You hear it many, many times when you are pregnant – ‘don’t forget to meal prep!’
The first time around I didn’t do it and I remember regretting it so much. I didn’t do it because I didn’t expect to go into labour at 38 weeks so the second time around I did meal prep but I can tell you now I regret that also.
Let me explain. The first time around there was a ‘go home after 4 hours birth rule’ so literally you give birth and can go home. It’s all up to you and the last thing you feel like doing is standing much to cook after birth. The second time around was different though, we stayed in hospital for 5 days, had meals cooked for us there (that were delicious and overly fulfilling – thank you Wesley Hospital! Highly recommend!) so by the time I got home I didn’t feel like hearty meals anymore (all that I meal prepped) and felt like fresh food.
I haven’t still (3 weeks on) touched any of the meals I meal prepped. Not even on a desperate day (thank you instead Uber Eats for the desperate day! haha) but I have continue to make meals. I had the proper time to recover in hospital so when I got home I was ready for life and to find our normality again but with our new edition Elle. This is me saying basically to take advantage of all the days you can get in hospital while you can! Even if its just for the food or extra set of hands that are trained to help you as a new mum!
So let me get straight to it. Now that I am home and with much more limited time I have still had the time to cook and the ability to eat good. It is about being organised and choosing the right foods. Don’t feel bad if you do order take out, treats, uber eats or whatever to get you through when you need but when you are ready these are my quick go to snacks and recipes. I write the recipes on the fridge as well so that if I can’t cook that day my partner can have a look and quickly whip it up without my assistance.
The snacks & prep
This is something crucial to assist you! PREP! As soon as your home and following each grocery shop cut up and store as many foods as you can for easy access! Think about it – you eat the packeted foods because it is already cut and easy for you. Spend the half hour doing it with the fresh food you just bought and you will eat it too because it will be easy to grab and snack.
SNACKS
- Oranges (cut up)
- Watermelon (cut up)
- Carrot (cut into sticks)
- Celery (cut into sticks)
- Strawberries (cut up)
- Yoghurt (add some cut up fruit from above)
- Almonds
- Rice crackers with tuna
- pre-made banana bread/muffins/slices from my ebooks
- smoothies (delicious recipes in my ebook)
- Avocado on toast
- Boiled eggsMost of the above food (fruit) is water based and something I found myself majorly craving post baby. They are great options to help flush your body and to continue to help hydrate you when breastfeeding. I generally snack on the boiled eggs and smoothies in between if I am needing a quick ‘meal’ and because they also continue to help keep me full.
MEALS
I will start with simple side dishes that you can mix and match with any of your mains. I only stick to the few options below to rotate as I find them easiest and don’t want to complicate it when on limited time!
SIDE DISHES
- Pea mash (frozen peas boiled and mashed/pureed with coconut butter or coconut milk)
- Sweet potato mash (boiled sweet potato mashed/pureed with coconut butter or coconut milk)
- Steamed broccoli (microwave in steaming dish or a microwave safe container adding a little water & microwave for 5 minutes)
- Steamed beans (same method as per above but for 3 minutes)
MAINS
-
Oven baked Salmon with coconut milk, lemon, coconut butter, garlic & dill.
Method: Melt 3 TBS of coconut butter, add in 100ml of coconut milk, 1 TBS lemon, little bit of garlic & dill and mix. Put Salmon in oven safe dish, pour over the top the dressing and cover with foil. Oven bake for 20 minutes. Serve with sides of choice. -
Salmon Stir fry with soy, lemon, lime, garlic, zuchinni, capsicum, beans, instant quinoa & rice packet.
Method: Marinate diced salmon in GF soy sauce, dash of lemon, dash of lime and garlic. Add to pan and cook tossing for 5 minutes. Add in above diced vegetables and instant rice packet to serve. -
Chicken with coconut cream, mushrooms, garlic, coconut butter, himalayan salt & lemon
Method: Slice chicken and cook in coconut butter. Pour into the pan 1/2 cup coconut cream, a handful of sliced mushrooms, TBS garlic, salt & dash of lemon stirring through until thickened. -
Roast Chicken with moroccan seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder & coconut butter.
Method: Rub the whole roasted chicken with coconut butter and season with the above. Cook in oven for an hour to hour and half depending on your size. Shred and keep in the fridge for salads. -
Chicken with cherry tomatoes.
Method: Dice two chicken breasts and pan fry cook in EVOO seasoned with Moroccan spice (Extra virgin olive oil) add in diced cherry tomatoes for flavour. -
Steak with mushrooms and gravy
Method: Pan fry steak each side for 8 minutes, add in diced mushrooms and instant gravy powder for a super quick meal option (a simple one for your partner to cook and assign to do once a week!).
I hope this gives you some inspiration, options and shows you that you can still eat healthy WITH flavour!
My @wholeheartedly_worldwide instagram has some great visual images if you are ever needing inspiration along with my Recipe eBook for some more hearty and healthy meals.
Wholeheartedly,
Mikhailla xx