A Guide To: Filling Your Freezer For The Fourth Trimester

Filling your freezer with nourishing snacks and meals is such a time and energy saver (and makes such a sweet nesting activity to get into the zone ahead of your baby's arrival) in preparation for your fourth trimester. 

I’ve put together this guide to make food preparation for postpartum feel really approachable, simple and hopefully a little bit of fun.

Select some favourite recipes with comfort and nourishment in-mind

To support the replenishment of lost nutrients consider how food can act as an aid in your recovery by including nutrient dense ingredients. With this in mind, think of warming herbs like ginger, iron rich protein sources, complex carbs and healthy fats to sustain your energy levels. But, above all make meals that feel like a big warm hug and that you know you enjoy will enjoy during those early days of postpartum. 

Some of my absolute favorites recipe suggestions include: 

• Slow Cooked Beef

• Warming Dhal

• Chicken Congee or soup

• Shepards Pie 

• Bliss Balls 

• Veg Loaded Muffins

• Apple crumble

If you’re looking for some more inspiration I adore Village for Mama and Life After Birth both cover all bases from meals to one handed snacks and brothy goodness. 

Plan out your ingredient list 

I find it easiest to use online orders for all my staples and then shop the markets and butcher for produce and meat, intentionally shopping local helps keeps the costs down and then I also know I’m getting really beautiful high quality ingredients. 

Set aside some time to get cooking

Set aside 1.5 to 3 hours to make your meals, it can also feel more approachable to do the cooking over a few weekends and have friends or family there to help, I love popping on a fun playlist and sinking into an afternoon to cook. 

Additional tips to help you along the way:

• Label and date your meal portions so when you or someone else is preparing the meal or snack they know what is going on

• Create a separate list of all the meals and snacks you've made and stick it to the fridge so you can keep track of everything

• Invest in some good quality glass containers to make storing and reheating a breeze like these ones from Kmart.