freezer bags. (Stack your freezer bag on a baking sheet to freeze them flat, and then remove the baking sheet when they are frozen!)
Freezer Chicken Pot Pie
Can you say homemade and hitting the spot? In the craziness of life with a new baby sometimes it’s hard to remember to eat often enough. You are constantly getting pulled away by cries or messes. So having some great hearty meals like this Freezer Chicken Pot Pie is your postpartum freezer meal stash is important. There’s a good chance you’ll make it through most of the day without sitting down for a good meal many times. Chicken pie is another “Costco cheat” that I ALWAYS keep in my freezer!
Freezer Friendly Frittata
Frittatas are great because they are so versatile. If you haven’t had one before, a frittata is basically a fancy and slightly creamier omelet that you bake. This Freezer-Friendly Frittata is loaded with goodness. Meats, cheese, veggies, you’ve got it all! They make a great dinner, breakfast, or lunch!
Freezer Prep Pot Roast
One of my family’s favorites and so easy to make in your slow cooker is thisFreezer Prep Pot Roast. This hearty recipe has something for everyone and is so simple to both meal prep and make.
7 Freezer Friendly Chicken Marinades
A great thing about chicken is that you can flavor it almost any way and get a totally different-tasting meal. These 7 Freezer Friendly Chicken Marinades will help keep your chicken from feeling bland or boring (which is a risk with pre-baby freezer meals, if you make 20 of the same thing)!
Slow Cooker Poblano Pork
This Slow Cooker Poblano Pork Loin recipe is perfect served over rice for an easy meal. You can meal prep a lot of these freezer meals in one day. It’s best to make 2 to 4 of each recipe you make at a time. It’s a lot easier to make 4 of the same dish at once than to create 4 separate dishes at the same time.
Freezer Chicken Fajitas
A zesty but easy meal you can make ahead while you are still pregnant are these Freezer Chicken Fajitas. You will love these served with some tortillas, sour cream, and lime wedges.
Freezer Friendly Chicken Noodle Soup
Sometimes the best recipes to have after baby are those closest to your heart. Simple, delicious, and comforting, this Freezer Friendly Chicken Noodle Soup is sure to be one you’ll love. You can even make it with gluten free noodles but be sure to add those right before serving or they get too mushy.
Freezer Friendly Italian Wedding Soup
All soups are really great to make ahead of time and freeze for when you need them because you can always just toss it into the slow cooker. Freezer Friendly Italian Wedding Soup is a delicious choice that is lighter but still satisfying because of the meat. this is one of my most favorite soups, and it makes a meal on it’s own served with buns.
Slow Cooker Freezer Friendly Mongolian Beef
Ready to try something that packs a big punch of flavor? This Slow Cooker Freezer Friendly Mongolian Beef is sure to get your taste buds popping. Serve over a bed of rice for the best pairing.
Slow Cooker Turkey Black Bean Chili
There is just something about making chili with different types of beans that makes it feel more indulgent. This Slow Cooker Turkey Black Bean Chili is loaded with corn (making it a complete protein source) and tastes great alone or over a baked potato, French fries, or in a sourdough bowl- or you can serve it with tortilla chips!
Pulled Pork Sliders with Freezer Meal Option
These Pulled Pork Sliders with Freezer Meal Option really show the versatility of freezer meals. Of course, you can just create a bunch of soups and still have a lot of wonderfully healthy and tasty freezer meals prepared before your baby arrives, but why not make it as creative as you can so you never get bored and barely have to lay a finger in the kitchen?
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yes we are focusing primarily on full freezer MEALS, but while you are making all these, why not make freezer snacks too? There’s a good chance that on a lot of busy new baby days your snacks will end up replacing a meal. Any why not have those snacks be super indulgent tasting yet healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies that even help boost your milk supply?
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Bites
You deserve more milk-boosting snack ideas that you can make now and to fill your freezer with than just one. So try these delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Bites that store perfectly in the freezer and will help you build up that new milk supply too. (I have a whole list of lactation boosting snack recipes right here, btw!)
Wrapping Up 20 Freezer Meals to Make Before Baby Arrives
You are all set to make enough freezer meals to last you weeks after your baby is born. Even if you aren’t familiar with freezing foods now you will be after trying some of these! Some you can freeze in a casserole dish, some in gallon ziplock freezer bags (remember to lay these on a cookie sheet flat to freeze), and a few are frozen with other methods.
You get to pick and choose your favorites. Just want to make it super easy on yourself and only pick recipes that go in gallon freezer bags? Go for it! Got a deep freezer you want to fill with everything from this list? You go mama!
I tried to get some family favorites that will please everybody for you on here. Wishing you an easy postpartum period and truly hope these make-ahead freezer meal recipes help.
