Simply Kenny

Homemade freezer meals, easy breakfasts, and snacks I’m planning to prepare before welcoming our second baby.

With baby girl on the way, I’ve been putting a lot of thought into how I want to prepare for postpartum this time around.

One of my biggest priorities is making sure we have plenty of homemade meals ready to go before she arrives.

Between recovering from birth, caring for a newborn and toddler, keeping up with our animals, and everything else that comes with taking care of our home, I know those first few weeks are going to be an adjustment.

Our animals will still need to be cared for every day, my toddler will still need plenty of attention, and life isn’t exactly going to slow down just because we have a new baby.

That’s why I’m trying to get ahead on some of the things I can control, starting with food.

I do most of the cooking for our family, and with several people to feed, preparing meals can take up a pretty big part of my day. My husband will also be working, so I want to make sure he has easy meals he can heat up before work or when he gets home late.

As much as I enjoy making our food from scratch, I don’t want to spend those first few weeks postpartum worrying about what I’m going to cook every day.

I want to focus on healing, soaking up those newborn days, and making sure my toddler still gets the attention he needs as we adjust to becoming a family of four.

I haven’t officially started preparing everything yet, but I’ve been putting together a pretty extensive list of meals, breakfasts, and snacks I want to make before baby arrives.

Freezer-Friendly Breakfasts

Breakfast is one of the first things I want to prepare.

With a toddler, a newborn, and animals to take care of in the mornings, I know there will be days when making breakfast from scratch just isn’t realistic.

Here’s what’s on my list:

• Apple cinnamon muffins: Something easy for both my toddler and me to enjoy.
• Pancake bites: A quick breakfast or snack that can be made ahead of time.
• Egg bites: An easy protein option for busy mornings.
• Breakfast wraps: Something filling that my husband can heat up before leaving for work.
• Smoothie packs: Pre-portioned frozen fruit and other smoothie ingredients that I can throw into the blender for a quick breakfast or snack.

I want a combination of sweet and savory options so we have some variety instead of eating the same thing every morning.

I’m especially excited about having smoothie packs ready because they’re something I can make quickly without having to pull out a bunch of ingredients or spend extra time prepping everything.

Lunches and Dinners I’m Planning to Freeze

This is definitely the biggest part of my list.

Since I’m usually cooking for a larger family, I want meals that are filling, easy to reheat, and practical to make in bigger batches.

I’m also trying to think about which meals will work best for everyone, rather than having to make something different for each person.

Casseroles, Pasta & Family Dinners

• Lasagna
• Shepherd’s pie
• Chicken pot pie
• Stuffed shells
• Ravioli
• Homemade frozen pizza
• Enchiladas
• Meatloaf

Soups, Chili & Comfort Meals

• Chicken noodle soup
• Chili
• Chicken and dumplings
• Broccoli cheese soup
• Italian wedding soup
• Chicken chili
• Potato soup
• Beef stew
• Chicken tortilla soup
• Vegetable soup

I know it’s a pretty long list, and I’m not necessarily going to make everything in equal quantities.

Right now, I’m collecting ideas and figuring out which meals make the most sense to prepare ahead of time.

I also want to be intentional about how I portion everything. Some meals will be prepared for family dinners, while others might be divided into smaller portions so my husband or I can quickly heat something up without having to thaw an entire casserole.

Postpartum Snacks & My Experience With Oats

Along with our regular meals, I’m planning to make quite a few snacks.

I want easy things I can grab throughout the day, especially while breastfeeding or taking care of both kids.

I’m also planning to make snacks that my toddler can enjoy, so I don’t have to prepare something separate every time one of us gets hungry.

A big focus for me this time around is incorporating oats into more of my snacks.

During my first postpartum experience, I noticed that when I was frequently eating oats, my milk supply seemed to increase quite a bit. I actually ended up with an oversupply.

I know this isn’t everyone’s experience, and there isn’t strong scientific evidence that eating oats directly increases milk production. But it was something I personally noticed, and I’m interested in seeing how my body responds this time around.

I also know that oversupply isn’t necessarily a good thing, so I’m not looking to force an increase in milk production. I simply enjoy oats and want to incorporate them into convenient, filling snacks.

Snacks on My List

• Lactation balls
• Protein balls
• Additional homemade oatmeal-based snacks
• Other easy snacks that both my toddler and I can enjoy

I’m still looking for more recipes, so this part of my list will probably continue growing.

My Plan for Getting Everything Prepared

I haven’t started the actual freezer meal prep yet, so I’m still figuring out exactly how I want to organize everything.

I know I don’t want to wait until the last minute and end up trying to cook everything in one weekend.

Ideally, I’d like to spread the preparation out, making a few things at a time and freezing them as I go.

I also need to consider how much freezer space we have, especially because I’m cooking for a larger family.

Some meals will be easier to freeze fully assembled, while others might make more sense to cook first and freeze in portions.

As I start preparing everything, I plan to share which recipes I choose, how I’m storing them, and what the process actually looks like.

Preparing for Postpartum, Not Perfection

One thing I’m trying to remind myself is that I don’t need to have everything perfectly prepared before baby arrives.

Of course, I’d love to have a freezer full of homemade meals and snacks, but my biggest goal is simply to make those first few weeks a little easier.

I know how quickly the newborn stage goes, and this time I’ll also have a toddler who still needs my attention.

If spending some extra time in the kitchen now means I can spend less time worrying about meals later, that feels worth it to me.

I want to be able to rest, recover, enjoy our new baby, and spend time with my kids without feeling like I need to immediately return to my normal routine.

This is just the beginning of my postpartum meal prep plans, and I’m sure my list will change as I actually start cooking.

I’ll be sharing more as I go, including the recipes I make, how I freeze everything, and what ends up being the most helpful once baby girl is here.

Love, Kenny ♡