Postpartum Meal Planning: Tips for New Mums 2024

Pregnancy and birth can cause a lot of changes to your tastes and appetite. There may be foods you struggled to smell or look at during pregnancy, and you may have found your appetite growing as your due date approached. Now that your baby is here, all that is behind you – right?

Palate shifts are still possible in the "fourth trimester," and appetite may continue to grow. New mothers may need an extra 500 calories daily on top of their regular needs¹. These are all key factors to consider for postpartum meal planning, as well as finding ways to eat nutritious food as quickly and easily as possible while taking care of your new baby.

There’s more you should know about eating well in the weeks and months after giving birth. To provide you with the best possible knowledge and tips, I consulted with our certified in-house nutritionist. Continue reading to learn more about what to eat in the postpartum period and how to prepare your meals.

Meal Planning

When your baby arrives, minimize prep and cooking as much as you can. This advice goes for both mom and dad, as long prep and cleanup are the last things you'll want to deal with. Tasks that used to take you 3 or 4 steps will need to be completed in just 1 or 2 steps once your child arrives. Also, accept all the help you can get, including any offers of home-cooked meals.

When cooking for yourself, it's best to bulk-cook meals and separate ingredients that can serve as a base for multiple dishes. Freeze anything you don't plan to eat in the next couple of days. You can always add extra sides or proteins to defrosted dishes.

As for freezing, consider making some meals in advance and freezing them before your due date. Many new parents have found this approach helpful in the days and weeks after the baby is born. Try to leave some room in the freezer and refrigerator for meals that relatives, friends, and neighbors might bring around.

Use as few gadgets as possible to prepare simple, nutritious meals. Skip the fancy recipes for now, especially if you don't have a dishwasher. You may find that having a multi-level steamer and/or cooker, a bread-making machine, and a multi-use food processor are worth their weight in gold with a new baby.

I advise cooking and freezing meals you like best by the end of your pregnancy. That way, you'll have a better chance of matching your palate just before the postpartum period. 

Freezer-Friendly and Freezer-Unfriendly Meals

Homemade meals are more nutritious than most takeouts. They have a longer shelf life than fast food if you freeze them. 

But if you're not into meal planning, shopping, and cooking, or just don't have much time in the kitchen, you can still get nutritious recipes without resorting to fast food. There are many great meal subscription services on the market. Our experts ranked the best ones that deliver meal kits and/or prepared meals. This way, you can choose what works best for you. 

Portion and label meals if you decide to prepare them in advance and keep them in the freezer. If your taste is different from your significant other's, portion meals separately. Put food you both like in the same container.

Let’s take a look at the best freezer-friendly meals: 

Freezer-Friendly Dishes

Good meals to freeze are:

• Bread

• Muffins

• Burritos

• Calzone

• Lasagna

• Egg cups

• Meatballs

• Casseroles

• Quiches

• Stews and soups

• Tomato sauce-based recipes

• Shepherd's pie (meat or plant-based)

• Individual proteins, like poultry and beef

• Frozen French fries bought at the market

Dishes That Don't Freeze Well

On the other hand, you should avoid freezing these meals:

• Eggs

• Avocado

• Potatoes

• Cooked rice

• Recipes containing mayonnaise

• Cheese or anything containing dairy products

• Fried food, like homemade French fries and churros

• Cooked and drained pasta as an individual ingredient

• Meals containing watery ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and lettuce

Consider Freezer Space

Clear freezer space for freshly cooked food. Plan how to fill it based on its capacity and the number of meals you intend to prepare. Also, consider leaving some freezer space for breast milk. Refrain from overstuffing your freezer to keep its performance optimal and prevent damage.

If you’ve got space in your home, consider investing in an additional freezer if you find your freezer space scarce. Every extra inch may prove invaluable, especially if you're on your own during the postpartum period when it comes to meal prep. 

Grocery Shopping List

Any postpartum shopping list should be consistent with recommended foods and the mom's palate as closely as possible. Prioritize a balanced diet to ensure breast milk contains all the essential nutrients and consider the mom's increased appetite. It's even better to buy some foods in bulk and freeze them. Running to the store for just 1 or 2 items can be highly inconvenient with your hands full.

Salmon, poultry, beef, spinach, kale, tomato, broccoli, rice, and quinoa are all great ingredients for a postpartum mum. Remember that diversity is the key to proper nutrition, especially for breastfeeding moms. Check out our in-depth How to Eat More Leafy Greens article for ideas and tips on increasing your intake of some foods you may not like. 

Safe Foods for Breastfeeding

After giving birth, you can indulge in foods you avoided during pregnancy. In other words, your breastfed baby should be safe whatever you eat. But keep track of what you eat and when, since there's a small possibility that your baby may react to the foods you consume². Tiny particles of the food you eat may pass on to your child via breast milk. 

If you drink alcohol, it’s best to wait at least 2 hours after a drink before nursing and only consume 1 standard drink per day. If you can avoid alcohol altogether, that’s definitely the safest option³.

Before I get to some common irritants, note that reactions could be due to food allergies or intolerances. Newborns allergic to the food you've eaten may severely vomit, swell in the face, or struggle to breathe. Intolerance symptoms are milder, typically including diarrhea, bloody stools, stomach pain, or gassiness⁴. If you notice any of these symptoms, remind yourself what you’ve eaten and exclude the ingredient from your diet for a while. 

Various foods may trigger allergic reactions in infants. These include dairy products, caffeine, wheat, onions, and soy. Some of the most common irritants observed in exclusively breastfed children are cow's milk, eggs, trout, and peanuts⁵. 

Good Foods to Eat During Postpartum

The food you eat should provide you with enough vitamins, minerals, and energy to keep you going. Crucial nutrients that breastfeeding mothers often lack include vitamins A, D, B12, and folic acid. Minerals you should pay special attention to after childbirth are iron, calcium, and iodine. Also, focus on adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake⁶.

Eat foods in their original state or as close to it as possible. Limit alcoholic drinks, ultra-processed foods, added sugars, saturated fat, high sodium, and other unhealthy additions.

For a healthy diet, prioritize meals containing fruits, veggies, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. The table below displays some options for your postpartum diet, but note that these are just some examples, and there are many other healthy foods you can have⁷.

Postpartum Eating Schedule

An eating schedule is as essential as proper nutrition to keep mom and baby thriving. Here are a few to try and see which one works best for you:

3-2-1 

The 3-2-1 feeding schedule includes 3 meals, 2 snacks, and 1 liter of water daily. It helps set a routine to keep mom well-nourished throughout the day. However, some moms find it too rigid for the chaotic fourth trimester. 

For the 3-2-1 feeding schedule to be effective, meals should contain wholesome, nutritious foods like salmon, seeds, nuts, plant-based oils, and nutrient-rich fruits and veggies.

Also, keep your hunger in check and eat whatever quantity of wholesome and nutritious ingredients you need to feel full. Remember, you have to consume enough quality food to provide you and your baby with important nutrients. On top of that, nutritious foods will help you recover from delivery faster. 

Postpartum is a hectic time, so although it’s important to try and prioritize whole foods, don’t worry about eating takeaways or ready-meals once in a while. You don’t want to rely on these for every meal of the day but don’t feel guilty about indulging occasionally. 

Plate 

If the 3-2-1 schedule seems too complicated, the plate schedule offers more flexibility. It doesn't focus on the meal schedule but on a ratio of veggies, grains, and proteins relative to one another. In short, aim for half your plate with non-starchy veggies, a quarter with whole grains, and a quarter with lean protein.

In practice, your plate could look like this:

1. Cauliflower (1/2), quinoa (1/4), and chicken breasts (1/4)

2. Eggplant (1/2), brown rice (1/4), and salmon (1/4)

3. Spinach (1/2), barley (1/4), and beans (1/4, if you’re vegetarian/vegan)

Intuitive Eating 

Intuitive eating might also work since it means eating whenever you feel hungry and stopping when you feel full. While this approach has many pros, I personally find it hard to achieve with a newborn who demands almost constant attention. On top of that, there are tasks you can't complete until the baby falls asleep, so it can be challenging to listen to your hunger cues. 

Still, timely nourishment is essential for your and your baby's well-being. I believe intuitive eating may only be feasible if parents get substantial help from relatives and friends. So, experiment with different schedules or create your own to find what works best for you until you get to some sort of routine.

Meal Ideas

There are so many meal options, but here are some ideas to get you started (and for those days when you’re too exhausted to think properly). 

Breakfast

• Yogurt with granola, fruits, seeds, and nuts

• Avocado on toast

• Eggs on toast

• Oatmeal with berries

• Overnight oats with various toppings, including fruit, nuts, and seeds

All of these are very quick to make and don’t require much prep. Overnight oats are a versatile dish that can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. If stored correctly, they could last for up to a week, meaning it’s one less meal to think about. 

Lunch

• Grilled chicken or salmon with vegetables

• Wraps and sandwiches with fillings such as chicken, avocado, salmon, and vegetables

• Veg-packed soup with sourdough bread

• Pasta with protein and vegetables

• Salads with tuna, chicken, eggs, or beans and vegetables

Lunch can often end up being a rushed meal. If the baby is having a nap, you can often feel like you need to use nap time to get chores done. Instead, take time to eat properly. Have a nap yourself if you can. The ever-growing pile of laundry and dishes can wait. You need to be nourished properly, and so does your baby.

Dinner

• Lasagne (vegetarian or meat)

• Meat balls and pasta

• Chili (vegetarian or meat)

• Bean stew (with added meat if you wish)

• Burrito bowl

• Shepherd’s pie (or lentil for a plant-based meal)

• Fish Chowder

Dinner is often the main meal, but by the end of the day, you might be too tired to cook. This is a great meal to have stocked in the freezer. You can have portions for 1, 2, or more ready to heat up. It’s best to defrost your meals overnight, but some can be heated from frozen if you haven’t planned at all.

Snacks

• Granola

• Nuts/seeds

• Apple slices or toast with nut butter

• Hummus and veg sticks

• Crackers and cheese

• Greek yogurt

• Dark chocolate

• Smoothies

Snacks are important, particularly if you’re breastfeeding, as you’ll need the extra calories. Although it’s tempting to reach for the cookie jar, try to keep your snacks healthy; however, don’t feel that you’re failing in any way if you fancy a sugary treat. The list above gives you some ideas for when hunger strikes.

Meal Prep and Cooking Tips

• If you struggle to prepare tasty and nutritious meals, consider subscribing to a meal delivery service. Many of them have dozens of weekly meals you can choose from, including meat-based, plant-based, pescatarian, keto, etc.

• Accept help when offered, and not only regarding meals. I can't stress this enough since the day will always seem too short to get everything done, including grabbing some sleep. 

• Never prepare meals while holding a baby in your arms; always use a wrap or sling if you’re unable to put them down. Avoid being around the stove while holding a child, especially when something is boiling. 

• Don't discard reusable leftovers; rather, freeze them if they're among freezer-friendly foods. 

• In case mom and dad's tastes diverge and you don't have the budget to accommodate both palates, there's a way around this problem. For the details, I recommend checking out our Meal Planning for Two article. 

• Eat whole foods where possible and prepare simple meals. You're unlikely to have the time and energy to prepare fancy recipes most, if not all, of the time.

FAQ

When to prep postpartum meals?

The best time to prepare postpartum meals is closer to the due date. This is because pregnancy can change your tastes. So, planning and preparing meals with the due date around the corner is the safest way to make sure you have meals you'll like.

How long do prepped meals last in the freezer?

It depends on many things, including the meal type, its ingredients, whether the airflow isn't blocked due to overstuffing, etc. As you’ll be making lots of freezer-friendly meals, put them in airtight containers and don't overfill the appliance. Most foods should last at least a few months. 

How much should I meal prep for postpartum?

How many dishes to prepare for the fourth trimester depends on many things. These include the available time before delivery and freezer space, whether you intend to mix and match homemade dishes and recipes from meal delivery services, and so on. 

A good rule of thumb in my experience is having at least 10 ready-made meals when mom and baby come home.

References

1. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/breastfeeding/conditioninfo/calories

2. https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/nutrition-while-breastfeeding

3. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/vaccine-medication-drugs/alcohol.html

4. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/newborn-and-infant-nutrition/food-allergies-and-intolerances-in-newborns-and-infants/

5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.202200066

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10818638/

7. https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/Tips_for_Breastfeeding_Moms_English.pdf