Post Baby Freezer Meals

With my first baby I was thankful to have friends and family who came by and brought us meals every single night but this time around being overseas I knew I wouldn't have that luxury.  We have no family nearby and its just not as convenient to get food as it is in the states. 

So, I knew the best option was to make freezer meals just in case.  After having a baby you need to eat A LOT to replenish your body and especially if you're nursing.  I remember with my first not having ANY energy to cook so I knew this would have to be our best option, so I got to work on cooking, storing and saving!

My daughter, Nora (2 years 11 months) was a huge help cooking with me! We had fun doing this together!

We made 11 extra meals - that's a lot of cooking! But surprisingly it was fairly simple. I have to say... There's something about being at the end of pregnancy that makes you insanely productive - that nesting mode just kicks in and you GO.  Give me a deadline and a schedule and I get stuff accomplished at 39 weeks pregnant!

It took me about a week but I made 2 or so extra meals each day and then stored everything in the freezer.  These are not ALL "clean" meals.  Some are but others I was just looking for convenience and knew I'd want some "comfort" food right after baby comes to hold my appetite with nursing. 

In addition to these meals we will always have fresh veggies around for throwing together quick salads with our meals.

I stored most of these meals in aluminum containers which you can get from any local grocery store so that we could throw them straight in the oven to cook and then not have to worry about clean up.  The burritos I wrapped in wax paper and stored in freezer bags.  The waffles I stored in a freezer bag as well.

Below you can see link to all the recipes as well as a grocery list to help you save time trying to figure out what you need. 

Here's what I made...

Breakfast:

Breakfast Burritos:

2 dozen tortillas

18 eggs

2 cans green chilis

1-2 cans black beans

Turkey sausage

Cheese

Scramble eggs put all ingredients in. Put in tortillas, wrap in waxed paper and freeze.

Bacon Mushroom Spinach Frittata:

http://damndelicious.net/2015/02/02/bacon-mushroom-spinach-frittata/

Clean Eating Waffles:

http://jackiepetersonfitness.blogspot.co.il/2017/01/clean-eating-waffles.html

Lunches/Dinners:

Turkey Chili:

(NOTE: Beans/spicy foods can cause gas in some babies so be aware if you are nursing. I was not concerned about this because I didn't have any issues with my first baby. I did however alter this recipe and just used a mild tac
o seasoning vs. the red pepper).

http://jackiepetersonfitness.blogspot.co.il/2016/10/turkey-chili.html

Lasagna:

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/simply-lasagna-recipe-69196.aspx?cm_mmc=Social-_-Pinterest-_-CPC-_-SimplyLasagna&pp=1

Chicken noodle pasta:

http://damndelicious.net/2016/02/10/creamy-chicken-noodle-pasta/

Enchiladas:

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/best-chicken-enchiladas-ever/

Enchilada sauce: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/red-enchilada-sauce/
(I also altered this Enchilada sauce because it was way too spicy for us. I simply took out the chili powder and used taco seasoning instead with just a dash of chili).  

Shredded Chicken:

This can be used for any chicken meal: enchiladas, Mexican bowls with brown rice, asian chicken with rice, etc.

Shred chicken (add taco seasoning to half this recipe for Mexican chicken bowls)

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/220326/sarahs-easy-shredded-chicken-taco-filling/

Harvest Meatballs (family recipe):

1 ½ lbs ground beef (I used ground turkey because I had extra)

½ tsp chili powder

½ c. ketchup

2 eggs

½ c milk

1 t. Prepared mustard

1 t. Salt

Chopped onion

Pepper to taste

1 t. Beef bouillon

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/w c bread crumbs

½ c oatmeal

Sauce:

½ cup ketchup

½ c brown sugar

1 t prepared mustard

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together well. Form portions into large 1 ½’ balls and place in 13x9 baking dish.  Pour the following sauce over the meatballs and bake 15 minutes.

Cheeseburger Casserole

(makes 3 freezer meals)

For the topping:

• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 1 onion, diced very finely
• Six cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
• For the crust:
• 5 cups of self rising flour
• 3/4 cup of sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (more or less) of water

In a saute pan, cook together the ground beef over medium high heat until onion is soft. Set aside to cool.

Make the crust first by combining the flour, egg, sour cream and enough water to bring it together into a thick, but spreadable consistency.

Spray the pans (I used three round pans) and spread a layer of the dough into each one. Sprinkle the cooled meat mixture over the dough, then top each one with about 2 cups of cheddar. Top with lid. To cook, bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

For a variation, you could put some of the marinara on the dough, and have a cheeseburger pizza casserole. We sometimes use marinara for dipping – it’s the perfect finger food!

Chicken Soup:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/8814/homemade-chicken-soup/

Grocery List:

Meat/Protein:

30 eggs

1 lb ground turkey

3 pounds of ground beef

1 lb boneless chicken thighs

1 package of Bacon

Turkey sausage (or extra ground turkey)

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 ½ lbs ground beef (or ground turkey for meatballs your choice)

1 whole chicken

Produce:

6 onions

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

2-3 bulbs garlic

Garlic

7 carrots

6 celery stalks

Spinach

Mushrooms

1 tomato

Bread/Starches:

2 cups Whole wheat flour

5 cups of self rising flour

All Purpose or gluten free Flour

20 flour or corn tortillas
1 package Egg noodles
12 Lasagna noodles

Dairy/Milk alternatives:

1 1/2 cups almond milk (or coconut milk)

Six cups Cheddar Cheese, grated

3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
Ricotta cheese

3/4 cup of sour cream

Fresh grated parmesean

Butter

Milk

Other:

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 Tbsp cinnamon

3-5 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Coconut Oil
2 cans pinto or kidney beans
2 cans diced organic tomatoes

3 cans green chilis

3 cans black beans

1 cup red wine
Chicken stock
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup ketchup

2 tsp prepared mustard

1 t. Beef bouillon

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/w c bread crumbs

½ c oatmeal

½ c brown sugar
1 can marinara sauce

1 batch red enchilada sauce, or 1 can store-bought enchilada sauce

• (optional: 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro)

Spices:

5 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp red pepper (or mild mexican seasoning if you want to stay away from pepper)

1/2 tsp sea salt

Dried thyme

Onion powder

Salt + pepper

Dried basil

Hot sauce (optional)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

fresh parsley (optional)

If you're looking for MORE awesome freezer recipes that are sure to taste amazing while frozen and and baked make sure to check out this article from Groom & Style for more awesome delicious freezer recipes. Click here to check out their recipes!

You can also purchase my "SIMPLE + HEALTHY MEALS FOR REAL MOMS COOKBOOK eBOOK" for more delicious recipes the whole family will enjoy!

For more tips on pregnancy and post partum be sure to follow me on social media at:
FB.com/jackiepetersonfitness
Instagram.com/jackiepetersonfitness

Click here to get my FREE guide: Top 5 Secrets to a Fit Pregnancy and Fitting it All In

Click here to start cooking SIMPLE + HEALTHY MEALS!