Nutrition for Moms & Babies.
Feeding your baby healthy, balanced meals can be time-consuming, but the importance of eating healthy can’t be overstated. There are so many benefits to good nutrition—for both moms and babies:
During pregnancy, it promotes a baby’s development and reduces the risk of birth defects. For mom, it supports muscle and tissue growth and helps prevent complications like anemia, gestational diabetes, and high blood pressure.
After a baby is born, good nutrition is even more critical—speeding up the postpartum healing process, ensuring newborns get essential nutrients through breastmilk, and providing enough energy for mom to care for her baby and her own wellbeing.
Meal-planning has become a new personal challenge and I’m constantly looking for ideas to make the whole process easier, more affordable, and enjoyable.
Here are some of my favorite recipes for babies and new moms that are:
healthy and tasty, using fresh, nutrient-dense, and seasonal ingredients
appropriate for the whole family to enjoy
meal-prep and freezer-friendly (bonus: these make great gifts for a new mom as well!)
easy to execute in 30 minutes or less (anything more than 30 minutes typically involves limited attention, like baking or slow cooking).
DISCLAIMER: I am not a registered dietician. Nutrition facts for each recipe are based on information from Solid Starts and other credible health sources.
Recipes by Category:
Breakfast / Entrees / Soups & Stews Salads / Snacks / Dessert / Freezer-friendly
Recipes for Mom & Baby:
Recipes by Perinatal Stage:
Meal planning tips.
Use the time to decompress.
One of the best things about meal planning is having an uninterrupted block of time. I like using the time to listen to my favorite podcasts or it can just be meditative — giving my mind a break and letting my hands do all the work.
Freeze it.
Make extra batches of a recipe and freeze leftovers for a future weeknight meal. This saves a lot of time and stress, especially during busier weeks. If you have the extra space, buy a second freezer.
Don’t forget the kitchen tools.
There are many kitchen tools and gadgets that can help speed up cooking (and cleaning) time and enhance the flavor of your food. I love my air fryer, slow cooker, griddle, and sous vide precision cooker.
Involve your baby in the process.
Give your baby easy tasks to participate in the process (unpacking groceries, washing vegetables, mixing dry ingredients, sprinkling cheese toppings). A learning tower is a great and safe way to pull your baby up next to you while cooking.
Only shop once a week.
This will save you money and time. I love taking baby with me so she can participate in the process and understand the ingredients that go into her meals.
Get inspired.
One of the hardest things about meal planning is figuring out what to cook. There is a world of influencers and meal-related Facebook groups out there. Check out the Community tab on my Resources page for more ideas.
Meal plan.
Plan the menu once a week to reduce the mental load required to plan daily. Build your grocery list based on what you already have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer and use seasonal ingredients. This will help you make fresher, cheaper meals, save money, and reduce waste.
For more information, tools, and support that helped me on my journey, visit the Resources below.
BREAKFAST
ENTREES
SALADS
SOUPS & STEWS
DESSERT
SNACKS
