These freezer meals for new moms will make the transition to motherhood that much easier. Make ahead freezer meals are the best quick and easy pregnancy meals and will be ready for you when you need them by doing just a little meal prep when pregnant.
Focusing on freezer ideas for new moms and other freezer-friendly meal prep has been a life saver as a new mom, which is why I think it’s important to share these easy pregnancy meals with you.
I hope these healthy freezer meals for new moms will be helpful for you too, even if you aren’t a new mom.
Pregnant meal prep was by far the smartest thing I could have done to prepare for my daughters (Camryn’s birth story and Hannah’s birth story) and I made some of the best meals for pregnancy.
Meal prep and subscribing to the annual membership for Thrive Market. Seriously, having the essentials (flours, snacks, almond milk, etc. etc.) delivered monthly was a LIFE SAVER. I also subscribed to Butcher Box to have quality meat and seafood on hand, which I used for many of these recipes!
If you’re someone who likes to do a lot of cooking in bulk, or wants to have easy meals on hand – maybe you have a surgery coming up, or a loved one is sick, etc. It’s nice to have some meals pre-made so all you have to do is just heat them up.
This post was originally published in April 2018, and photos and text were updated in January 2020.
Table of Contents
WHAT ARE THE BEST HEALTHY FREEZER MEALS FOR NEW MOMS?
As most of these listed below, the best healthy freezer meals will have multiple macronutrients and food groups so they nourish you and keep you full for a period of time.
I’ve divided these freezer meals for new moms into different categories, such as:
- Breakfasts
- Snacks
- Crockpot Freezer Meals
- Dinners
I would recommend doing meal prep during pregnancy if you have the energy and time!
These easy freezer meals are GREAT as healthy pregnancy meals and pregnancy dinner ideas as well.
WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR FREEZER MEAL PREP?
I want to share some of my favorite resources for pregnancy meal prep because to succeed you have to have a few systems in place. Obviously, if you need pregnancy dinner ideas or you want to make freezable meals for new moms, you need the right supplies.
I would have loved to see a post like this when I was pregnant to encourage a meal prep pregnancy plan, so I thought it may be helpful to compile a list of meal prep ideas for pregnancy to make in bulk.
Doing meal prep while pregnant does not have to be overly arduous and time-consuming. Just do it little by little.
While this is great for mamma’s to be, it can also be a great resource for general meal prep or freezer prep.
Chest Freezer
We bought a chest freezer a few months ago that has been the best purchase for meal prep for pregnancy!
If you don’t have the money or space for a deep freezer, try to utilize your current freezer the best you can.
Use Tupperware and Storage Containers For Freezer Meals Before Baby
I recommend purchasing a good set of tupperware or meal prep freezer containers that can go in the freezer. Otherwise, you won’t have much room for your healthy freezer meals.
These have been vital for food prep for pregnancy, too.
Meal Prep Sheet To Keep Track Of Meals For New Moms
This may be because I’m a nerd, but I love writing down and noting what I’m making or have made. I’m a mom who needs meal prep organization.
I love this magnet sheet for mentally planning and organizing meals and days.
Crockpot or Instant Pot
Lastly, if you don’t have a crockpot or instant pot, you should invest in one now for make ahead freezer slowcooker meals.
Believe me, the money spent now is WELL worth it when you’re tired, can’t/don’t want to leave the house (or put real clothes on) and have no fresh food.
And don’t think Crockpot Oatmeal isn’t a possibility, it makes for the best easy crockpot meals for pregnancy.
I can’t tell you how helpful these homemade freezer meals were for me as a new mom. I now use this as my guide for new mommy friends who need easy meals that will last them a while.
BEST FREEZER MEALS FOR PREGNANCY (QUICK AND EASY PREGNANCY MEALS)
So, below is a list of quick and easy pregnancy meals to freeze before baby arrives that either:
- I made
- Were recommended to me
- I found on the internet and thought would make for great pregnancy meal ideas
It did take some time to make all these recipes but I spread it out over weeks and months.
If you’re in a rush or low on time, you could knock a lot out in one weekend!
Believe me, these easy meal prepping ideas are SO helpful because you won’t have time (or honestly, brainpower) to think once baby arrives.
I’m a big fan of freezer meals for pregnancy to plan ahead.
HEALTHY BREAKFAST MEAL PREP IDEAS
We tend to only think about dinners in terms of make ahead freezer meals, but don’t forget about the power of breakfast!
To me, they are the best meals for new moms because I’m groggy and sleep-deprived in the morning.
You’ll thank yourself when you can just grab something or reheat a healthy freezer meal and start your day. Especially if you have a crying or needy baby and are functioning in a sleep-deprived state.
These also operate as healthy pregnant meals, too!
- Steel Cut Banana Peach Baked Oatmeal
- Apple Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
- Triple Berry “Lactation” Waffles (Great for breastfeeding moms and high in galactagogues that help with milk production !)
- Sweet Potato Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Zucchini Parmesan Waffles via Krolls Korner
- How to Freeze Pancakes via Home Cooking Memories
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Freezer to Microwave Breakfast Burritos via New Leaf Wellness
- Bulk Breakfast Sandwiches via Damn Delicious
- Sausage and Cheese Biscuits via Cleverly Simple
- Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole
EASY SNACKS FOR NEW MOMS
Snacks for pregnancy and snacks for new moms (especially hungry breastfeeding moms) are essential! If you’re more of a smoothie person, check out this list of 10 lactation smoothie recipes that can help with milk production.
When hunger hits you instantaneously, you’re not going to want to wait to bake something.
No one remembers them but they are the most important part for moms throughout the day.
Most of these make ahead snack recipes have some sort of protein, which is key for satiety and satisfaction.
- The Best 4 Ingredient Trail Mix
- Cheese Herb Muffins via Dish and Delite
- Wild Blueberry Sweet Potato Bread
- Superhero Muffins via Run Fast, Eat Slow
- Sweet Potato Cookie Dough Dip (for those with a sweet tooth!)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Balls (Vegan & Gluten Free)
- Sunflower Chocolate Chip Chickpea Bars
- Almond Flour Banana Muffins
- Crispy Roasted Chickpeas via The Kitchn
- Mint Chocolate Protein Bars via Hungry Hobby
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Breakfast Bars via Eating Well
- Make Ahead Muffin Mix via Make Ahead Meal Mom
- Strawberry Banana Chickpea Muffins
- Chocolate Pomegranate Energy Bites
- Carrot Cake Energy Bites
- No Bake Protein Bites (Vegan)
And if you just want something cold and creamy, this roundup of healthy greek yogurt smoothie recipes should provide plenty of inspiration.
DINNER IDEAS AND MEALS FOR PREGNANCY
Whether you’re looking for healthy crockpot freezer meals, freezer family meals or easy freezer meals before baby, these pregnancy meal prep lunches and dinner ideas are perfect.
Eating well will help you feel better and more energetic during pregnancy and postpartum, so having pregnancy dinner ideas and go to recipes help!
However, you probably won’t have the time or energy to cook meals from scratch so these easy dinner recipes come together easily and are easy to prep in advance.
I like to repurpose many of these are pregnancy lunch meal prep because we tend to forget about lunch recipes.
- Vegetarian Pasta Bake (easy to freeze)
- Pizza Quinoa Bites (aka quinoa meatballs!), a great plant based option
- Freezer to Sheetpan Lemon Pepper Salmon & Green Beans via Diana Rice
- Sheetpan Breaded Honey Mustard Salmon
- Kale and Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
- Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna via How to Eat
- Asian Turkey Style Meatloaf via Jessica Levinson
- Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers
- Easy Freezer Meatballs via Happy Money Saver
- Thai Peanut Chicken (For Freezing) via Smart Nutrition
- Curried Chicken and Chickpea Soup via Jill Weisenberger
- Veggie Lasagna Rolls via Champagne Nutrition
Hummus Pasta Salad is also one of my favorite vegetarian meals for pregnancy.
CROCKPOT FREEZER MEALS
Crockpot freezer meals are the most hands off options available because the slow cooker does all the work!
Here are some favorites:
- Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili via Kara Lydon
- Pumpkin Chicken Crockpot Chili
- How to bulk prep chicken in the slow cooker via G&G Nutrition
- Slowcooker BBQ Chili via Nutritionist Reviews
CAN YOU MAKE FREEZER MEALS FOR A MONTH?
I hope you find these pregnant meal prep ideas helpful if you’re expecting or just want to plan ahead. It can be easy to put all of our focus on a little one and neglect ourselves.
Easy freezer meals don’t have to be overwhelming. I just did a few recipes each week that built up over time (so thankful for my chest freezer).
Or, if you’re making a recipe that is freezable, just double or triple the recipe and then you don’t necessarily have to take an extra time to make freezer meals for baby.
You could easily stock up on freezer meals for a month if you have the space and do it little by little.
I’ve found that fruity muffins and bars are my FAVORITE easy grab and go snacks. You have to think that you want easy, snacks that you can eat with one hand.
Add some yogurt or nut butter for a protein-packed satisfying snack.
SAVE FOR LATER!
What are your favorite on the go snacks? Any other freezer ideas for new moms?
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I’m so glad I found this site because my wife really love reading articles like this. Keep it up and thanks a lot for posting!
I’m not a mom but I am a teacher who has multiple extra jobs so I get home late and need to eat out of my freezer! This post is awesome, thanks!!!
Hi Andrea, it’s always nice to have some go-to items from the freezer for all of us! Hope you find it helpful.
The crockpot or instant pot is one of the best inventions EVER; we’ve been doing a lot of those types of meals especially since my grandma came to live with us.
It really is gold to make life easier!
Sarah, I live out of my freezer. Thanks!!!
Yes! It makes life so much easier
I thought you should avoid deli meats during pregnancy? Was so excited for those muffin sandwiches
You can eat deli meat if it’s cooked during pregnancy, but I would consult with your OB. I saved these for after delivering the baby so it was a quick grab and go or reheat meal!
I want to take a week off from everything just so I can cook and cook only. Make all the things I have on my list (and now this list) and stock my freezer. Great recipes – thank you!
Soooo nice you got out to a brewery!! Oh my gosh that beer must have tasted like gold.
Wouldn’t it be nice to do that? I feel like I would try every recipe on my “to make” list which will realistically never be fully accomplished because it keeps growing longer.
The sunflower chocolate chip chickpea bars look awesome! Could you substitute a different kind of sugar in place of the coconut sugar?
Absolutely! I like the taste of coconut sugar because it’s similar to brown sugar but any sugar will work!
This is such a perfect list! I’m going to have to save it to make some recipes for a few friends who are expecting new bubs later in the year!
Yay, I hope they find it helpful!